Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Fun with Polls Lengths of sections posted for WIPs

For WIPs, how long do you prefer the sections? I'm interested in finding out, because I've seen everything from the equivalent of one or two [Microsoft Word] pages to 20 or 30 pages.

For some reason, it won't let me vote, so I'll just answer here. The minimum I ever post is 7 pages, but about 14 is my norm these days. It really depends on the story. For Little Girl Lost, I was trying to finish in seven chapters to mimic the nursery rhyme that I had at the top. I *started* with fourteen page chapters, but the dang thing grew on me and the chapters got longer in order to reach my goal for each one. That's why the epilogue was the longest chapter at 38 pages long. The entire story ended up at 168 pages, so if I'd posted it in 7 page chapters, that's about 24 chapters. The Forever and All Eternity series (I'm still sporadically working on the last story) was posted that way, and ig I ever manage to get them out of the predicament they're in, it'll probably remain that way.

<bg> The sequel to Little Girl Lost, which is called "Innocence Lost", doesn't have a set number of chapters, but we'll just have to see as we go. I tend to be able to say where the chapter will end, but what happens from the beginning to the ending is up for grabs.

Laura

For Q1, I put "I don't care." I like long sections, but to be honest, no matter how long it is, each section posted always leaves me wanting more. Even when the story is finished, I want more! But I will read anything - short, medium, or long. The reason I didn't choose "long" for this question is related to Q2.

For Q2, I put "shorter sections more often". Even though longer is better, if I must choose between longer or more often, more often wins hands down. I prefer daily postings, but that makes it hard sometimes to keep up with giving feedback. Every two days is great. Every three days I can live with. Anything longer than that is TOO LONG!

- Vicki

All lengths are fine for me.

When it comes to posting schedule... As long as it's regular and it doesn't take too long (two weeks maximum) is fine.

What can I say?...I'm a patient girl.

AnnaBtG.

I tend to go with 'don't care' on both questions.

I do think it depends on the story at times. When I was posting Masques, I began with five page segments because I'd been advised that was the standard length. But that just frustrated both me and my readers. It just didn't suit the story's pacing at all; was far too slow. Five pages barely moved us on from one segment to the next. Once I switched to 15 pages per segment we were all a lot happier. Well...I was anyway.

As an author, I'd generally go for 15 pages, roughly. Give and take an adjustment of a few pages either side to find a natural segment break. Or really good cliffhanger.

As a reader, have to admit I'm kind of torn. I tend to get frustrated by short segments of 5 pages or so. OTOH, they're actually really convenient for me because I can read them quickly. Yes, fickle. I must admit that sometimes I see a long segment and find it a little daunting. But once I start reading I usually get hooked by the story so it doesn't matter after a paragraph of so.

Conclusion? Not entirely sure. <G> I guess whatever the author comes up with, I'll read.

LabRat