What kind of stories / threads encourage writers to add?

I have a general polling type of question for those that would like to respond.

Let me explain first and then the question will make more sense. I've been writing stories and threads for CHYOO since before it was even CHYOO! I've always been a fan of the interactive story and love its concept. For those of you that have rad my stories/threads, I have always tried to keep to the CHYOO suggestions of fully developing each thread (sort of like a chapter of a book). A vast majority of my threads have received very favorabloe reviews. The problem/question is why aren't others adding to them?

If the threads are too well written, or very involved, does it discourage people from adding, for fear they might get rejected, or fear they don't have the creative writing capabilities that the previous threads had established?

The other part of the question would relate to the "continuing question" *hook* at the end of the thread. Should the hooks be open ended, or give definitive options? Most of my threads end after the sex has taken place, so there aren't options like "Where do you shoot your load?" Is that a problem for encouraging others to write?

I have rejected some threads in the past because they were not even five sentences long! I write extensively for a variety of different authors, as well as my own stories, yet don't get much in return?

For those that have added to my stories/threads, I thank you in advance, and encourage you to continue. For those that haven't, please feel free to do so. I was just wondering what the other authors/writers have encountered more recently.

Is too much detail, or too long a thread, detrimental in encouraging others to add to your stories/threads?

SparkyMan said:

The problem/question is why aren't others adding to them?

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I haven't added to your threads because I've rarely ever seen them come up on the 'latest' stories list, and therefore have never bookmarked them for future writing. I have found that stories that people see get added to, or at least read. It's hard to get anyone to add to a story. Just not enought authors, I think.

If the threads are too well written, or very involved, does it discourage people from adding, for fear they might get rejected, or fear they don't have the creative writing capabilities that the previous threads had established?

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I haven't noticed any detriment to writing well.

The other part of the question would relate to the "continuing question" *hook* at the end of the thread. Should the hooks be open ended, or give definitive options? Most of my threads end after the sex has taken place, so there aren't options like "Where do you shoot your load?" Is that a problem for encouraging others to write?

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I like to break at logical desicion points, especially for the protagonist. So, how do they fuck them once they've had foreplay? Where do you shoot? These all give people a point to step in and start writing. They don't have to start a whole new idea, just finish or add to an aready existing

I have rejected some threads in the past because they were not even five sentences long! I write extensively for a variety of different authors, as well as my own stories, yet don't get much in return?

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Me too. A common problem I guess.

SparkyMan,

I'm a contributor to Best Man's Diary. (You're welcome. Torg: you might like it.) I enjoy the theme and setting, which is why I've added a number of threads. I've looked at your other stories and I don't recall that they captured my imagination.

I'm curious about some of the same issues myself, since I'd like to encourage contributors to my own stories.

As an author, I find it encouraging, as a vote of confidence, if the editor of a story chooses to follow up on one of my threads. Unlike some other authors, I seldom think more than a thread or maybe two ahead, and having the extra collaborative input will often spark new ideas. Sometimes it works well, and I'll exchange several successive threads with the editor or other author.

Part of what gets me interested is if I'm taken by a character's personality. I find myself at a loss if the characters seem too sketchily described -- it's hard for me to guess what direction they might take for the followup question. I like to see suggestive details of dress, of how they look at others or think about what to do or talk to other characters.

Sometimes if a thread gets long (either my own or a contributed thread), I'll break it at a plausible decision point.

A speculation on my part: a long sequence of threads by a single author without branches is less likely to get other contributors adding.

You might directly solicit threads from authors whose work you enjoy, especially if you've contributed to their stories or followed up to their threads. Sometimes it works.

Thank you for your own contribution to Get Me to the Church On Time.

To turn your question around, what should I and other editors do to encourage you as a contributing author?

Hope to write for you more later.

Best of luck,

Zingiber

The thing I hate most on Chyoo is small threads, I generally just really hate 100 word threads. As you can barely achieve anything within such a small amount of words. As a result anyone who submits such a thread to any story of mine or one I'm editing is very unlikely to be approved, as I've already rejected a few due to this reason.

As for contributing to other people works, a lot of the time there isn't a reason. If it's well written I'm more likely to add to it. Generally it's because I have an idea for a thread in three or four threads time, and the one I've written off seems like the best one to start this on.

Zingiber said:

SparkyMan,

I'm a contributor to Best Man's Diary. (You're welcome. Torg: you might like it.)

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Actually, I wrote a thread for that last year.

