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Twilight Forums - Twilighted • View topic - At what point...do you just give it up?




At what point...do you just give it up?

What about Admiral Fic? Captain Fic?

At what point...do you just give it up?

Postby abteer99 on Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:10 pm

I was wondering, at what point in a story, do you

a. just stop reading it? due to spelling, storyline, etc??

b. after how much time has past that it hasn't updated?

I'm a big grammar, spelling, nut case. There is spellcheck.

And as for giving up on a story because of the updates, I'm in limbo on this one, I've had a few that has gone over a month at a time, and I decide it's not worth it to wait anymore, even if the story is awesome, I will never get the satisfaction on an ending.

I refuse to read any stories that have not been updated in over two months.
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Re: At what point...do you just give it up?

Postby lilyflower on Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:28 pm

Ooh, good questions. It's kind of hard to pin-point exactly when spelling and grammar mistakes become enough for me to stop reading. Because I'm not really a spelling-nazi or anything. I can overlook some mistakes, because everyone makes them. But if I'm constantly noticing mistakes then I usually decide it isn't worth my time.

As far as the updating question, that's a hard one too. Because it depends a lot on how much I like the story. Some stories I'll read and just fall in love with and get obsessed over. These types of stories are the ones that I actually think about when I'm going about my day. But others I just don't like as much. I enjoy reading them when they're in front of me, but usually don' t think much about them later. If one of the first types of stories has a long time between updates, then I usually don't mind. But if one of the second types of stories has a long waiting time, then I will stop reading it at some point. Because by the time it is updated I've usually pretty much forgotten it. I guess however long I'm willing to wait for an update is a pretty good determination of how much I like the story.

But if I'm looking at a new story and I see it hasn't been updated in two months then I don't read it. Even if I've heard from many people that it is good, I'm just not willing to put myself through the wait. And I always worry that it won't be finished if updates take so long.
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Re: At what point...do you just give it up?

Postby erinmiyu on Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:30 pm

i don't know if i can really pinpoint what eventually turns me off of a story. my grammar isn't impeccable, so i'm definitely not pot-kettle-black with that when i read others' stories. spelling sometimes turns me off if the storyline doesn't grip me enough to make me not care about it.

sometimes if a plotline feels ridic to me i'll stop, but i feel like i can tell within a chapter or two if i am going to like what i'm reading.

as for the update factor? well, it's hard, because there are some stories i love that don't update often but if they are just *that good* i will hang on to any thread the author will give me! but if i am not in love with the story to begin with and it's been months, then i feel okay stepping away from it.
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Re: At what point...do you just give it up?

Postby abteer99 on Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:33 pm

I usually let myself get into about 2 chapters, before I determine whether I'm going to continue or not, whether it be grammar, spelling or just plotline.

And, I agree about the stories that totally grab you, but then once you know deep down, that they are not going to update, or finish, it's like a huge huge huge letdown.

And I would rather authors own up to the fact that they are not going to finish the story and at least post a note. I have so many stories right now, that I know it's just pointless keeping them on alert, but I still keep my hopes up for them, but dang it, just post discontinued or something!!!
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Re: At what point...do you just give it up?

Postby xparawhorextwerdx on Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:34 pm

Ok, question 1.

I give up if there's stupid mistakes that can easily be fixed just by using spell check, or having a half decent beta. Or if the storyline goes ridiculous. I read slash, I read non canon pairings, but if it goes that the Cullens are, idk, so OOC that it's ridiculous, I won't read.

Question 2

*puts hand up* I haven't updated my multi chapters in almost a month...I have reasons! I put one on hiatus, because of school. Also, my beta's been mega busy for my other so I don't have the latest chapter back yet from her. As soon as school calms down, I'll post again. But until then, I just can't write.

I was recently clearing out my favourites list, and I PM'd any authors who haven't updated in a few months. If I don't get a reply from whoever I PM'd in the next week, I'm deleting the story. However, when an author is nice enough, like Rialle, for example, to send an email saying that she's busy, but she is working on it, I'll leave it. If they have a legitimate reason, school or work or something, I'll let it slide. But six months is my limit. I'm also a fiend for clearing out my favourites of complete stories. When a story is complete, I clear it out. Dunno why, I just do.
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Re: At what point...do you just give it up?

