In both cases, also, I found that I had to go back to very early parts and edit them in order to make the continuity work throughout the story, which means that posting as I go along just doesn't work for me.
It also not just continuity that can suffer as a result of the installment plan. This is something I've learned from being around romance authors online and "listening" to their editing stories. Too much feedback in the middle of writing the initial rough draft of a story can directly affect the writer's "voice" as they listen to and follow through on perfectly good suggestions.
So, sometimes, and especially if you know where the story is going, it's much better to simply, um, let it rip and finish the entire "thought" as it were without outside input and THEN get feedback on the total package. More consistency that way with what YOU wanted the story to be even if you have to do some tweaking after the fact.
Now if you don't know where it's going and are simply playing around with an idea, then it's also possible that installments might be the better way to go. If for no other benefit than the brainstorming it allows. Just depends.
Beverly
