Organizing fic is way harder than writing it

[ratherastory]

Okay.

In yet another attempt to keep my fic manageable and accessible to my beloved readers, I have made a couple more master posts for individual 'verses, and updated my entire Master Post.

I am still worried that it's a little overwhelming. There are 59 stories up there, not including the podfic. I'm wondering if that isn't a little scary for new readers especially.

I'm not sure what to do about it. Split the post into two, maybe? Short fic in one, longer fic and 'verses in the other?

Anyone have any ideas? Thoughts? Inspiration? Divine illumination?

Comments

[tifaching.livejournal.com]

I wish. I'm considering splitting mine into separate Masterposts- one for drabbles and one for long fics. It's WAY too confusing the way it is.

I don't think the number of stories would be scary for new readers (at least I hope not), the more great fic the better!

Actually, organizing by length sounds like a good idea. Let the new readers figure out how awesome you are by reading something short, then they can wander through your longer fics for even more amazing reading!

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

Well, it's already organized by length, with convenient tables linking the reader around the whole webpage. I'm just not sure that they wouldn't feel intimidated by the Wall o' Fic when they get to that post. ;)

I don't have many drabbles, but about half my fics appear to be in the 1,000 to 5,000 word range.

[tifaching.livejournal.com]

I just popped by your Master Post and damn. You are organized. dante was talking about redoing hers with her story headers and I wasn't sure how that would go, but yours is awesome. Pairings, ratings, summaries right where everyone can see them. I think it's great.

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

*cough*

I might be a little OCD about that sort of thing. ;)

I just asked myself what I would like to see, ideally, in a master list, to let me know what I was getting into, and then I included it all. It actually took a long time to get the list to where it is now, but now it's a breeze to keep it updated.

[claudiapriscus.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there's no such thing as too much fic in a master post. It's a wonderful feeling to discover an author is so prolific after you've just really enjoyed a story of theirs.

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

I hope so! I'm just worried new readers will see all that and despair. ;)

[embroiderama]

I think it's best to have everything in one post. Personally, I find it annoying to have to click through to multiple posts with multiple lists unless the author actually has hundreds of stories that can't fit in one LJ post.

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

Okay, good. I already have a few "sticky" posts in my LJ, and I didn't really want to add another one up there, so it's good to have someone validate that.

Thanks!

[sistabro]

No such things as too much fic.. Also, I'm totally a fan of how your list is organized.. that's why I kinda ganked the layout for my own :) Of course, you are crazy prolific, so preemptively splitting up the list may not be a bad idea to accommodate future growth..

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

No such thing as too much fic...

Totally agree with you there! My qualms was more about the fact that the list itself would be overwhelming.

I didn't realize you had re-organized your list. I shall have to go check it out. :)

[jesseofthenorth.livejournal.com]

Your masterlist is a thing of beauty! That is exactly what I want when I click a masterlist post. There is nothing more frustrating as a reader than finding a great fic!writer and not finding all their fic. So !YAY! OCD masterpost.
And yes organizing is way harder than writing , even when the writing comes hard. At least there I know what I am doing ;D

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

*beams*

Oh, good! I'm glad that it's working for people, because I hate going to a good writer's LJ and finding an incomplete list, or NO list, or a list with just titles and NO indication of how long the story is (important for people like me who need to manage their time carefully) or what it's about.

So, uh, yes. A little OCD, but that's the way I like my little corner of the universe. ;)

[la-mariane.livejournal.com]

The number of fics is good. Actually, the more fic in a masterlist, the happier I am. But I think it's a good idea to organize them by length. One LJ cut for drabbles and short fics, one LJ cut for 1,000-5,000 words fics, and all the 5,000+ fics under another LJ cut, maybe?

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

Oh, they're already split up by length. There's a table with links you can click on. :)

I suppose I could add lj-cuts, but that would kind of clutter up the main post. I will do some experimenting, maybe when I get home.

[dania-rose.livejournal.com]

I think one list is fine. 59 stories is exciting, not overwhelming!! I, for one, think I may just start at the top and work myself down to the very end.

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

Excellent. I was a little worried, but so far the consensus seems to be that it's okay.

Glad you're exited! \o/

[primrose-1.livejournal.com]

I love it that you have 59 fics. I like how you organized the last list, I was able to find things very easily.

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

\o/

I kind of love it that I have that many fics too. Actually there are more but a couple of them are currently being stealthy anonymous gift fics out there on the internet so I can't claim them yet. ;)

:::ETA:::

Oh, and the list is still organized much the same way. I just added in a section for the 'verses.

[harrigan.livejournal.com]

I ♥ it!

I think it's perfect, but offer you 2-3 wee suggestions for maybe!Someday...

1. I like how roque_clasique picked 5 or so of her personal favorite intro-to-roque fics for newbies to sample. (I think she used asterisks to point them out.) You could even do a poll and ask your friends which they would single out as good intros to your fic!


2. I like authors who flag their latest stuff somehow, so I can go to their masterlist and easily determine what I might have missed recently


3. I love authors who also have used delicious.com to make searching by multiple tags easier. I'd volunteer to help with that if you wanted... but it may be the end of the year before I have time.

Just some food for thought, if you feel the urge to tinker more. But it's excellent as is!

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

1- I totally love that about rocque_clasique's list too, except I have NO idea which stories to recommend. I suck. Maybe I'll make that poll. :)


2- Can you give me an example? I'm not sure how I'd do that, unless maybe I add in dates... maybe with a different colour?

3- I have a delicious account, but I SUCK at using it adequately. I actually use it mostly for my own reading lists, but if you're willing to give me a primer on how to use it for the benefit of my readers too, that would rock.

[harrigan.livejournal.com]

I can give you a quickie example for number 2: here. calamitycrow just throws a NEW!SEPT in a brighter color next to whatever title is new/recent. And I would suppose at some point (after a few months), she goes back and removes the NEW! flags that aren't so new?

And I'd love to get back to you on the third one - but it might be a few weeks.

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

Cool.

I will go back and do some editing there when I get home.

As for the third, take your time. RL is kind of kicking my ass and I still have a TON of fic to write between now and December. So.

[saschi212.livejournal.com]

I like what roque_clasique did with hers, marking the ones she thought would be good for new readers to start with. It's also handy for when I feel like reading her fic but don't know which one I want to read.

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

I really like that too, I just don't know which fics would serve as a good "intro" to my stuff. *waffles*

harrigan suggested I make a poll, so I may do that when I get home.