When you try to pick up a story from months ago ....

[Five_Inch_Heels]

... how many times do you have to read it to remember the story line and the characters?

 

[NuclearFairy]

Are you talking about rereading what you've already read, or written. Or are you talking about reading the part that you haven't gotten to yet?

 

[lovecraft68]

Depends. If its a fairly simple piece with two characters, I don't need much of a refresher.

But last year I picked up a story after a few months that featured four mother and son couples, plus a couple of husbands in the picture and I had to have the previous story (this was a series and I took a lot of time between book three and four) open in another browser and kept referencing it to see who the hell was who and if they'd already said or done what I was thinking of writing.

I've done it before, one story I wrote half then didn't get back to it for almost a year, is that when writing it feels disjointed with no flow, like I'm forcing a puzzle piece into the wrong spot. But once done a read through shows its seamless. Maybe the sub conscience remembers what we wanted to do and kicks it back in.

 

[Voboy]

If it's less than about three months, I can usually jump right back in without any rereading. There are likely to be inconsistencies in the finished product, but I find them on my read-through. It helps that each story has a "notes" document that lists continuity details, like characters' hair color, quirks, nipple size, the car they drive, etc. I do refer to that.

If it's longer than about three months, I'm probably not planning on finishing it.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I usually reread it once, then make some notes on things where there could be obvious continuity errors.
I'm trying to finish an older series right now and needed to make notes of all the names of the supporting characters. Some had only been mentioned once so far but I know they are going to come up again.

 

[rteny3245]

I did no planning on my first series. Now, I don't think I will ever not have an outline for the story arc and a bit of a summary of the named characters. Even if I change my mind when picking the story back up I at least have my original outline and thoughts to be the foundation.

 

[ElectricBlue]

... how many times do you have to read it to remember the story line and the characters?

I'll re-read it several (many) times, to get back into the rhythm of the prose, remind myself what's going on.

I've got two sequels started, both to anthology stories from several years ago. One is up to 8k words, the other maybe 4k. The first I know where it's going (which is possibly why it's taking so long to write - I know what happens, but not the detail), the second has got a great character scene that came from nowhere that I don't want to bin. Being a pantser writer, this doesn't fuss me. Everything I've written in the last four years has been a side-project while I've been writing something else. Like the thing I'm writing now...

 

[Cagivagurl]

Skim it quickly... If it's good, then your memory kicks in and you recall the details.

That's when you find out if it is any good. Skimming it quickly to refresh your mind. If it doesn't engage your interest then you have discovered why it's been sitting in the unfinished pile...

That doesn't mean it can't be good, just that you lost interest, and if it isn't quickly re-ignited. Then yeah... Leave it and move on...
I have a lot of unfinished stories, probably close to 70 at the moment. Some because I wrote myself into a hole I couldn't climb out of. others because I got carried away and lost the plot...

If skimming it quickly doesn't make you go. "Oh, yeah I remember this." Then you're in trouble.

At least that's how it works with me.

Cagivagurl

 

[SkyBubble]

... how many times do you have to read it to remember the story line and the characters?

I don't usually have to. Once at most.

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

... how many times do you have to read it to remember the story line and the characters?

It's funny but I have to admit that I have to keep notes on what I've done in my stories or I never remember things. Each of my series has a character guide that I publish after the entire part is finished with character bios, dates and other internal stuff that I use for continuity purposes. I figured folks might like to see how I crib things together, but the bottom line is I need that as I'm writing or I will forget half the stuff I've done.

Hell, I remember needing to go back and look up major characters last names because they flew out of my head. And that was writing constantly about them for months, lol.

 

[Writer61]

Each of my series has a character guide that I publish after the entire part is finished with character bios, dates and other internal stuff that I use for continuity purposes..

I use a spreadsheet to keep track of character's names and key characteristics for continuity. Currently >160 entries for ~40 stories in various states of completion.

 

[Writer61]

... how many times do you have to read it to remember the story line and the characters?

I don't have a problem remembering the plot but I reread once or twice for details.

For characters I have a sort of storyboard in Powerpoint with a few images which brings them back to me very easily.

 

[sinfantasy]

I am still finding my writing style and I have more than 30 pieces half done and abandoned... if I happen to pick any of them I would most likely read it once, scrap it and start from scratch...
It's almost impossible to start from where I had left off last time.

 

[iwatchus]

It's funny but I have to admit that I have to keep notes on what I've done in my stories or I never remember things. Each of my series has a character guide that I publish after the entire part is finished with character bios, dates and other internal stuff that I use for continuity purposes. I figured folks might like to see how I crib things together, but the bottom line is I need that as I'm writing or I will forget half the stuff I've done.

Hell, I remember needing to go back and look up major characters last names because they flew out of my head. And that was writing constantly about them for months, lol.

I am with SGLLP (and @Writer61) that I need to keep track of details, at least in a series. For my main series, I think I am up to at least one line bios for 50 or 60 characters. And I maintain a timeline. I found I could not keep track of how long ago things happened without it.

 

[Writer61]

And I maintain a timeline. I found I could not keep track of how long ago things happened without it.

You won't be surprised that I do too (Excel again). Especially necessary as some of my characters cross over between series, plus it helped me spot a mis-timed historical event in one story.

Thinking of adding a list of key events too, as I think I have one character's first experience of DP happen twice.