Punished for not continuing a story?

[ThisNameIsntTakenYet]

I got a comment on my Winter story that basically said they had only given me 4 stars, because of my "grave mistake of giving no indication that I intend to continue this story." This is the first time I put "the end" at the final line of a story, as in the past I had gotten a few requests for sequels to stories that I considered finished.

Could this be because the story ended with "the end", signalling there wouldn't be a chance of a sequel? Would it be better to not put that there in the future and just tolerate the requests for more chapters?

Don't get me wrong, 4 stars is still very good, and I'm not worried about that specifically. I'm just wondering if giving the story such a finality despite the slightly open ending was a good idea, or if it hurts my score or upsets my readers (besides just this one who took the time to comment).

 

[oggbashan]

Whatever you do, someone won't like it.

Live with your own instincts. If you think a story is finished - it is.

 

[SimonDoom]

That's one of the dumbest reasons to downvote a story that I've heard yet. At some point you have to ask how far you have to go to accommodate people being mean and churlish and unreasonable.

I have not usually put "THE END" at the end of a story, but I did use it at the end of my 10 chapter series to indicate that the series was done. I got no negative reaction. The arc of the story clearly was done and it was time.

 

[ElectricBlue]

That's one of the dumbest reasons to downvote a story that I've heard yet. At some point you have to ask how far you have to go to accommodate people being mean and churlish and unreasonable.

How far do you go to please a reader who doesn't understand story resolution? I wouldn't even take the first step. A story is done when I say it's done.

Besides, you'd think if someone wanted you to continue, they'd be talking you up, not scoring you down. That's a bit counter-intuitive.

 

[SimonDoom]

How far do you go to please a reader who doesn't understand story resolution? I wouldn't even take the first step. A story is done when I say it's done.

Besides, you'd think if someone wanted you to continue, they'd be talking you up, not scoring you down. That's a bit counter-intuitive.

Absolutely.

I've pretty much gotten to the point where I'm not interested in doing sequels. I'll write a multi-chapter series where I've got the story arc mapped out from the first chapter to the last and I know how it's going to end.

Everybody's different, but for me, repetition dulls the eroticism of a story. It's that first-time encounter with a new erotic experience that makes it erotic.

If the story is well written the end will be obvious and will need no explicit markers.

 

[ThisNameIsntTakenYet]

Oh yeah, I wasn't going to let this convince me otherwise. I guess my question was if putting "the end" after a short story was a good or a bad idea. I get using it to signal the end of a series, but perhaps for single stories it's better to just not use it. So far I still got a few requests to continue the story, so it didn't seem to work anyway.

 

[Scareltt]

I liked it...

I got a comment on my Winter story that basically said they had only given me 4 stars, because of my "grave mistake of giving no indication that I intend to continue this story." This is the first time I put "the end" at the final line of a story, as in the past I had gotten a few requests for sequels to stories that I considered finished.

Could this be because the story ended with "the end", signalling there wouldn't be a chance of a sequel? Would it be better to not put that there in the future and just tolerate the requests for more chapters?

Don't get me wrong, 4 stars is still very good, and I'm not worried about that specifically. I'm just wondering if giving the story such a finality despite the slightly open ending was a good idea, or if it hurts my score or upsets my readers (besides just this one who took the time to comment).

I gave it five stars, because I enjoyed it..

 

[SimonDoom]

Oh yeah, I wasn't going to let this convince me otherwise. I guess my question was if putting "the end" after a short story was a good or a bad idea. I get using it to signal the end of a series, but perhaps for single stories it's better to just not use it. So far I still got a few requests to continue the story, so it didn't seem to work anyway.

I see no reason not to. I have for some of my stories. I checked, and I did this for my last story, which was a standalone three page story. I got no requests to continue that story and, as far as I know no downvotes.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

You're the author. Putting 'The End' at the bottom of the page is neither good nor bad, but it is entirely up to you.

What I wouldn't do is to take seriously or fret more than 37 nanoseconds over is the opinion of some gormless needlehead who would downvote a story for that silly reason.

Nothing to see here, folks. Move on.

 

[ThisNameIsntTakenYet]

Good points everyone, seems like it just comes down to your preference as the author. Guess I was overthinking this one a little, but I agree that it was a somewhat silly to not give 5 stars if they (apparently) thought the story deserved it and went with 4 for that reason alone.

I gave it five stars, because I enjoyed it..

Thank you, that's always nice to hear

 

[KeithD]

Whatever you do, someone won't like it.

This. Of course the reciprocal is true also.

I put "-FINI-" at the end of my last chapter in a series. I figure some of the naysayers won't understand what that means.

 

[oggbashan]

This. Of course the reciprocal is true also.

I put "-FINI-" at the end of my last chapter in a series. I figure some of the naysayers won't understand what that means.

True. Some people really like some of my stories that I'm not impressed by, thinking 'why did I write that?'.

 

[BelleCanzuto]

What I wouldn't do is to take seriously or fret more than 37 nanoseconds over is the opinion of some gormless needlehead who would downvote a story for that silly reason.

^^^^ This. Absotively and posalutely, this.

Also: what Simon sed about it being the dumbest reason yet to leave a negative comment.

