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(Chapter 1, Part 1)

8 years ago

All right, this is something I've been talking about in multiple comment sections, so I'm just going to go ahead and talk about it at more length here. 

There's a sadly increasing number of very short storygames being published with "part 1" right up front in the name.  I've wondered for some time what reason these authors had to publish a story they knew was unfinished.  Perhaps they were simply eager to publish something? Perhaps they were used to linear fan fiction, which is often published as an ongoing saga.

I finally got some replies from authors, and it was. . . not what I was expecting.

"The story was short because I got bored."  Seriously?!  That's the number one reason?!!  You're tired of writing now, so you just posted whatever you had done and called it good?  Look--if you found it boring to write, do you really expect anyone reading it to be interested?  (To the warriors authors who said having to write the same page twice for male and female was boring, I suggest making different paths then.)    

I guess that does explain why no one ever returns to give us a Part 2 though . . .

(Chapter 1, Part 1)

8 years ago

Does "part one" constitute deleting the same as a "sample" does?

(Chapter 1, Part 1)

8 years ago

Personally, I think most of them fall under "ending abruptly with a notice that it will be continued later."

(Chapter 1, Part 1)

8 years ago

They get bored, so they slap a "Part 1" label on it and call it a day? That leads me to wonder why they'd even publish it at all. It's not like there's a deadline. Maybe it's just the perfectionist in me, but I wouldn't be able to stand publishing something I didn't feel was finished.

(Chapter 1, Part 1)

8 years ago

I feel the exact same way. All of those Part 1's and "To be continued..." endings kill me on the inside.

Please don't publish the game if you got bored while writing it. If the story bores the author, than it'll definitely being boring to the reader.

(Chapter 1, Part 1)

8 years ago
Hmm, I have felt pressured to do things before, but never as in publishing a storygame. Maybe they feel as if they should compete with the big writers here (we all know those), write something up, get bored, slap on a part 1 notice, and realise no one likes the story because they simply didn't put enough time in it so they leave. I've seen your comment on the recent addition to this whole chapter 1, part 1 and it is truly terrifying when someone puts that in their title. I guess it's just attention, or a lack thereof, impatience, and the feeling they should contribute to the site. After all, this is a Choose Your Story website, not 4chan (though that line can be thin at times..).

(Chapter 1, Part 1)

8 years ago

An idea

Let's allow storygames to be declared as chapters only if their length is at least 5-6. Otherwise there is no good reason for it, only many drawbacks.

(Chapter 1, Part 1)

8 years ago

Really? Tell that to Snow.

(Chapter 1, Part 1)

8 years ago

I take it that you meant the "Snow" storygame.

Is the "Snow" declared as a chapter 1 of a series? No? Then what does is it have to do with "(Chapter 1, Part 1)" thread and my idea?

Really.

I should have written "declared as a part 1 of a series", because you might've confused it with editor chapters. But from the thread context it should be rather obvious.

(Chapter 1, Part 1)

8 years ago

Oh, sorry,  I thought you meant games.