Posting WIPs

[respoftw]

As a reader, I hate WIPs. I don’t like reading on someone else’s schedule and I’ve been burned way too many times with amazing fic that just never got finished. So I don’t read them. I actively avoid them.

As a writer, I love WIPs. I love the feedback and the motivation they give you, I love the guessing that readers do when your WIP is plotty. They’re so much fun as a writer and, frankly, sometimes necessary. Like now; I’m struggling to make words, worse than I have in a long time. So I posted the first tiny part of a fic I’ve been working on (on and off) for about a year now in the hopes that it’ll give me the motivation I need to actually finish something!

Which, of course, means I expect people to read my WIP.

Does that make me a hypocrite?

Where do you guys fall in the WIP debate?

Comments

[rachaeljurassic]

I must admit I avoid them for the same reasons as you. I've never posted a WIP either. I have a couple of fics I've not finished but I know myself, guilt does not motivate me lol

I don't know if it makes you a hypocrite but I do know that lots of people like reading and commenting on WIP's so I wouldn't worry about posting them, people know what they are ;)

[runpunkrun]

When I was reading in busy fandoms, I never read wips; I waited until they were done because I didn't like the uncertainty of whether it would be finished or not.

Then as my fandoms slowed down, or I got into smaller fandoms, I would occasionally read a wip. In some fandoms, wips are all there are, so I've gotten used to them. I read a lot more wips these days, especially if I know and trust the author, and yeah, many of them never get finished, but, oh well. Sometimes ten chapters of a story is better than nothing.

As a writer, I have never posted a wip because it's too much pressure; I edit while writing, so that I'm constantly going back to earlier pieces to make them match what I just wrote. Also I would probably never finish them and I don't want to be that person.

[respoftw]

I prefer to think of it as motivation rather than guilt, lol!

I’ve only ever left one WIP unfinished and it was a couple of fandoms ago so I’m pretty confident that it works for me. :)

[respoftw]

That’s a good point, it would very much depend on the kind of writer you are as to whether WIPs would work for you. And I guess the same is true of readers!

[rachaeljurassic]

Then that's OK. You're stronger than I lolol

[goddess47]

I almost never post a WIP; I'm posting a fic now in pieces, but only because it's already written... I'm fiddling as I'm posting, but minor stuff... so technically it's a WIP but it's kinda not.

And, honestly, I'm getting more feedback and interaction on the smaller posts than I ever would have gotten from posting it in one piece. So that's an attraction for working on a bigger piece and then parsing it out when it's done.

I read a ton of WIPs... although sometimes it depends on the author on how invested I get... there are some folk I trust to actually finish the fic and others I give a chance to... so I subscribe to the fic and check the progress and read it when it's closer to the end...

But if it's a good start, I'll try to make a comment on that first part, mostly so the author has some feedback, as well as an incentive to keep going... who knows, maybe a couple of enthusiastic responses on a first chapter will help keep someone motivated...

I do have like a bazillion notices in my mail about 'next chapter posted' that I poke at to see what might look interesting... ;-)

[respoftw]

I know a lot of people who do what you’re doing (posting a finished fic in separate bits) and I wholly admit that it’s never made much sense to me but I think that’s because I’m the single most impatient person in the world so when I post fic, be it a one shot or the rare occasions it’s a WIP I post it IMMEDIATELY after I finish.

I’m all about that instant gratification, lol. But it makes sense about getting more feedback and interaction from smaller, more regular updates. After all, that’s what I like about posting WIPs too!

I do love the subscribe button on AO3 though. I use it similarly to you to keep track of WIPs. :)

[bleedtoblue]

I never read WIPs, but I have posted them, one of which I never finished, which made me decide never again! So, I have a folder filled with WIPs that I hope to finish and post...someday. Good luck with yours!

[hopelessheathen57]

I love reading WIPs because I get that nice dopamine hit every single time a "new chapter posted" email pops up instead of just a one-time pleasant experience. Also, in some fics, the comments by other WIP readers turn into a fascinating second read every chapter as well (I'm thinking in particular about "With Understanding" by Apokteino, where I spent almost as much time reading the comments section as I did each chapter).

Personally, though, I could never post a WIP as a writer because I abandon too many projects, and even when I finish them, I'm still going back and making changes to the first chapters all the way up to the end.

[popkin16]

I depends. How long ago was the WIP last updated? Where does it end? If the fic ends with my ship together, but some plot threads left hanging, I'll read it anyway. Though I love plot, we all know I'm reading it for my boys.

I've also read a couple WIPs that don't end with my ship together (even if it's heading that way), but the idea is so fucking fascinating that I can't stay away.

TL;DR - I do read WIPs, but under specific circumstances.

[brumeier]

I used to love posting WIPs for all the feedback and to work in suggestions from readers. Back when I could reasonably be expected to finish one. And then the vamp fic happened, which still remains unfinished and posted to my immortal shame.

So now I don't post WIPs. And I'll only read them from people I know and trust, because I've been burned too many times. Although even then I'll sometimes save a fic until it's all posted so I can read it through in one go. It really depends.

Totally reading yours, though! ::grins::