Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Fun with Polls Reading Stories

Okay, let's rechristen this section of the boards.


Do you like to read stories in instalments, or do you prefer to wait for them to be finished first? Or maybe you even wait for them to be uploaded to the Archive before you'll read them? What's your preference? Answer the poll, and post to explain your answer too, please!


Wendy

You forgot the option that says "that depends" <g> Some stories, some authors, I know I want to read everything as soon as possible. With some authors, I tend to wait til I think they're getting close to the second half, and then jump in there And there are some authors/stories where I know the story is going to be extra-intense. I wait til those are finished (and usually some time afterwards, too ) before I'll work up my courage to tackle it.

PJ
who is not organized enough to have only one reading strategy

i voted for other. i like reading in installments, but not because of the suspense or lack of willpower. it's because i like getting the stories in managable chunks and, to a lesser degree, because i like seeing them in progress. somehow, it's just easier to open a few pages at a time than it is to open a whole huge file. don't know why. not like i have a problem reading robert jordan's 800-1000 page books (about 150 pages into book 10 of "the wheel of time," and i'm still not sure if he's even halfway through. every time i think things are starting to draw to a close, he throws in something new). something different about reading on screen vs having a phyical bookmark, i guess. <shrug>

Paul

I have to go for Other, too. Short stories, I'll read as they post. Stories where they have #/?, I wait until it gets close to an end, usually when they have a real final number posted. I learned the hard way *coughImbalancecough* that you can get frustrated by reading the story when it's not even close to done and you don't know how long it's going to be, or when it's going to be finished. There's a few authors that are exceptions to the rule, but not all that many anymore.

I also chose other. I almost chose the 'no way' option, but the reason I don't read on the mbs isn't because I'm afraid the author won't finish, it's because I can't stand the suspence, and I lose track of what was going on in the story.

I'd much rather read on the archive, even if it takes a couple minutes for the story to load. coughLabbyandMasquescough

~Anna

Depends. If it's a sequel that I'm dying to read, I'll hit the installments. Everything else can wait for the Archive...I'll happily use up plenty of time that I don't have to sit down with a long fic.

ROTFL, Anna. And I see my bus theory made it in there. <g>

I would have gone for that one - but with the arrival of these mbs I'm trying to mend my terrible ways and keep up with fanfic as it's posted.

However, couldn't quite bring myself - yet - to put myself in the first option bracket either.

LabRat

It depends. <g> If it's by my favorite authors, heck yes, I read it on the message boards. Then again, I haven't had much time for reading lately, or luxuries like sleep, so my fic reading is almost down to nil. <g>

I've also been reading more "The Pretender" fic when I have time lately because of the sheer unpredictableness of it. There's just something appealing about a character who can literally do anything and changes names and occupations the way most of us change clothes. 'sides, there's unexplored territory there, and when you've spent months reading everything from the archive that you can get your hands on, something new is always a great thing.

For the most part, I wait for the archive. <g> a few of my favorite authors I don't have to wait for because I'm lucky enough to be their beta reader...

Laura

Hmm, I voted for "I only read a couple of stories in instalments; the rest wait for the archive." cause I thought that was the closest. I generally read at the archive or complete stories on the ficlist/mbs.

I don't like reading parts because what happens if the author doesn't finish, or takes forever to finish (is Imbalance finished yet? ). I find that, when reading parts, I also tend to lose track of what happened, especially if I'm reading quite a few at the time.

OTOH, if its an author I recognise, and thus I'm 99.9999% sure they'll finish it or I give in to temptation/have no willpower or it's a sequel to something I've read, I'll read it! I did that with Laura's Little Girl Lost, gave in to temptation that is - it looked too good to miss!)

Loriel (still with no sig...)

Well, I picked other. But I could've picked either 'I love reading in instalments! The suspense is great, and I can't wait to check back for the next part.' or 'I only read a couple of stories in instalments; the rest wait for the archive.'

I had to go with other just because, while I love reading them installments, time and school just don't permit me to read much in installments. I make exceptions for stories by favorite authors and such - but then I just end up feeling terrible when I can't get around to posting feedback on a regular schedule.

Actually, I hate the suspense BUT, parcelled out L&C Fiction is better than no fiction and when I come to the message boards and find something by a favorite author, I can't stay away

I do sometimes get my stories mixed up, especially when they are on the once a week or longer posting schedule. I just keep logging on and wishing

BTW, I stopped reading Imbalance at about part 30, and am still waiting for the whole story which I would love to read. Of course, even unfinished, it qualifies as an epic. Wish it was posted as Part One so I didn't have to go find all the installments

Okay, I've voted and as I've mentioned before, I prefer to read fanfic in instalments.

