How much preplanning?

Braids

Braids

Virgin
Question: how much work do you usually have done before you start posting a new story? Is there an average amount of threads most people usually have written or at least planned? I have a concept, an opening and a 4 threads done. I don't know how far I'll get with this one and I don't want a small story that might end up being abandoned, so I don't want to just post what little I have. Am I alone in this or do othere's have a minimum amount of work done before posting a brand new story?
 
A new story only stays on the new story list for so long. If the first impression people get of it is ONE chapter, and it doesn't change the entire time it's on the new story list... doesn't make a good first impression.
I'd at least try to have one "Hot" or "Interesting" scene written before posting. That's just my personal rule of thumb. If it ain't gonna hook the audience, why are they going to read it?
If you love the story, absolutely write it, even if it ends up short though! More writing is always good, IMHO... unless you're writing Manimal Fanfic. Because that's just asking for trouble around here.
 
brevdravis said:
A new story only stays on the new story list for so long. If the first impression people get of it is ONE chapter, and it doesn't change the entire time it's on the new story list... doesn't make a good first impression.
I'd at least try to have one "Hot" or "Interesting" scene written before posting. That's just my personal rule of thumb. If it ain't gonna hook the audience, why are they going to read it?
If you love the story, absolutely write it, even if it ends up short though! More writing is always good, IMHO... unless you're writing Manimal Fanfic. Because that's just asking for trouble around here.
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I'm not concerned with it being New, just that I don't know how much work will get done on it. I have a nice solid start, but it's only a few Threads deep, worried about me just never picking it up again after my ideas a drive run their course. I hate looking at old stories I loved at one point and now almost wish I hadn't bothered with. Don't worry, I got to some of the good stuff rather quickly
 
Braids said:
I'm not concerned with it being New, just that I don't know how much work will get done on it. I have a nice solid start, but it's only a few Threads deep, worried about me just never picking it up again after my ideas a drive run their course. I hate looking at old stories I loved at one point and now almost wish I hadn't bothered with. Don't worry, I got to some of the good stuff rather quickly
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Well, hopefully, if you make the story enticing enough others will pick it up even if you lose interest. That's why the time when it's New can be quite important. It's guaranteed to be on the Front Page and attract readers, who might themselves be writers. Make the Story public or Moderated so you can have others adding to it.

I think if you're satisfied with what you have at the moment though, just put it up and see what happens! 4 threads sounds like a good start to me. Maybe the reaction and reader comments will make you want to write more and keep your motivation high!
 
Braids said:
Question: how much work do you usually have done before you start posting a new story?
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All of it. Well, not the writing, per se, but I won't start a story until I know how it's going to end, as well as all of the major themes/kinks I'm exploring. For game mode stories, this usually means a summary of every single chapter. Of course, this doesn't mean I churn out a perfect plan in one night. Sometimes I just need to let things fester in my mind before I commit to them. I let the ideas naturally come to me over time, and then when I have enough, I compose a plan. Then I'll write enough to prove to myself that the premise works - this is in the realm of twelve to thirty initial chapters, depending on the average length of each one. Finally, I'll publish enough to let the audience know what kind of story it's going to be, and then update it as I write and edit.

But this probably isn't what you need. Just remember, every story eventually meets one of two fates: abandoned and incomplete, or finished to the author's satisfaction. You have the power to influence the outcome from the very beginning.
 
insertnamehere said:
All of it. Well, not the writing, per se, but I won't start a story until I know how it's going to end, as well as all of the major themes/kinks I'm exploring. For game mode stories, this usually means a summary of every single chapter. Of course, this doesn't mean I churn out a perfect plan in one night. Sometimes I just need to let things fester in my mind before I commit to them. I let the ideas naturally come to me over time, and then when I have enough, I compose a plan. Then I'll write enough to prove to myself that the premise works - this is in the realm of twelve to thirty initial chapters, depending on the average length of each one. Finally, I'll publish enough to let the audience know what kind of story it's going to be, and then update it as I write and edit.

But this probably isn't what you need. Just remember, every story eventually meets one of two fates: abandoned and incomplete, or finished to the author's satisfaction. You have the power to influence the outcome from the very beginning.
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I'm sorry, but I absolutely must call BS on this (to the point my response seconds ago was going to be saying it belongs on the site and not the Forums because it's absolute fiction).

