Discussion: The Fic With No Chapters

[Chris 2.1]

So it's been 3+ months since I've finished a chapter. And I'm typing away between exams, reviisng, assignments and a new girlfriend, and coming home for easter, and working for money and so on. So I'm writing very little.

While writing a chapter I'm choreographing a big 5-5 battle, and important scenes among characters and stuff, different story arcs, and I began thinking about a revolutionary way to produce fiction. I thought "wouldn't it be interesting to put material up....as you write it?"

Imagine if we're doing a trainer fic. You might write a 3-3 Gym Match and post that. Then, a few weeks later comes a filler passage or a Pokemon Capture, maybe once you could even post a small, concise conversation between two people that speaks volumes. It sort of sounds like a television show, with snippets here and there, but picture this: you update your fic one day and all it is is a small paragraph showing one character shooting another (this is just a wild example). Can you imagine how much intrigue and interest would be generated from that single, small piece?

I don't know if it would work but it's got my brain buzzing and I'm keen to try it out. I thought people could...discuss the idea. Any genres it might work really well with? Just generate some chatting and such?

[mr_pikachu]

It's an interesting idea. Actually, I think that's part of why WotF has been so successful - it comes in small, digestible chunks that are released far more frequently than most other fics. Short updates aren't imposingly long, and you can grab readers' attention and keep it by avoiding voids between posts.

(On a tangential note, it is still going; the next ten pages are fully scripted, but I haven't had time for designing.)

The difference with what you're saying, though, is that your various "chunks" serve different roles. If I understand it correctly, rather than make each segment a complete section in and of itself with some semblance of a beginning, middle, and end, you'd be releasing full battles at some points and random clusters of paragraphs in others.

It's hard to say whether that would keep readers' attention without the rising and falling of a miniature chapter (so to speak), but it certainly might be worth trying. Your idea could be especially good for writers who struggle just because they take their time with long chapters rather than vying for the rapid release method. I'm curious to see how it would turn out!

[Blademaster]

I came here assuming this topic was about Yu-Gi-Oh!: Twilight Princess.

You got my hopes up, then dashed them to pieces, Chris. Not cool, man. Not cool. ),:

[Houndoom_Lover]

That sounds nice ^_^ Do you know how much mor protective I would be if we all could do that? Or me, anyway? I leave the story in the middle of a chapter- I want to break it and start a new one so bad, but I know I can't yet! OOoooo! If I could just post it, and then type the rest....I'd get so much done *leans back, imagioning (sp?) it* How nice~

[Orange_Flaaffy]

It would be a good idea if the parts were not as random as you seem to want them to be.
I would not want to give the readers the feeling that I just wrote a short little scene 'just to write something' and get views
and that I did not put any real time or effort into it just because it was quicker

[mistysakura]

Personally, I'd prefer chapters/whatevers to work as units to shape a fic around. So if your little conversations/3-on-3 gym battles work and there's a sense that they're another step in the fic journey, length doesn't matter. But if it's just posting something because of not having time to write more... it's up to you, really.

[Dark Sage]

I've been debating whether or not to break up a few of my chapters of "Soul of Silicon" with mini-chapters called "Interludes". There may be times when I have stuff that doesn't fit in a chapter, but can't make a full chapter on its own. So I might put an Interlude between the two chapters. This isn't the same thing as your idea, but it's similar.

[Orange_Flaaffy]

I've been debating whether or not to break up a few of my chapters of "Soul of Silicon" with mini-chapters called "Interludes". There may be times when I have stuff that doesn't fit in a chapter, but can't make a full chapter on its own. So I might put an Interlude between the two chapters. This isn't the same thing as your idea, but it's similar.

Maybe it might be best to post them as 'lost scenes' after the fic is done? Just an idea

[Shuppet Master]

I came here assuming this topic was about Yu-Gi-Oh!: Twilight Princess.

Say what? How did you discern that? When I read the title, I came in thinking "holy cow, how are they going to pull THAT off, having a story with nothing in it?"

[Blademaster]

Say what? How did you discern that?

It's called a 'joke,' Shup. Since YGOTP has had no chapters in a year and a half.

[Chris 2.1]

Just to clarify, the idea was to post material on its own, instead of comprising a lot of scenes and events into a 'chapter'. It wouldn't be a case of posting something small when I'm busy or posting something large when I have lots of time. I'm interested by it, but I don't know if I'm writing anything more after TPML so I am unsure.

[Orange_Flaaffy]

Well, when a story doesn't have chapters, no matter how long it is, everyone seems to call it a one shot . So no matter how 'new and one of a kind' you are trying to make your idea it might ether: Turn into a slowly written short story, and even without chapters, have scene breaks where a chapter might have started in the first place.
I would not say the way we have always written chapters is exactly broken though, so I am keeping them in my work

[Houndoom_Lover]

Hmm, good theory, but I'm not buying it. A stated word become fact through though- I stop in a mids of a sentece does not end a sentence. I look forward to how you convey this, Chris, I do indeed.

[mr_pikachu]

Just to clarify, the idea was to post material on its own, instead of comprising a lot of scenes and events into a 'chapter'. It wouldn't be a case of posting something small when I'm busy or posting something large when I have lots of time. I'm interested by it, but I don't know if I'm writing anything more after TPML so I am unsure.

All I have to say is that if it's a way to keep you fanficcing post-TPML, then go for it!

[Chris 2.1]

I was thinking of doing a small, mini part story. Like in 10 parts, but I don't know if this fic idea I had would fit with the idea I had. Bleh. Let's see how I feel after TPML.

[Lady Vulpix]

That reminded me of this: "The shortest story arch ever".



I think it could work with any genre, if you handle it well.

[Shuppet Master]

*Laughs* If I had a penny for the number of times that scenario could have replaced the tedious fetch-quests in all the RPGs I've played, I would have the money to buy a Playstation-3 and enjoy three years of WoW gaming.