Second Chapters

[jack30341]

Have been working on a follow-up to a recent story, and I began to wonder.

Is it better to spend limited time on second chapters, or write totally new stories if you have lots of ideas?

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[SamScribble]

Have been working on a follow-up to a recent story, and I began to wonder.

Is it better to spend limited time on second chapters, or write totally new stories if you have lots of ideas?

Thanks for the feedback.

Which would you like to do?

First and foremost you are writing for yourself.

Good luck.

 

[jack30341]

‘Writing is the ultimate decision-making experience. Every paragraph, every sentence,

Love that quote.

Ultimately, yes.

But for me, I need the connection, too. The connection of being read.

I mean, even if no one read my stuff, I'd still haveto write.

But, with feedback and comments, and some interest in a follow-up, I really like the idea of writing the follow-up, and seeing how it works out.

You know?

 

[LIVINRFANTASIES]

Denny

I mean, even if no one read my stuff, I'd still haveto write.

It's been awhile since I've written or posted the stories already written in my files. I'm like you in one way at least. I have to write because I hate to die with all of these secrets.
I even thought few read the things I attempt to scribble in Lit. But since I started my newest stories the personal emails have been amazing. No not a lot of them. But great comments and encouragement to my wife and I.
Right from the beginning we hoped that a few young couples would read our exhibitionist stories and try a few of the things we've done. So we'll keep on adding stories when I get time.

I don't consider what I write as books. They consist of similar events grouped into chapters. Even some of those chapters are sometimes a continuation of one subject. So I end up with many short chapters. Think of them as little children's books without the pictures....... for adults.
It all began this way because everything is from short notes about things that took place in short time periods over our lifetime. Little stories that we used to tell while camped or together with strangers wanting to know about the things we do.
Even if no one reads them we share the memories as I write and discuss things we did so long ago.
More of a diary for perverts than a book

 

[SimonDoom]

I don't think there's a right answer to this question. It's personal to the author, and it depends on the story and what the author wants to get out of his or her stories.

There's something to be said for variety, and trying to "get out" all the ideas you have even if it means lots of short stories and no long ones, or leaving some stories incomplete. On the other hand, for some writers it might be better to see a story idea through until it's done. There's no one right path in the abstract.

I have yet to publish a multi-chapter story, but I'm working on two of them right now and I expect to start publishing them soon. I'm trying to finish them, or get them close to finished, because I worry that once I start publishing I'll get distracted or lose interest and move on to a completely different story instead of finishing and publishing the chapters to the stories I'm working on now. There's not a right answer for everyone, but for me I feel I need to see these two stories through to the end before moving on to others.

 

[ElectricBlue]

But, with feedback and comments, and some interest in a follow-up, I really like the idea of writing the follow-up, and seeing how it works out.

Some of my most liked stories have been written in response to requests for follow up, and forced me to dig deeper into my characters so they could support another story. I write each new part, though, as if it were the last, so it is self-contained. I call them Parts, not Chapters, for that reason.

Chapters, in my mind, mean some long work that started out knowingly long, was written as a whole, and was split up for publishing.

You'll see here running debate about the multi-chapter stories that just go on and on forever, writers endlessly finding new circumstances for their readers' favourites. That's a different thing again, I think - I will never go down that path. As the writer, when I say I'm done with a set of characters, I'm done. You'll find several writers here comment that they have killed off their characters, and still get comments asking for "more"!

Maybe you could try new ideas rather than sequels, and get a decent body of work going, then come back in response to different reader responses. But don't lock yourself into a single thing. That's pretty much where I have ended up, where I can write sequels or new parts on a particular theme, but in a couple of different areas.

Ultimately, I think, it comes down to whether you become a slave to your readers, or whether you want them to be a slave to you.

 

[NotWise]

Have been working on a follow-up to a recent story, and I began to wonder.

Is it better to spend limited time on second chapters, or write totally new stories if you have lots of ideas?

Thanks for the feedback.

If you're writing the second chapter because the readers seem to want it, then you might find it more rewarding to write a story based on a new idea.

I've written three follow-up chapters because of reader feedback. I'd call one of them a success and in that case I probably really wanted the story to go on myself.

Consider that if there is much delay at all in getting your second chapter out, then the people who wanted it might not remember or may never find it. With Lit carrying something like 90-100 new stories a day, things get lost.

If you have lots of time to write then maybe you can write new stories AND follow-up chapters, but if your time is limited then you need to prioritize.

 

[SecondCircle]

It's really one of those things that's up to you. But I'd say in my own opinion I'd only do a second chapter or sequel if I really wanted to or had more to deliver for the story.

I personally like standalone pieces, in any medium of art. I've many stories here that are one shots. Everything I wanted to include was there, in the original writing. It's done. To add anything more just because would feel like pulling extra lackluster stuff out of my ass just to make a continuation.

Might I add as well, that you could write a standalone and readers here will beg you for a continuation, even if there's nothing left to continue. I would not write a second chapter for this reason. Some stories I do leave open ended, and these come in two different types. One is still an open ended standalone where the ending or events in the story are meant to leave implications for the reader to ponder... but they are in fact finished. They are just left open to interpretation. Sort of like that totem spinning at the end of Inception. It's meant to make you think, but not intended to continue. The other type is the story that by itself can be wrapped completely up, but I leave open in case I wanted to expound and revisit that story's universe for another entry. These are complete, but with room left for more should I choose it.

In any case, I think you should do Second chapters but only if that's what you would like to do, not because you feel obligated. If there should arise a time that you think you may want to add more to that story, by all means. But don't think it should chain you down. If you've got other ideas you're more excited about, go to them. Come back when you feel ready.

All that being said, it should be noted that I'm not talking about leaving a series unfinished. Lit is a platform that allows you to post how you like, and you should. It's free for all parties involved. But readers don't like when a story does not feel finished or is left hanging. I'd advise against leaving say, four chapters of a tale that has no definitive ending at all to just sit. If a longer work is planned, it may be best to finish the entire story, then post the complete thing perhaps one chapter every two days or so. This way, it's a finished work that won't leave a reader hanging.

 

[SusanJillParker]

Have been working on a follow-up to a recent story, and I began to wonder.

Is it better to spend limited time on second chapters, or write totally new stories if you have lots of ideas?

Thanks for the feedback.

I write six to twelve stories at a time.

When the inspiration stops for one, I move to the next. Sometimes I work on two to three stories in a sitting.

I never stare at a blank page and I never write unless I'm inspired.

If you develop your characters enough, they'll help you write your story.

Good luck.

 

[PervOtaku]

I've had stories where a great sequel idea comes together before I'm even finished writing the first one. I've had stories where there's obvious potential for the characters to go on but it takes me a while to pull together enough ideas to do so. I've had stories where I intended the ending to be super final, readers beg for more anyway, and I occasionally ponder ideas but don't worry to much when nothing viable pops up.

Don't do a sequel for the sake of doing a sequel, but if you really believe in the sequel idea, go for it.