Writing Post
Apr. 5th, 2013 02:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shapinglightI'm still finding the idea of talking about my own fics slightly uncomfortable, because it feels like I'm claiming they have some sort of merit (this is why I never do any of those memes, where you invite people to ask you questions about your work), but here goes.
I've been putting more of my fics on AO3. Still getting a fair number of hits, though not much in the way of comments or kudos (but then they're not new works, most people will have read them before, besides I have no idea how common receiving either is on the site). I've now got to the stage where I've put up most of my most recent stories, except the very long ones that need to be divided into chapters, and am beginning to contemplate putting up older works.
So, anyway, this story, Brief Encounter, is up next. However, though I was very pleased with it at the time I wrote it, it now reads to me like a decent story trapped inside a lot of unnecessary waffle (so much so, that I don't want anyone to read it and was very reluctant to link to it, but it seems silly not to when I'm asking for opinions), so I think I'm going to edit it quite considerably.
Then again, that seems a bit like cheating.
Then again, again, there is all that waffle. It needs to go. Also, I think I need to make it clearer why Darla decides she wants to have sex with Spike, because at the moment it just reads to me that she does it because people just do have sex in fanfics.
What do you all think? Should I let the story stand, or should I make it as good as I think it can be now I know better? I should just say, that if I decide it's cheating to edit, I shan't put the story on AO3 at all, because I don't think it's good enough.
Opinions gratefully received. Also, Brief Encounter isn't the only story like this. There are several.
I've been putting more of my fics on AO3. Still getting a fair number of hits, though not much in the way of comments or kudos (but then they're not new works, most people will have read them before, besides I have no idea how common receiving either is on the site). I've now got to the stage where I've put up most of my most recent stories, except the very long ones that need to be divided into chapters, and am beginning to contemplate putting up older works.
So, anyway, this story, Brief Encounter, is up next. However, though I was very pleased with it at the time I wrote it, it now reads to me like a decent story trapped inside a lot of unnecessary waffle (so much so, that I don't want anyone to read it and was very reluctant to link to it, but it seems silly not to when I'm asking for opinions), so I think I'm going to edit it quite considerably.
Then again, that seems a bit like cheating.
Then again, again, there is all that waffle. It needs to go. Also, I think I need to make it clearer why Darla decides she wants to have sex with Spike, because at the moment it just reads to me that she does it because people just do have sex in fanfics.
What do you all think? Should I let the story stand, or should I make it as good as I think it can be now I know better? I should just say, that if I decide it's cheating to edit, I shan't put the story on AO3 at all, because I don't think it's good enough.
Opinions gratefully received. Also, Brief Encounter isn't the only story like this. There are several.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-05 02:57 pm (UTC)What if you edit it to your liking, and post both versions - sort of a before and after thing? With a note explaining why you made the changes you did? I always find it fascinating to see how and why people edit. (But if it's a one or the other thing, definitely edit it if you want to.)
no subject
Date: 2013-04-05 06:07 pm (UTC)Yep. Pretty much what I thought really. It's actually more interesting to see which stories get the most hits (which I assume they're getting because of what people search for). So far, a Spangel fic from 2008 is winning, with a Fanged Four Fic from 2007 close behind.
I don't think I'll post both versions. I'll definitely put a note to say I've edited, though, and perhaps include a line about anyone who wants to read the original version can do so on LJ.