A Promise To The Readers and Fans

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Because of the recent happenings,and because I don't feel right about it, I will no longer post ANY work,here or anywhere else, unless it's completed.

When I first started writing, the words flowed out of me like an uncontrolled geyser. Over the intervening years, the words have stopped, almost completely. For that, I apologise.

I want it understood very clearly that no fault is to be laid at any door but mine. I am simply not a "finisher" and I should never have begun without an end in mind. I am not withdrawing from the community or Top Shelf. I am merely stating that I will no longer disappoint you readers by putting something up that has no ending.

I wish to thank all of you for putting up with my foible, and my scribblings. I feel as though I have cheated all of you, and that hurts.

Again, my apologies, and thank you, to those who have become fans. I'm sorry I've disappointed you. It will NOT happen ever again.

Respectfully
Catherine Linda Michel

Comments

It Has Happened To Others

joannebarbarella's picture

And I for one don't think that you need to apologise. I can think of several authors right now who started a serial and ran out of inspiration half way through. It happens. It's disappointing but it's hardly a capital offence. I'm going to read your story right up to the current ending and, who knows, maybe you'll unblock,
Joanne

you are mistaken it is

are you sure it isnt a capital offense. I was sure it was Joanne. Let me check it out real quick. I thought Bush signed it into federal law that it was a capital offense to not finish a workof fiction. 25 years to life if im not mistaken

No need to apologize

I mean that. Don't apologize to us readers and commenters on BCTS ( or any other site ) because you can't find your muse, suffer from writers' block, or don't have the time and/or energy to add to your story/stories.

Any disappointment that might exist with us is our responsibility for following you on your stories' journey, no one pointed a gun and told us to read. We can bitch and moan, flatter you, or we can hope to heap such guilt on you, you'll feel pressured enough to finish it. But we can never feel disappointed in you, the writer, for writing.

If you feel manipulated, hurt, unjustly and/or over pressured by anything I have commented on in regard to your writing, I apologize profusely for it was never my intention to harm.

Your sole responsibility is to your creation. That is enough of a burden for any writer.

Kind regards,
Jo-Anne

Thats life Catherine

Some people are just not going to be happy no matter what you do or how well you do it, please do not let that upset you as there are far more of us out here that appreciate what you do to whatever and what extent you do it.
For the rest, theres not always a happy ending, sometimes there is no ending, no closure, thats life, reality.
Its hard to say what I wish to say without someone taking it personally but here goes, not directed at anyone in particular...
Sometimes your mommy took you through the checkout aisle at the supermarket and you didn't get candy, some nights in bed your partner rolls over and falls asleep before you get off, sometimes there is no dessert after dinner, not all massage therapists give a happy ending, and while I'm at it, there is no Santa Claus, no Easter Bunny, no Tooth Fairy either!
But you know what? There are some damn good authors on here like Catherine and some wannabe good authors on here that with some encouragement will be great authors. Why is it necessary to try to ruin their day because the candy aisle was closed?

When to post?

littlerocksilver's picture

Catherine,

I certainly don't have any heartburn over your decision. I am not a serial writer; however, I can certainly see the pit falls of running out of gas mid story. I have posted four works here, unfortunately not as well edited as they should have been, and all were completed long before I started posting them. I feel it's very important to be satisfied with the complete product before putting it out there. There is a shorter story in the works right now that I feel at about 13,000 words is about half way there. What's fun is that some ideas popped into my head last night about making it a multi-part novel and what I thought would be a short story would just be part one of a much larger work. If I do that, I might have to go back and re-edit/amend earlier chapters. Where would I be if those chapters had been posted. Waiting until your work is completed gives you much more freedom to ensure your work is the best it can be. Go for it.

:) Portia

Portia

You're Right

joannebarbarella's picture

It must be the Alzheimer's. I forgot the penalty had been amended from transportation to Australia for the term of one's natural life. Silly me,
Joanne