a plea on behalf of authors with works in progress
I know people “hate” WIPs and “don’t usually read/comment on them” because “it’s so frustrating waiting for updates” and “what if it never gets finished?”, but let me just say something from the point of view of someone who has written several multi-chaptered fics over the years, including one that has sat unfinished since 2010:
It’s lonely. It’s a huge investment of time and energy into a project that you hope people will like, but most of them will never tell you until it’s finished. It’s easy to get frustrated. To feel like no one cares, or is paying attention. To feel like giving up, or shelving it for later.
Encouragement along the way is like rain on the desert for writers of WIPs. Knowing people are excited about your story, and eager to see what happens next. Your questions and your love can light a fire under a writer, keeping them going when they might otherwise feel like maybe it’s not worth it. Your feedback might even give them a new idea when they are feeling stuck.
So take a risk. What’s the worst that can happen? You get to read something you enjoy, even if it’s unfinished. Balance that against maybe being the reason something does get finished, after all.
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