FACTS; I've written a group of fiction stories in my life (clearly all still offline and unpublished). But in that list, I cannot offhand tell you a single one I began having a clue how it would end.

Also, I am sure to the point I'm betting I could find verbatim proof that even famous bestselling authors (Stephen King comes to mind as 1 example) have had (again) famous bestsellers end but not to their satisfaction.

Sorry; It hit me while this was processing that I meant to add to that second part the fact we're both aware of that the site we're writing for is not at all about sales and the like.

However, it's also not about completed works, let alone that by one person. Anyone posting a story-start is aware (& likely even hoping) their story will never have an ending, and/or if it does, it won't be one they pictured (let alone wanted) when they/it began.
 
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I think in this medium especially, whether you're going to see an ending in your head before you start varies a lot from story to story. If it's an epic, start to finish kind of tale, you probably do. If it's something expecting collaboration on, maybe not.

As an example, for my umineko story, any time I go into a new branch and run through it all the way, I pretty much know what major scene I'm planning to reach when it's all done. I don't expect collaboration on a branch within that story. With my new fantasy story though, I don't have end points in mind, it's just a loose type of story that builds out with new scenarios as I or others come up with them. Sometimes it gets a little rambling as a result, but rambling through goofy stories can be its own kind of fun.

Some people even put up stories like writing prompts, where they throw a lot of different branches other people can build out (the success of that can be hard to gauge when you're doing it, unfortunately).

I think it's a case where there's no wrong way to eat a Reese's. :) That said, it's always good to have a doozy of a scene thought up to go somewhere before you get writing. Even if your story is a collection if character branches, you should be prepared to lead by example, providing some meaty content on at least one of those branches before you publish.

I also second the idea that it's good to have a story that has some proof of concept within the first chapters when you publish it, so you can catch people while you've still got that shiny "new" tag. I love throwing some likes and a bookmark on a new story that's got a great opener. :D
 
MidbossMan said:
I think in this medium especially, whether you're going to see an ending in your head before you start varies a lot from story to story. If it's an epic, start to finish kind of tale, you probably do. If it's something expecting collaboration on, maybe not.
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Please excuse me if I'm misusing or misunderstanding some terminology... But up until this very moment, it was my understanding that any posts on this Forum(s) were meant to be discussing the CHYOA site.

As someone who (if I've not mentioned it before) has written things online and off, I can honestly say that likewise, I have started things knowing how they were going to end & without that knowledge. However, this site differs from the majority of stories by anyone in any medium in that you can know the end when you post the start, and it can indeed be the way the story ends, but it will (likely) not be the only way it ends.

Also, "if it's something (you're not) expecting collaboration on", don't post it on this site.
 
Corunner said:
I'm sorry, but I absolutely must call BS on this (to the point my response seconds ago was going to be saying it belongs on the site and not the Forums because it's absolute fiction).
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You're right. It's all an elaborate fabrication. I do not, in fact, plan my stories at all. Honestly, I don't even write stories. CHYOA? What's that? I thought this was the Taylor Swift fan forum.
Corunner said:
Also, "if it's something (you're not) expecting collaboration on", don't post it on this site.
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Sorry dude. I'd better go delete all my stuff now. Thanks for your input. By the way, someone had better remove the "Private" option.
 
insertnamehere said:
You're right. It's all an elaborate fabrication. I do not, in fact, plan my stories at all. Honestly, I don't even write stories. CHYOA? What's that? I thought this was the Taylor Swift fan forum.

Sorry dude. I'd better go delete all my stuff now. Thanks for your input. By the way, someone had better remove the "Private" option.
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1] Save the sarcasm (especially when you're so sorry at it). I don't know nor frankly care if you plan your stories, but we both know you write them. (How could you not, with all that creativity you must have inside of you, based on your Username?) However, I also write stories, and I don't know how many other members do. But the ones I write offline go how I decide: Start, end, and all in between. Maybe the same could be written about stories you start on the site, but they likely also have other endings (& stuff in between) you never considered.

Also, I don't care what you do with your "Private" option. You DO know those people on the computer can't see you, and likely don't know you're at all connected to the stories. Right?
 
There are plenty of people who write stories that aren't made for collaboration. Take, for example, Almax's wonderful game story "Becoming a Warrior." With all of the variables in that game mode, the hidden text, etc., it'd be hard as heck for anyone to jump in and write chapters onto that. It's totally understandable a writer of one of those wouldn't want others trying to. Of course, other types of writers may want private stories for other reasons, such as having endings in mind or having original characters they only trust certain writers with (who they can then name as authors if they choose).