As an author, I find it encouraging, as a vote of confidence, if the editor of a story chooses to follow up on one of my threads. Unlike some other authors, I seldom think more than a thread or maybe two ahead, and having the extra collaborative input will often spark new ideas. Sometimes it works well, and I'll exchange several successive threads with the editor or other author.

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One of my favorite stories of mine is Summer Road Trip, where SlaveDragon and I have been alternating threads for some time. It's been great.

A speculation on my part: a long sequence of threads by a single author without branches is less likely to get other contributors adding.

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Hmmmm, interesting theory.

I'm frustrated by this problem as well. I try to write in such a manner that at the end of a thread it leaves all sorts of possiblities to any writers that might want to add to it. I realize that my threads are not always consistant in their quality, but I'm motivated to try to get others to contribute and sometimes I'll write a little just to see if I'll get a reaction.

I've had limited success in getting people to contribute this past year, and I am eternally grateful to those who contributed to my stories. I try to return the favor to those authors that add a thread to one of my stories by adding a thread to theirs. I must admit however, that sometimes I don't.

As opposed to some others, I will take short threads, if they're fairly well written, and add something to the momentem of the story. I'd of course prefer longer threads, but sometimes I'm just happy for the addition.

Still love the place, but wish I'd get more threads and more constructive criticism and suggestions form others as to what they'd like to see in a story.

Imhotep

Well, since you've reminded me, I've added to my thread in Best Man's Diary. I've got another one written and some more in my head. I think everyone will like them.

My M.O. is that a storyline catches my imagination, and I write several threads for it in fairly short order (anywhere from a day to a week). Then something else catches my eye, and I move on to other stories. Kind of like a cross between a ferret and a pit bull (tenacious once I start writing, but easily distracted once an idea is written down). I also tend to write in two or three stories at once. But these are ones that have really captured me and I switch back and forth until one thread in one of the stories gets done. Sometimes, I can have a paragraph or two sitting for weeks until it finally gels and I can finish it.

Zingiber said:

A speculation on my part: a long sequence of threads by a single author without branches is less likely to get other contributors adding.

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I have wondered this, too. It's a particular sore point for me because my sole story was written during Chyoo's "dry spell," when there was no one to approve my little tale. Obviously no one could read the darn thing, let a lone add to it, so I did that by myself. By the time Chyoo was resuscitated, and my story was accepted, it was pretty big, with me as the only author.

With that in mind, I am very sympathetic to writers who devote a lot of time to their Chyoo but don't have a lot of contributors (they are writing 90% of it, for example). In such cases, I go through the story and seriously hunt for a good starting point. I add to the more "fortunate" stories when I happen to have a good idea.

How to discourage writers from your stories

Well, now that we've covered a lot of ways to encourage writers, I thought I'd mention a few ways that editors discourage writers.

The two that get me are:

1) long periods of no updates
2) heavy editing

By #1, I don't mean abandoned stories. I mean stories that have editors that show up every three of four months, giving the semblance of having active stories, but keeping authors waiting for very long times between updates. Since I often write four to eight threads in a week or two, having to wait for a year or two to get them added to a story really turns me off.

By #2, I don't mean editors that correct typos, spelling, grammar, capitalization, etc. and maybe some light editing to tighten things up. I mean editing that changes the whole point of the thread, rearranges outcomes, etc. These are collaborations. So, the writers have some say in where the story goes. If you don't want writers messing up your story, keep it closed. Or if a writer goes in an inappropriate direction, deny the thread. But if they simply don't go where you would, write a parallel thread with a different outcome.

So, if you want to discourage writers, do these two things.

Torg said:

Well, now that we've covered a lot of ways to encourage writers, I thought I'd mention a few ways that editors discourage writers.

The two that get me are:

1) long periods of no updates
2) heavy editing

....

So, if you want to discourage writers, do these two things.

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Interesting. I had formed the impression that denying a thread was more likely to drive a writer away than a heavy edit.

I've done heavy edits on occasion. Generally I send a separate message via Chyoo-mail to the author saying what I'm up to and why, and inviting them to re-edit it in case I've gone too far.

In one "heavy edit" case it was a violation of story guidelines; in another case, I realized I'd made an awkward thread break, and merged some of my previous thread into the author's follow-up for a more graceful decision point (a "medium edit?").

Thanks, ... so far

It seems that I am not ALL alone in the way that I feel. I also contribute (or write) in a stream of consciousness mode where I may add anywhere from one to eight threads to a story at a time. I keep going until my "idea" runs dry. Then I move onto a new story.

