I voted in the category that I will read incomplete stories because I am eternally optimistic...but in truth, being optimistic has nothing to do with it. Obviously in a perfect world I would prefer that every story is posted and completed in a timely manner, but that's not the world we live in.
To be honest, I'm not sure how some readers have the willpower to wait for a story to show up on the Archive. If I see Wendy posting a new story on the mbs, and she warns in that first post that it's going to be a bit of an epic, do you honestly expect me to WAIT?! True, I think that Wendy has always completed any story that she's started...but what if this one was the first? I don't have the willpower, or the patience, or feel the need to wait until it's done - if I have the time, I'm going to read it NOW!
I've been involved in three other fandoms over the years, and all of them have their share of unfinished stories that I deeply regret were never completed. But never have I felt cheated by the author, nor felt frustrated that I've "wasted" my time, nor felt that I would "die" if I didn't find out how the story would end (well, I've come close to this once or twice
).
But despite recognizing the validity of Labby's bus theory, I've never had the willpower to wait, especially if it's an author whose previous works I've enjoyed. I can name several unfinished stories just now off the top of my head - Missy's
What's Love Got to Do With It, Kae's
When the Fallen Angels Fly, Sara's
Unfinished Business, Lynn's
Haunting Eden, Irene's
New Heights - that may never be finished. I'll be very sorry if that's the case, because I've loved them all. There are undoubtedly any number of others that I haven't mentioned. But I don't regret reading any of them, because even the little bit of the story that these authors were able to share with us was a
gift, in my opinion. I just reread
Haunting Eden a few days ago, for example. Even though I knew it would make me cry (which it did), even though I had remembered exactly where it had ended and I knew that there still wasn't any more - I still love that story and felt the need to reconnect with it.
So even though in these past few months I've been completely delinquent about giving feedback - for which I owe everyone a blanket apology - I treasure the stories that are posted here, and will never complain if, for whatever reason, the story isn't able to be told in its entirety.
Heck, half the time even when a story is posted in full, people are screaming for a sequel! We're never satisfied...
Kathy