Read the definition of Private under story mode and you'll see it refers to who can add chapters, not who can see them. That's the sort of story yournamehere is referring to.
 
MidbossMan said:
There are plenty of people who write stories that aren't made for collaboration. Take, for example, Almax's wonderful game story "Becoming a Warrior." With all of the variables in that game mode, the hidden text, etc., it'd be hard as heck for anyone to jump in and write chapters onto that. It's totally understandable a writer of one of those wouldn't want others trying to. Of course, other types of writers may want private stories for other reasons, such as having endings in mind or having original characters they only trust certain writers with (who they can then name as authors if they choose).

Read the definition of Private under story mode and you'll see it refers to who can add chapters, not who can see them. That's the sort of story yournamehere is referring to.
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At first, you had me a bit confused, as you referred both to stories that would be hard to add to and stories that the creator wouldn't want someone to add to. Both can exist, and may not be mutually exclusive. (Though as I believe I wrote before, I for one continue to rightfully hold my feeling that the latter has no place on CHYOA.)

Well, I guess that's all I really need write this time. IMO, if you decide you want ___ to be able to add Chapters to your previously-Private story, feel free to add them. Regardless, I have no interest in posting nor discussing Private stories (small-P, big-P, gotta-P, etc.), as in my view, they have no place in the site this Forum is for discussing.
 
Braids said:
You've both gone off topic, just wanted a light answer, a gauge. An idea of how others start new stories. This isn't the Thread for this bullshit. This is why I shouldn't go to the damn forums for help.
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The forum is usually a peaceful place, but unfortunately, we currently have a situation that ocassionally impedes our civil discussion. One rotten egg does not spoil the dozen (?) if you do not allow it. If we avoid taking the bait, we might be able to stay on topic.

Anyway, like I said, a chapter-by-chapter plan probably isn't what you need, but I find it useful in ensuring my stories don't trail off after just a few chapters. Perhaps in your case, you could jot down ideas for threads as they come to you, and when you hit maybe a dozen ideas, publish whatever you've written. That way, you know you've still got plenty of content to add to your story, but you don't need to write that content upfront.
 
insertnamehere said:
The forum is usually a peaceful place, but unfortunately, we currently have a situation that ocassionally impedes our civil discussion. One rotten egg does not spoil the dozen (?) if you do not allow it. If we avoid taking the bait, we might be able to stay on topic.

Anyway, like I said, a chapter-by-chapter plan probably isn't what you need, but I find it useful in ensuring my stories don't trail off after just a few chapters. Perhaps in your case, you could jot down ideas for threads as they come to you, and when you hit maybe a dozen ideas, publish whatever you've written. That way, you know you've still got plenty of content to add to your story, but you don't need to write that content upfront.
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At least you and MidBoss actually write here. Just found out Co has only been here a hot minute, has no writing here at all and thinks they can tell people who have been here for over a decade what should and shouldn't be on Chyoa. That shit ain't flying with me.
Even if I think for erotica, your preplanning methods are a bit overdoing it for my taste, but if it works for you, don't mess with what works. Just because I might not do it the same way doesn't mean it can work for others. I write erotica for fun so I don't have the time to put the planning phases into my adult fiction, but it's awesome that you do.
Also any fans of Mortal Kombat who like a bit of rough treatment in their sex stories feel free to give My new story a brief look.
Never Bested, Always The Best.
 
I apologize if I came across as bickering in my response. That was not my intention. I only wanted to inform about various levels of preplanning and then to clarify how it might vary depending on the level of collaboration you're wanting.

Good luck with your story, I may check it out since I'm an MK fan. :)
 
MidbossMan said:
I apologize if I came across as bickering in my response. That was not my intention. I only wanted to inform about various levels of preplanning and then to clarify how it might vary depending on the level of collaboration you're wanting.

Good luck with your story, I may check it out since I'm an MK fan. :)
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No, you're fine. It's clear who the asshole was.
 
Ben Rosewood said:
Whenever I release a story, I try to have the following:

-5 chapters deep (more the better)
-2 separate threads
-At least one sex scene

That's generally enough to hook people in and gives you room to add to the story.
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That's funny, that's exactly how much I have written.
 
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