I also keep a rotation to the stories that I edit. Since I write in MS Word, I arrange my story files by "Modified date". I then alternate back and forth adding to a story that is at the bottom of my Modified list, or at the bottom of "My Stories" list on CHYOO. As a result I'm always concentrating on "resurrecting" the dead stories. Obviously, the more stories I add to, the longer it takes to "come back around" to a previous story.

I also feel the same way, disappointed when a story author doesn't add to one of my threads. Occasionally, I need a thought, or spark to revitalize the creative spirit. As a side note, as an author, I can understand, that at times I don't want to write an add on thread to a thread by someone else, for fear that they wanted to add a similar thread. So usually I'll wait to see if they add another thread, before I add my own.

I don't understand how my stories, or those that I've added to haven't been on the latest list? When I've added to them, they did appear there until they were replaced.

Any more insight is greatly appreciated. Thanks again!

8 threads?! I never seem to get a writer to add a string of threads to my story in rapid succession.

I did add a thread to your story a while back. Unfortunately none of my stories have taken your interest.

switch76 said:

Unfortunately none of my stories have taken your interest.

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A Bet ... has taken my interest ... I've been following it for a while ... just haven't had the chance to add to it yet ... But trust me it IS on my list!

switch76 said:

Unfortunately none of my stories have taken your interest.

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SparkyMan said:

A Bet ... has taken my interest ... ... ... just haven't had the chance to add to it yet...

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If I want someone to know that I am reading their story, I leave comments and sign them. That way, contributors don't have to sit around for so long without hearing anything from me. Even if it is not a new thread, at the very least some recognition is given.

Zingiber said:

Interesting. I had formed the impression that denying a thread was more likely to drive a writer away than a heavy edit.

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The only threads I've out-and-out rejected are those "and hee fcked her ass. the nd" threads. Others, I've said 'do this and this and this and resubmit'.

In one "heavy edit" case it was a violation of story guidelines; in another case, I realized I'd made an awkward thread break, and merged some of my previous thread into the author's follow-up for a more graceful decision point (a "medium edit?").

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Story violations are one thing, especially since they've beeen warned. And shifting a little text around to make a better break is not a big deal. You've done that to me at least once. What I'm talking about is a thread you write where the characters end up in one situation, and the editor rewrites the whole scene and ends up at a completely different situation. It's not even my thread anymore at that point. I'd rather they just deny it, rather than have a thread with my name on it that basically I didn't write.

Torg said:

The only threads I've out-and-out rejected are those "and hee fcked her ass. the nd" threads. Others, I've said 'do this and this and this and resubmit'.

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Heh. I've been lucky, I don't recall any such.

Torg said:

Story violations are one thing, especially since they've beeen warned. And shifting a little text around to make a better break is not a big deal. You've done that to me at least once. What I'm talking about is a thread you write where the characters end up in one situation, and the editor rewrites the whole scene and ends up at a completely different situation. It's not even my thread anymore at that point. I'd rather they just deny it, rather than have a thread with my name on it that basically I didn't write.

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I'm with you. Rather than re-imagining the whole thread by editing the contribution, the editor should add an alternative thread.

-Z.

I fear that our problems are that there are so many stories and so few writers. Think about how many stories can one writer reasonably keep up, plus many of the writers than I (I have trouble just keeping one story alive and read able) also have a many of their own stories, so contributing is not easy. More or I try to work on 11-12 stories including my own and as anyone I have contributed to can attest, I have trouble keeping up with these.

If the story is good, the characters intresting, and the flow natural, there is little more you can do, no?

Maester said:

I fear that our problems are that there are so many stories and so few writers. Think about how many stories can one writer reasonably keep up, plus many of the writers than I (I have trouble just keeping one story alive and read able) also have a many of their own stories, so contributing is not easy. More or I try to work on 11-12 stories including my own and as anyone I have contributed to can attest, I have trouble keeping up with these.

If the story is good, the characters intresting, and the flow natural, there is little more you can do, no?

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For many of the stories I've adopted, I'm there to make sure stuff gets approved, but I don't do a lot of active writing for them. I get around to them eventually, but you're right, you can't active write and edit for more than about 5-6 stories effectively. Well, I cant'.

hell I can't keep up with two very well .

Maester said:

hell I can't keep up with two very well .

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For me, it really is more like 2 at a time. I'll write a couple threads for one story, write couple for another, go back and write one for the first story, move on to add one or two to a third and fourth story, and not come back to the first two stories for months. When I say 5-6 stories, that is the list of stories I've added to over a couple months.

And right now, I haven't added to my own stories (except those I've adopted) for quite awhile.