The main reason is because It's just easier timewise for me to read a part of two everyday then it is for me to find the time to sit and read a long story.

I used to be able to use high speed printers from my previous job to print off completed fics. Then I could carry around a hard copy to read at my leisure just like I would a paperback. That was an ideal situation, but since I no longer have that option, and I sure as heck ain't going to spend my ink cartridges to print off stuff like Masques.

Since I read while online, it's just easier to read in smaller bites.

Tank the Retired (who should also mention that he does like a good cliff hanger now and then )

Like Tank, I also read in installments. I have a really, really short attention span (I think I might have ADD - seriously my favorite professor and I have this conversation all the time - he seems to have the same problem) so I lose concentration on longer stories if I do not read them in short installments - hmm, that might be why I don't read books for pleasure or even my textbooks for that matter .

- Alicia

That's how I am too...normally. There are a few stories that I've gotten hooked on that we don't know how long they will go (Long Strange Trip ). But normally I will try to wait until it's done...but when it is I will read it right away before it has a chance to go to the archives.

-Breanna

Hey...

I like to read fanfic in instalments too...

It's because it's a small chunk, and when i read a long stories i tend to skip some parts... atleast this way i read everything...

Meni

LOL, Tank. Don't blame you.

I really think I'd read more finished work from the Archive if I could go back to those heady days when I first found the fandom and was able to print off reams of stories and then settle down with a huge pile of paper and work my way blissfully through them. Ah...heaven. I worked my way through the entire Archive that way. Back then I think it was at 800 stories or so.

But, as you say, the cost is just too prohibitive these days.

Although I have got myself into the habit of reading off the computer screen instead, it's just not the same. I've tried buying a laptop so that I can at least read curled up on the sofa or out in the garden on sunny days - my natural reading locations - but that's not the same either.

Still...best that can be done, so will just have to put up with it, I guess!

LabRat

Funny you should mention Masques. It prints as we speak... and prints... and prints...

ROTFL, Rivka.

Hope it's worth all that paper! <g>

LabRat (feeling guilty for decimating several rainforests now )

I'm one of those that just reads in installments. FOr me that's easier and it takes up a whole lot less of my time. At the moment I'm reaing everything that's being posted, but I sometimes simply don't have the time to give fdk.

And I must admit, I haven't read on the archive for weeks (or are it months now?), due to a lack of time.

Saskia

I prefer reading it in parts - but posted regularly.
The time between each segment shouldn`t be longer than a week.

I don`t like it that much if all parts of a story are posted simultanously, although it still beats a cliffhanger
Anyway posting in parts makes you think more about each segment and this way you can tell the author your thoughts and he can decide if he can use your advise for his story or something like that.

Hope this answer satified you

sunshine

I read in installments mostly... apart from those stories that are posted here, or on the archive complete, obviously

When I first had regular 24 hour a day access to the internet (Woo-hoo! for the UK university system!) I would make regular visits to the computer room on a Sunday, waiting for the archive to update... and then I'd read all the new additions in one big overdose of fanfic. Not forgetting that at that time TUFS and Season Five were being posted.

Once I've started a story, I just can't stop... this has lead to marathon sessions in front of a computer screen... I can't ration fanfic. So of course all that reading would take out most of my Mondays and sometimes Tuesdays too, and this was bad. Well, in theory.

Anyway, then Zoom's boards came along, and it was the end of all my woes! Fanfic, in handy bite-sized chunks. What more could a girl want!

My social life improved, my results picked up, I discovered that there was more to Mondays that fanfic... Lectures for instance.

I was a happy bunny. And I still am

Helga

The first 70 pages (all I could print before sundown Tuesday) sure were! Tonight I get to read the rest. <rubbing hands in anticipation>

Actually, when you take Masques, shrink it down to 10 pt in a small typeface and reformat out all the blank lines, it's only about 400 pages.

You should see the rest of the pile I printed out. <laser printer hums in the background>

ROTFL, Rivka! That reminds me of another FoLC who cut Caped Fear in half printing it out by reducing the pitch to miniscule size...and then went out and bought a magnifying glass to read it with.

Glad to hear you're enjoying the story so far!

LabRat

Everything I print out, especially epics, I print in Times New Roman, point 8 and as small a margin as I'm allowed, (I usually reduce the margin to 0, then hit fix when Word tells me I'm outwith the print margin!)! I usually feel guilty for eating up so much of the world's rainforest's. My friend does not believe me when I tell her that I can actually read it! And I can read it, honestly!

