opinion: longer story, more shorter stories

[dragonlady7]

via https://ift.tt/3mcxcD5

I have a dilemma. I was going to have The Ideal Man be an easy three chapters, bickety-bam, be done, move on, and then there’s a sequel that starts a whole new plotline, now that I have them established as characters, right?

But I’d drafted parts of the sequel a few times and it wasn’t working. I’d actually just started off with it, and then was like no these characters don’t actually hang together, I have to write the start of the relationship to earn the emotional payoff of this stressful event for them. And I tried again, and was like no see now I’ve got all these things between the two of them that not having shown before, I can’t just refer to, but have to keep introducing as a new concept in the midst of an action scene, which is clunky and doesn’t read well and really doesn’t work at all. So I have now wedged in at least two more chapters, probably a third.

But should I stick to three chapters for The Ideal Man, and shoehorn in the as-yet-unspecified-length sequel in there as a separate work? Or should I just make the first story longer to incorporate all the other backstory?? There’s enough story in the middle bit, there’s going to be some action and some sex, but it’s all still on the same theme as Ideal Man, in that it’s the two characters getting to know one another and expanding their relationship.

So I just can’t decide, and meanwhile chapter 3 of that story is sitting there in drafts complete ready to post and everyone who was interested in that story has moved on with their lives, so I really should just– post it, but i can’t post it if I haven’t decided if the story’s over!

IDK.

Comments

[shadaras]

I'm always here for longer stories! I like reading about characters getting to know each other better, and so long as it's on the same theme then it seems reasonable to add that backstory on. :)

[dragonlady7]

I guess I didn't make it clear-- the chapters are getting posted no matter what, no matter which direction I go the same quantity of content will get posted, on approximately the same schedule. But should I divide it out into separate works, or append the chapters onto the first work to make it longer, is the question.

[shadaras]

Ah, that's fair! I dunno, I'm in favor of keeping thematically-consistent stuff in the same story? So if these new chapters fit thematically with the story you've already posted, I'd keep them together. If they've got their own arc and you don't think it fits well enough with what's already there, then separating them makes more sense to me. Either way, I'm looking forward to reading it!

[sevenall]

I can assure you that by no means have I moved on with my life. :)

I'm always happy to see more chapters. In this case, maybe one question to ask is, is the sequel telling its own story - does it stand on its own legs? No matter the answer, I think you can do what you prefer, only considering it can help with the decision.