Postby everwondering on Wed Mar 25, 2009 5:13 pm

I've dropped a couple stories, one fairly recently, too, that honestly have nothing at all to do with the title & the summary any longer. It makes me wonder if the author decided to completely change the plot halfway in. This is my biggest pet peeve.

As for the updating... geesh. I have some fics on my alert list that haven't updated since last summer, but it's not like it affects me to just have them on alert. If they update, then w00t! If not, no biggie. That said, I probably won't start reading a new-to-me fic if it hasn't updated at least once in the past 2-3 months.
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Re: At what point...do you just give it up?

Postby venjoss on Wed Mar 25, 2009 5:26 pm

If the grammar is really bad I probably won't make it past the first page anyway.

I've read a few stories that the characterizations drove me so insane I stopped reading even after having read several chapters.

I will wait indefinitely for an update. Although there are a few stories by some of my favorite authors that I am not going to read until they are complete.
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Re: At what point...do you just give it up?

Postby Lalina on Wed Mar 25, 2009 5:27 pm

I'm a glutton for punishment, there isn't much that will make me drop a fic if it catches my attention. I've only x'd out of a handful if they completely bore me to tears w/i the first few paragraphs.
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Re: At what point...do you just give it up?

Postby bethaboo on Wed Mar 25, 2009 11:33 pm

hmmmm this is a great question (and my answer will probably offend most people).

first of all, there is almost no excuse for bad grammar and/or spelling. everyone should have a beta. even the best authors who write impeccably make mistakes cause guess what--we're human and that's what we do. so when a story has obvious grammatical errors and misspellings, it is hard for me to get into it, because every single one pulls me out of the action and distracts me because I think--man, they really need a beta to catch these things.

second, tenses. this is not so easy. the biggest suggestion I have for writers with the tense thing: pick one and stick with it. don't try to change it up. if in doubt--keep it the same. present or past--but not a combination of both because then I am jerked around constantly. tense is one of those things that will make me quit a story faster than grammar or spelling.

third, incorrect information. if you are going to set your story in portland--do some rudimentary research. if your character is going to be a lawyer--make sure that they're the right age. too young, and you wonder how on earth they completed law school and took the bar by the age of 22. make it realistic. sure this is fantasy, but I want it somewhat based in reality.

fourth, bad characterization. well, this is kind of a personal judgment. if Bella is too weak--I will stop reading. if Edward is annoying (this rarely happens), I will stop reading. if Rosalie gets pregnant, I will probably stop reading (way way way too cliche). if any other stupid cliche things happen--I will definitely stop reading. I want something fresh, and if it's not fresh, than the writing has to be fantastic and put a new spin on it.

fifth, big misunderstandings and/or long separations that make no logical sense. if one person can't forgive, yet keeps the other character hanging on for chapters and chapters--that makes me want to scream in utter frustration.

sixth, perfect epilogues. obviously at this point the story is done, but a badly done epilogue will kind of ruin a story for me. life isn't perfect. don't make the epilogue perfect. couples are going to fight--nothing will be a fairy tale forever, even if you're in love. characters aren't going to magically get the girl and also the perfect job where they make a million dollars. and certainly, not EVERY SINGLE character is going to end up rich and happy and successful. this is ludicrous. keep it real.

stories I will never start in the first place: almost every NM AU--the what if Edward never came back thing has been done to death and frankly doesn't even seem possible to me. honeymoon stories--YUCK--most of them just want to fill in the sex, and after a while, my imagination just plain does it better. also on the honeymoon story note--AU honeymoon stories make me want to hurl.

I've probably been (too) blunt here, but honestly, I am just such a picky reader. anyone have any suggestions?
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Re: At what point...do you just give it up?

Postby Lalina on Thu Mar 26, 2009 4:32 am

bethaboo wrote:I've probably been (too) blunt here, but honestly, I am just such a picky reader. anyone have any suggestions?


What's the point of answering a board like this if you aren't going to be honest(blunt)? We all have various tastes, there will be stories that resonate w/ us and some that turn us off, it's normal. I think sometimes authors can get a little too sensitive when they hear that ppl don't like their particular story idea but you aren't going to please everyone!

My first multi-chap story is canon, post-eclipse, with an OC AND possible alternate pairings. I didn't learn till later that a lot of ppl wouldn't be into it. At first it bugged me but now I just chalk it up to, ppl like what they like!

Now things like grammar, spelling and tenses bother me and although I realize no work is going to be flawless, it should be as close as possible
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