April 2014 ficlist and a poll

[donutsweeper]

Just a wee bit late with this one. *shhhh*

The Doctor's Doctor, Sherlock Holmes (ACD canon), Doctor Anstruther thought his working day was over. It wasn't, rated G 200 words (watsons_woes)
The Armor's Chink, Arrow, It was an opportunity Sara couldn't resist, rated PG, 200 words

Summary:
 It was an opportunity Sara couldn't resist. (fan_flashworks)
Ghost of a Chance, NCIS/Mag7 stealth crossover, It wasn't the murder weapon, but it was a murder weapon, rated G, 692 words (fan_flashworks)
The Elixir of Maybe, Captain America, spoilers for CA:TWS, It was a new day and, for once, the Winter Soldier was in charge of his own future, rated G, 100 words (fan_flashworks)

3 ficlets, 1 drabble. 4 stories for 1192 words

My remix story is still anon but I'll be linking to that after reveals and *gulp* this Thursday I'll be posting my FIC-O-DOOM, which is currently at beta. It is a little less than 40k words long and I have been thinking about how to post it. In this case the fic has POV switches which would make good breaking periods, but they are uneven, at (give or take) 7k, 3k, 6k, 4k, 6k, 4k, 10k. So I have a question for all of you:

Okay, I can't get the poll to work so just let me know if you reading a 40k fic, would rather it was posted on AO3:

1) All in one chapter.
2) In several chapters, broken up according to plot flow.
3) In several chapters of equalish length.
or
4) Some other option I will explain in the comments.

Opinions? Suggestions? Anyone?

Comments

[bratty-jedi.livejournal.com]

I tried to vote in the poll, but when I clicked submit poll I was taken to a page that said "Sorry, you're not permitted to see this poll." Which is odd since I can see the poll on your page and can see that it says it is open to all and results are viewable by all. Oh well. I tried to vote for several chapters broken by plot flow.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

I just noticed that. It won't let me fix it. *grumbles at LJ*

Thanks for the input!

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

All it one chapter is definitely not my fav, because if I have to stop reading, I have to find my place again.

So, I would personally prefer being broken up at places where the plot allows for it. Even chapter lengths aren't that important to me. Chapters in 'real' stories vary all the time.

The other option is if you want to break it up by POVs and keep the chapter lengths even, do the 7k+3k POV sections together (presuming they flow into the other chronologically). Then the two 6k+4k and then finally the 10K, so each chapter has 10k words in it. If that works.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

I was debating doing that, having 4 chapters of 10kisk because the POV's go A,B,A,B,A,B,A so it'd just be pairing together the sections would work mostly.

But you wouldn't have a problem with the chapters varying from 10 - 3k in length?

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

But you wouldn't have a problem with the chapters varying from 10 - 3k in length?

Not if it makes the story flow better. Short chapters only bother me if they are clearly an attempt to get comments, or try to ask the author to please write more. Since, I'm assuming, you're posting it all in one go, I wouldn't have a problem with the lengths at all.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'll be posting all in one go.

Thanks, once I get it back from beta and make corrections I'll see how it looks in various forms. Splitting it up might work best.

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

I personally think stories start and stop and break where they want to, and trying make them even means you're either padding them out or cutting vital bits, so just do what seems naturally. If you look at a television show, some scenes are one line, and some are ten minutes long, and we don't point and go 'well, that was too short', because we're involved in it.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

That's true. :) You are very wise.

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

Only because I have played the 'how long should this chapter be?' game many times.

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

#2

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

That seems to be the consensus so far, thank you!