 

[BelleCanzuto]

True. Some people really like some of my stories that I'm not impressed by, thinking 'why did I write that?'.

Yes, this also. Several times I've gotten a notice that a particular story of mine has been favorited and I think "that one, really?"
But, whatevs. I wrote the thing, so I should not look askance at someone else liking it too.

 

[NotWise]

I got a comment on my Winter story that basically said they had only given me 4 stars, because of my "grave mistake of giving no indication that I intend to continue this story." This is the first time I put "the end" at the final line of a story, as in the past I had gotten a few requests for sequels to stories that I considered finished.

You rarely know why a reader gives a particular vote. Their reason's for voting high may be as unfathomable as their reasons for voting low. You aren't being punished. In this case, you're being politely informed. It's a gift to treasure.

 

[Heartsongs]

I've wrote "The end" on every story I've ever posted on Lit. ...even when a sequel followed and/or belongs to a series. I don't think I would not write it.

The end.

 

[BiscuitHammer]

Ugh, this is one of my bugbears, I swear. I finished seventeen chapters of a story, explained AT THE END that the saga would be continuing under a different but related name, and I still get readers squawking at me about why haven't I continued the story?

And apparently writing 'To Be Continued' is not a big enough clue that a story will be continued. And I get whined and flamed at about it. It's nearly as annoying as putting up with Nazis.

But I digress. I feel your pain, good sir.

 

[SimonDoom]

It's nearly as annoying as putting up with Nazis.

.

Oh, BH, you had to do it. We're only on page one of this thread, and already Godwin's Law has raised its head.

 

[BiscuitHammer]

Sorry, I get them on my page and in my inbox, I guess they're a pet peeve of mine. Sorry if I set them off. But their diapers make make cute noises when they explode...

 

[JaxRhapsody]

I don't put "the end" on anything, I just try to wrap it up nice. I don't even see it used common place outside comics and manga.

 

[sbrooks103]

Um, if you put "The End," that's a clear indication that you do NOT intend to continue the story!

 

[Cockhole]

Oh yeah, I wasn't going to let this convince me otherwise. I guess my question was if putting "the end" after a short story was a good or a bad idea. I get using it to signal the end of a series, but perhaps for single stories it's better to just not use it. So far I still got a few requests to continue the story, so it didn't seem to work anyway.

I started writing "End" after my single-part stories so readers don't think I have any intentions to continue it (trying to control expectations). I still get emails wanting second chapters, but at least I'm communicating my intentions up front. Some premises/stories just don't have the legs to go more than one round, you know?

 

[tomlitilia]

I started writing "End" after my single-part stories so readers don't think I have any intentions to continue it (trying to control expectations). I still get emails wanting second chapters, but at least I'm communicating my intentions up front. Some premises/stories just don't have the legs to go more than one round, you know?

I don't quite understand why readers so frequently want stories to continue. I mean, I get that if you enjoyed a story, you probably want more, but don't you prefer to read a similar but equally good story? Why not encourage that from authors instead? Never-ending stories tend to either get repetitive, or they become outrageous in an attempt to top the pervious action.

Maybe it's a rub-off from how TV and movie series goes on and on and on until the series deteriorates. And it seems to be the same with some book series. If the first was a hit, many authors in the mainstream seams more than willing to squeeze out a couple of sequels to milk the cash cow. A good story (to me) has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Run-on stories risk ruining the greatness of the original.

 

[ThisNameIsntTakenYet]

I agree. So far, my story ideas have all started as "this sounds like an interesting situation". Those situations are then explored in my stories, and brought to a conclusion. There's usually not much for me to tell with those same characters anymore, as the thing that's interesting is already finished. Unless the story itself gave rise to a new interesting question or situation that was left open in the story, then I might consider writing a sequel exploring that. But if I have an idea for a short story, there's a very slim chance I'll turn it into a series after all. Maybe a different story featuring the same characters if there's still stuff left untold, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. It could though, at some point.

 

[SimonDoom]

I don't quite understand why readers so frequently want stories to continue. I mean, I get that if you enjoyed a story, you probably want more, but don't you prefer to read a similar but equally good story? Why not encourage that from authors instead? Never-ending stories tend to either get repetitive, or they become outrageous in an attempt to top the pervious action.

Maybe it's a rub-off from how TV and movie series goes on and on and on until the series deteriorates. And it seems to be the same with some book series. If the first was a hit, many authors in the mainstream seams more than willing to squeeze out a couple of sequels to milk the cash cow. A good story (to me) has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Run-on stories risk ruining the greatness of the original.

It's a good question. I think the answer is that audiences -- at least a huge chunk of audiences -- like familiarity. A sequel doesn't require having to get acquainted with new characters and finding out whether you like them. You can settle in to the story already knowing you are invested in the character.

This accounts for the popularity of what is, to me, the mind-numbing and tedious Avenger movie franchise. I watched Avengers: Infinity War and I don't remember any of it, other than that some of them disappeared at the end and I couldn't figure out why because I was falling asleep from boredom through so much of it.

People like familiarity.

As an author, I like newness. With erotic stories, it's a challenge to make chapter 2 as good as chapter 1, unless chapter 1 only takes the story part of the way through a character's exploration of an erotic interest and leaves meaningful ground to cover.