The torment that is the WiP - Discuss

[moonlite_tryst]

That's discuss people, not flame!

As an author who has been a bugger for starting to post chaptered fics and not finishing them this may seem a strange post, but here goes.

Whilst spring cleaning my LJ, I clicked on a link for one of the greatest H/D WiPs ever written IMO. Although labelled as catagorically not abandoned, it has not been updated for almost three and a half years *cries* and who knows if it ever will because the author is now writing in another fandom *cries some more*, which leads me to wonder:

If a WiP has been abandoned for a period of time, e.g. over 2 years or more, and the author was close to the end, should said author post a synopsis regarding how things were going to end for the reader's benefit?

Does an author have any obligation to readers who have followed/are following a WiP, or does the label WiP translate into read at your peril?

Thinky thoughts authors, readers?

Comments

[moonlite-tryst.livejournal.com]

the last WIP I tried to follow was Drop Dead Gorgeous, but every time a new chapter came out I had to re-read

I'm following an original m/m like that ATM. When chap's are posted at intervels of 3 - 4 weeks I'm okay, but when there's a gap of 6 months or more I've lost the subtle nuances of the plot. I've told myself I'm not re-reading any more of book 2 until it's completed.

Also, because I tend to not follow a strict plan when writing a story, chances are I'll need to "patch" the earlier parts as new ideas spring up from the later

I know what you mean. I have those issues with a 5000 word fic. I'm a bugger for constant editing as I go, which is the very opposite of what I try to teach the kids at school when they write their 1st draft.

be it providing a synopsis of the ending, or burning the script, or ...

I've come to the conclusion that what I really want is a note that says whether a fic is on hold or that's all folks. It's the not knowing that drives me potty. One m/m series I've been following for over 3 novels is on hiatus, but at least the author said so. Now, I know the fic that shall not be named has a similar message on it, but it's 3 and a half years old. Somehow, I can't see an update happening. *much wailing and gnashing of teeth ensues*

[symetric.livejournal.com]

and she's expressively asked people not to ask if it'll be updated, which frustrates me even more.

the think is, i love the word building, the slow, steady fall into the world you're reading about and i know, i know the synopsis is nothing is comparison to the real thing, but if there's an option between nothing and the outline of how it all happened, i'd pick the how it all happened so that i could at least imagine it that way.

*pets* oh man, Lusi, i feel your pain.

[moonlite-tryst.livejournal.com]

We'll gnash our terrible teeth and roar and terrible roars of woe together.