Authors Daystar & Alexander delve into reasons for abandoning stories, managing burnout, and author trust. They discuss distinguishing between abandonment and hiatus, the challenges writers face, and strategies for returning to unfinished works. The podcast also explores the importance of balancing motivation, crafting credible magic systems, and the emotional impact of discontinuing stories.
The distinction between abandoning a story and putting it on hiatus is crucial for authors, as hiatus can sometimes lead to effective abandonment over time.
Deciding to abandon a story typically stems from no longer enjoying the writing process, leading authors to struggle in reigniting the creative spark even after going on hiatus.
Author trust plays a significant role in audience engagement, as readers may be reluctant to invest in unfinished stories, impacting future projects and sustaining reader interest.
Deep dives
Abandoning Stories in Writing
Deciding to abandon a story is a common experience among authors, ranging from prolific writers like Stephen King to those with fewer published works. The distinction between abandoning a story and putting it on hiatus is crucial, as hiatus can sometimes lead to effective abandonment over time. The decision to stop publishing a story mid-writing can present unique challenges and considerations, especially in web-based fiction where stories can be published as they are being written.
Challenges of Returning to Hiatus Stories
Returning to a story put on hiatus can be a complex process, often requiring significant effort to get back into the writing groove. Authors mentioning going on hiatus due to various reasons like life circumstances or losing interest in the story is common. The distinction between hiatus and outright abandonment can impact the future of a story, with many authors finding it challenging to publicly declare giving up on a work.
Navigating Story Abandonment Decisions
Deciding to abandon a story typically stems from no longer enjoying the writing process. Authors may go on hiatus initially, hoping to return, but often find it challenging to reignite the creative spark. The process of abandoning a story, especially after significant progress, can be emotionally difficult but may ultimately lead to a more fulfilling writing experience on other projects.
Reflections on Completing or Abandoning Stories
The podcast episode delves into the author's reflections on completing or abandoning stories. The speaker shares personal experiences with co-writing and one-on-one text-based role-playing stories, highlighting the challenges and joys of collaborative storytelling. They discuss the complexity of revisiting co-authored pieces and the internal struggle of wanting to continue unfinished stories. The episode emphasizes the difficulty of deciding whether to continue working on existing stories or start new projects, emphasizing the importance of following one's creative energy.
Author Trust and Audience Expectations
The episode explores the concept of author trust and its impact on audience expectations. The speaker discusses how authors abandoning their work can affect audience trust in future projects and the reluctance of readers to engage with unfinished stories. They touch on the significance of audience feedback and author reliability in sustaining reader engagement. Additionally, the episode highlights how story length, author reputation, and personal writing constraints influence reader decisions to invest in ongoing or completed narratives.
