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

[creme-bun.livejournal.com]

As a reader I'm very appreciative of the fact that I have lovely (free) stories to read. It's my decision whether I read WIP's or not. I don't feel any author owes me a thing. The reverse, rather.

[moonlite-tryst.livejournal.com]

Free fic is great but it also happens on subscription sites and that's when I pull my money.

I used to think like you but my time is limited and I found it infuriating to be read a mammoth epic only to discover it petered out with no note from the author to say whether there'd be anymore or that's all folks. Now I check the last chapter if the fic is not labelled.