Loriel

This was my reply exactly. I also only read a few off the boards, I can't begin to tell you how frustrating it is to really be into a story to see that dreaded "To Be Continued" AHHHHHH!!! In the beginning, I printed out the longer stories to read them but was quickly drowning in HC's. So now I copy them from the archives and paste them into word and read them at my leisure from my computer -- bookmarking where I've left off. The other advantage to saving them all on my hard drive is that I can look and see if I've already read something. When I had over 400 of them, my obsessive/compulsive side came out and I started catorgorizing each one after reading. (good AU, read episode extention etc).

Ok, I really gotta get a life man!! NOT!!

ROTFL, you need to talk to Kaethel. <g> She's the one everyone goes to when they need stats on what fanfic has been published in a year.

What's HC btw? Haven't heard that one, I don't think.

[Edit] - 0h, wait, bell just rang. HC = hard copies?

LabRat (who remembers the pleasure she had cataloguing the fanfic she downloaded - indexes that have sadly not been updated in so long it's painful to think about...sigh...maybe one day I'll catch up...)

Ok, you were able to decifer HC -- it is hard copies. So, now I have a newbie duh question for you.... what's ROTFL???

LOL = laughing out loud
ROTFLOL = rolling on the floor, laughing out loud
ROTFL = rolling on the floor laughing
ROTFLMAO = rolling on the floor, laughing <something or other>

Paul

I picked this choice:
Only 17% of us, but, hey, who cares?
The caveat to that statement is that if I *don't* get hooked, I wait for the Archive.

I've *never* printed a story. I read it online, or saved to my hard drive or from my handheld.

Artemis

Okay, add another other to the pile.

Explanation:

I *used* to read almost every single story as it was being posted. Now, that didn't mean I commented on them all (bad Bethy! bad Bethy!), but I was usually reading most if not all.

I think the change happened when I went to France. I had to use an internet cafe and be very stingy with my minutes so that I could communicate with family and stuff and not go broke. So, I waited for the archive version a lot more often. And then this past school year I went on a stupid streak and took on waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many things to do. (Will I ever learn? Hm...let me think about that....Nope. ) So, as a result, my brain refused to keep track of as many stories as it used to.

However, summer is here!! I have stuff to do, but less school work, so I should have a few compartments in my brain freeing themselves up for fanfic! And (yes, I know, I've said this before, but I mean it this time), I'm going to work on vastly improving my commenting skills...or at least frequency.

Bethy (who is sure that's more than y'all wanted to know...)

It would have been -- had I done it right! grrr

I knew I had sections that were printed forward, sections backwards, and that 20 pages had flown all over the room and were out of order. I figured it would be like a jigsaw.

But then, after 10 frustrated minutes, I realized the real problem. Pages 290-400 printed 2x. Pages 70-140, not printed at all. I was up to page 70!

AAAAAHHHHHH!

Forget it, I'm putting it on my Palm.

I'm in the "depends" category. I used to read a lot in instalments but my leisure time was considerably reduced this year, so I've had to cut down on fanfic reading a lot. - and then eventually beg for a tiny excerpt, half a dozen pages, no more , on irc) but these days I tend to read longer stories from the archive when I get some free time.

Kaethel (and LOL Rat, re.stats! Haven't updated my fanfic index in three weeks, yikes! )

Ouch, Rivka. Had a few nights like those myself. I still have hard copies of stories in file folder that almost require Bletchley Park to decipher which part comes next in the reading sequence.

LOL, Artemis. I may have a little something coming the way of these mbs very shortly.

LabRat (who figures that if she tells enough people that the Muse will be intimidated into having to produce the goods. )

Ooooooh!

So it means we're going to get *that* story (not saying more [eg]) and also SDB and Legacy and Ripples and stuff? Hmmmm? WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kaethel (can you tell I'm happy? [g])

oooo..

come on, labby... you can write.

come on...

if you write, i'll give you some...

Paul, figuring that cheese is probably more effective than the alternative ( )

/me gives Kaethel a very long and steady stare.

Let's not get carried away, kid, shall we?



LabRat (sneaking off with that cheese...)

I can be intimdating! See! This is me chasing LabRat's Muse so I can catch her and tie her down somewhere near LabRat's computer.

Loriel

LOL, Loriel. Strangely enough this wasn't tagged as a new post; almost missed it.

LabRat

Yay! It looks like I'm going to have to employ


Loriel (off to find her nearest friendly Dr! :p )

I gave up on new post indicators years ago... I just look at the times on the posts and rely on my (faulty but not terrible) memory... and when in doubt, check it out! <g> Worst that seems to happen is that I open a thread more times than I'd need to <shrug>

PJ