"Wind" at AO3

[verdeckt]

In a week's time, I will be deleting as the wind behaves from my AO3 account for possible reworking. EA is on indefinite hiatus for now; if I find myself further unable to write the next chapter then I will take it down (with a week's prior notice) as well. Thank you for your understanding."Wind" will remain online, but I may tinker at it in secret

Comments

[perverse_idyll]

(Pardon this note written in haste -- I'm twenty minutes from closing the store, so speed is of the essence.)

Why not leave the stories up while reworking the parts you're dissatisfied with? I've done that myself, which has allowed me to quietly substitute the new version once I've decided to stop fussing and leave it be (because nothing is ever finished, oh no. It simply reaches a point where further revision means, not improving, merely applying another coat of varnish; or when it interferes with my ability to delve into the next fic).

If you ever wish a soundboard or a beta, let me know. I love both of these stories, and it would distress me to see them removed from fandom.

[verdeckt]

Oh my dear, there is an approach I had not considered

[perverse_idyll]

This approach is less painful to hypercritical writers (for I'm quite sure I recognize a kindred spirit in you) and more accommodating to readers who would wail for the loss of a beloved fic. It's also a form of subterfuge, because it leaves the reading public ignorant of how dissatisfied you are with your own work. You can revise in peace without feeling like an ass (something I experienced once because a chapter of my WiP was so ghastly that I locked it down, with every intention of revising it -- only as it turns out, I didn't have time, and when a reader PM'd me to ask why the entry was inaccessible, I couldn't exactly say, "Because it's shite!" so I had to unlock it in a flurry of embarrassment. I still haven't fixed the effing chapter, but no one would know if I hadn't tried to put up a Keep Out sign

[verdeckt]

Please never apologise for chattiness. I hope for one that this means that you had an energising, productive day! for I worry about you. But there's also this: I could sit at your feet and listen to you speak for the rest of my days

[enname]

A giant 'ditto' to p_j's comment (It is neat, you re read her stuff and get entire new scenes!), likewise with the beta or soundboard. She is probably better than I am, but I am a good cheer squad and not too bad with structure.

[verdeckt]

♥ I had not even considered this option, so it is making me feel much better about the whole cringe-worthy business. I might take you up on your extremely kind and selfless offer -- except that I know just how little time you have, love, and would have the worst kind of conscience. So only if you have the time, and only if I am not stealing your time away from more worthwhile pursuits.

I am so sorry to have been mostly out of touch, lately; the fest has eaten up all of my brain cells, and our horrible plumbing most of my strength. (Now that we have had several days of far more water than we could stand, we have no water whatsoever. Manhattan!)

[enname]

Fie, what sort of person am I, if I can't make time for people I like or things I enjoy? I do need some sort of break from my own idiocy or thesis and well, it may as well be a break that doesn't involve me slumped in front of the television letting my brain rot. As long as you don't want things instantly, then I am fine. Writing that brings people pleasure is certainly much more worthwhile than endlessly picking at a thesis no one will read. Certainly less painful than marking. As I said, I can't guarantee I am going to be much assistance, but I can offer alternate structures like they are going out of fashion

Please don't!

[killpurakat]

I see two others have already offered beta services. If you need a third, I'm here, but it sounds like you've got that covered.

Thus, I'm going to yell at you (which, being the internet, means no sound, but still):
DON'T TAKE DOWN ANY OF YOUR STORIES!!!

I know that since we haven't chatted much, you have no clue where I'm coming from, or why that news upsets me so much. So, I'll respond with a little personal history.

I've been on the 'net since 1997, and that means I've seen a great deal. At first, I spent an hour online a day, tops, and it was just for homework or (in the rare case that internet info was available) help with some of the adventure puzzle games I played.

The first time I found fanfic, I was shocked, and I read everything I could. It didn't matter how long or short, how bad the spelling was, what rating it was (and I was sort of young in '97), if it was entirely about a Mary Sue, I read it all. I was so shocked that other people liked what I did, older people liked stuff my peers called me immature for liking, that

There's more...

[killpurakat]

Imagine your favorite book in the world, suddenly disappearing. No copies anywhere. You can never read it again, never recommend it to a friend, never reference it, never have it. Imagine you hadn't found that book yet, and now even the opportunity to experience it is lost, and you'll never know what you missed, but be all the less for it.

That's what you're doing if you take down your stories.By all means, go back and rework a story, a concept, a theme. Writers progress the more they do. But if a story changes so much you don't think it's quite the same, release it as a new one and leave the old up for fans to compare (I've seen other authors do so; it's interesting). If you can't continue a story because you've run out of inspiration or it just isn't working, leave it; you may find something in the future sparks you back into it with fresh perspective

Re: There's more...

[verdeckt]

Oh my friend.

Thank you for your eloquent arguments. You're right: I am selfish. I had only thought of myself, of the pain I feel whenever I think of these stories (especially wind, 90% of which represents the first draft of a story written on a long plane ride foolishly submitted to a fest in order to honour an arbitrary deadline).

Thank you for helping me see that. I will keep the stories up, perhaps tinkering at them in secret, but they will remain online. And perhaps there shall be remixes of them, just as you suggested: new versions of the old.

*hugs*

Hugs right back

[killpurakat]

Thank you for listening. I was worried I was getting too preachy and whiny, but there's some writings I do miss so much, it makes me feel like the biggest idiot for not copying everything I find on the internet

[lelek]

This was days ago now, but I was away and am playing LJ catch-up. I've never told you this, because I don't want you to feel any more pressured than you already do, but EA was the fic that had me seeking out new Snarry and Snape-centric works for the first time in at least two years. I don't even remember how I found it, but I read everything you have on AO3 in three sittings and was left both delighted with your story and wondering what exactly I'd been missing. If you find yourself unable to finish it, I understand completely (I have two unfinished novels that I can't face yet, if ever), but I had to let you know that, imperfect as it might be, EA meant something to me beyond a few hours of entertainment.

I know how hard it is to see all the things in your own work that are worthwhile, but if you'd ever like another sounding board to help parcel some of it out, please let me know. I'd be more than happy to try to help. ♥