Torg said:

For me, it really is more like 2 at a time. I'll write a couple threads for one story, write couple for another, go back and write one for the first story, move on to add one or two to a third and fourth story, and not come back to the first two stories for months. When I say 5-6 stories, that is the list of stories I've added to over a couple months.

And right now, I haven't added to my own stories (except those I've adopted) for quite awhile.

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Well we aren't all man enough too handle so many tales

Of course, I can only guess what others might be thinking when contributing or not to a certain story, but I can tell you more or less what encourages/discourages me.

Recent updates or lack thereof plus any threads that are pending approval. Those are basicly signs that the story is either alive or dead. If other people's threads are pending for a long time, I will obviously not add.

Point of view. I can't stand writing in second person since recently, but I also don't want to break the POV of the story. So stores that talk about "you" have almost no hope of getting a thread from me. Unfortunately, that's most stories on CHYOO, including some of my own...

Length and depth definitely play a role for me as well. For starters, if the threads are too long, I often simply get bored and stop even reading, let alone contributing. I like it broken down into average-length threads, as it allows others to branch off at the point they like and sends a message that the author isn't trying to railroad the events only the way he wants. Depth matters too. I generally wouldn't add to a story on a level more than about 7-10, unless the path to it before is fairly straight (i.e. just one option to continue). Obviously, the more branches people need to pass to get to my contribution, the less of them will actually get to my thread, and so if it's deep enough there's little point in adding it anyway. So, generally, I'd much more eagerly add to a smaller, younger story than to a big, old one where a lot is already written.

And, of course, the subject and spirit of the story has to excite me a lot to make my imagination run high enough to create a decent thread of my own. This is where the average quality of writing in the thread comes into play. It's hard to write good, but you don't want to write bad either. So it's all about balance. A story has to have threads short and simple enough that I would be able to write a similar quality one fairly easily, but long and well-written enough so that I wouldn't feel the story is garbage and isn't worth adding to.

Finally, just like you like people to add to your threads, they like you adding to theirs! I love it when after accepting my thread the author continues it with his own and develops the events further. Those are the kinds of stories I end up contributing multiple threads to.

Editing/rejecting threads for good reason isn't a bad thing, of course, but I do object to it when an editor edits or rejects my thread because it isn't taking the story in the direction he or she wanted it to go and that restriction wasn't specified in the guidelines. The story is a product of collective work and seeing how a contributor puts a lot of effort into making a good thread, I feel that an editor should allow it. If the readers don't enjoy that direction, they simply will not pick that option. But that's just a personal pet peeve of mine.

Hope that helps. And now I'm off to check out your stories, since I know that they at least pass one criteria - there is an active author who cares about them and would approve my threads.

Though I've only recently returned to chyoo I thought I'd add my thoughts here. I tend to operate like Torg or Sparkyman. When the setting of a story catches my imagination and I spot a good point to jump in I'll set off at a run in one linear line if the editor is approving my threads. I've done this in the past with a number of stories and in the last week since I started writing again I added six threads to Fencer's Prisoner on Tau Ceti two with a seventh already written out ready to be typed into my PC.

I have to agree with Wolk on the POV. I'm not really keen on 2nd person. I prefer 3rd person although I've also added a series of threads in 1st to Gystax's USS Ishtar and plan on continuing that story.

Heavy editing does deter me, spelling, punctuation and the odd line here and there is what I'd expect from an editor. I admit to not using a spellchecker and though I read the thread through a couple of times before I submit the odd mistake or two always seems to slip through (on a side note here I did find it amusing on one occasion when all my English english spellings were "corrected" into American english).

When editing other's work I strive to practice what I preach and keep the editing down to spelling and grammer.

Finally personal contact is a great incentive, if editors take a few seconds to add comments. Particularly about which parts of your thread they liked or as has happened in some cases E-mailed me I'm far more likely to add to that story or others by them in the future. Having a chance to swap or suggest ideas for story developement would be great but it seldom happens.

android1966 said:

(on a side note here I did find it amusing on one occasion when all my English english spellings were "corrected" into American english).

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I don't mind leaving English spellings. Not on CHYOO, but in another venue, I am annoyed by non-British (or British influenced, like Australia, Canada, or India) persons, who use British spellings. Why does an American professor need to use British spellings in all his writings? Will his writing and opinions carry more weight?

Anyway, just a pet peeve.

P.S. I don't think most Americans realize that there is such a thing as "British Spelling", just wrong spelling.

(Isn't British Spelling Aaron Spelling's over-the-pond cousin?)