Publish now? Or save for later?

[Not2Pervy]

I’m finishing up a story I’ve had in my WIP folder for a few months. I could publish it as soon as it’s done, or save it for either the Crime and Punishment event, or the Halloween contest (I think it fits either, but probably not perfectly).

I’ve seen others mention here that they plan to save stories for future contests or events. I’ve seen some comment that they are too impatient to do that. My question is, which camp do you fall into on this, and how has that worked out for you? Has anyone done both? If so, when do you know a story is better off saved for just the right opportunity?

 

[TheLobster]

Your dilemma will be solved if you simply procrastinate on finishing the story long enough for the event deadline to come within just a few days away

 

[StillStunned]

Compromise by submitting it now, but asking for a publication date to match the event.

Speaking for myself, I publish right away. If I've finished a story, I want it out there.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I have never saved a story for a specific contest.

If I write for a contest, it's because I got inspired (distracted?) in the weeks prior and wrote something as much "spur of the moment" as I ever do anymore.

 

[MrStill]

I usually finish my contest stories ages in advance then give them a final polish just before the starting flag is waved.
And usually I find something that makes me go "I'm glad I didn't publish it then..."

 

[Kumquatqueen]

My stories always benefit from a couple months to a couple years lying around before getting a final edit and getting posted.

About a quarter of them actually got that - the majority I either finish just in time for an event/contest which will get more views, or I decide I'm not that bothered and just want it out there. Endless edits are for the day job - here, if I'm losing interest, it's time to push it out and move onto the next seductive plot bunny waving her carrot at me.

But the only story of mine that's placed in a contest, plus a couple others that were also rated highly, were 90% written and then shoved in a virtual drawer for about a year. Other stories are a bit of quick fun and took 2 hours to 2 days to get ready to inflict on the public. The audience gets the guarantee they pay for, round here.

 

[Candy_Kane54]

Since I am a bit of a niche writer, I have found that my stories get more eyes on them when submitted for a contest or story event. YMMV

 

[NotWise]

I'm saving a story for a future contest, but it's the first time I've done that. It was written for the contest, and it doesn't make much sense to publish it outside that context.

I don't think people usually get a big boost in views from the author-organized events, so you won't lose a lot of views by publishing a story outside of the intended event. You do lose the event support threads, which can be fun.

 

[KittyOfSteele]

I am the worst person for this, so take this with as many tablespoons of pink Himalayan salt as you'd like.

Submit it for whenever you feel like.

I mean, I never planned to add Silhouette for the 750-word Challenge, but decided to do so because that was a story that screamed a lot to me "hey, when am I going to be in a scene? When is it going to be my time?" because it was a spur of the moment thing that I wrote, and put it aside with the intent to add it as a scene in any longer work that required it; work that never came. I decided to use it for the challenge months prior.

But the two contest entries I've written so far had little to no planning ahead at all. Actually, one was just two plot bunnies fused together into one because I didn't know which story to do first. That one I started writing a few weeks before the contest opened.

It's up to you. This feels like such a personal thing that I don't think any of us is going to give you a plan that accommodates to you.

 

[AStrangeDesire]

My stories always benefit from a couple months to a couple years lying around before getting a final edit and getting posted.

<snip>

^ mine too. Some benefit from never getting posted at all

 

[yowser]

I don't think people usually get a big boost in views from the author-organized events, so you won't lose a lot of views by publishing a story outside of the intended event. You do lose the event support threads, which can be fun.

I think you're right on this.

In response to the OP, it depends on your motivations and goals. If readership breadth is an interest, for me the contests have generally meant more than usual views. Also, as NW has said, this is far less so than challenges. However, for the latter you are apt to get more reaction from other challenge participants invested in the (generally) more tightly defined parameters of the challenge. Ratio of commentary to viewing, for me at least, skews far higher in challenges.

Like KQ, I also think a story put in the bank for a few weeks/months before submission will benefit from a more keen-eyed and detached last edit before submission. But as others have said, sometimes a story just cries to be out there, now.

 

[THBGato]

As more time passes here, I've become more patient. I wrote "Come as you are" in December but saved it for the Pink Orchid event.

It is hard though to resist the desire to tinker rather than just get on with a new story.

 

[AStrangeDesire]

As more time passes here, I've become more patient. I wrote "Come as you are" in December but saved it for the Pink Orchid event.

It is hard though to resist the desire to tinker rather than just get on with a new story.

but ... but ... I _like_ the tinkering

 

[THBGato]

but ... but ... I _like_ the tinkering

Oh, me too! But sometimes you do just have to move on!

 

[EmilyMiller]

Publish now? Or save for later?​

I once wrote what would have been a perfect Summer Lovin’ story. But - especially as the comp is past the end of Summer (in the Northern Hemisphere) - I just couldn’t wait for months. The story was well received and its peak (post whatever the first sweep after publishing it was) rating was like 4.89, so it might have done OK in the comp.

But I can’t sit on stories. It’s written, it has to be published .

—

I wish fucking autocorrect would stop changing publish to punish…

 

[anthrodisiac]

I once wrote what would have been a perfect Summer Lovin’ story. But - especially as the comp is past the end of Summer (in the Northern Hemisphere) - I just couldn’t wait for months. The story was well received and its peak (post whatever the first sweep after publishing it was) rating was like 4.89, so it might have done OK in the comp.

But I can’t sit on stories. It’s written, it has to be published .

—

I wish fucking autocorrect would stop changing publish to punish…

That's quite a revealing autocorrect.

 

[EmilyMiller]

That's quite a revealing autocorrect.

Yeah - I need to use my dragon tail on it more often

 

[anthrodisiac]

I’m finishing up a story I’ve had in my WIP folder for a few months. I could publish it as soon as it’s done, or save it for either the Crime and Punishment event, or the Halloween contest (I think it fits either, but probably not perfectly).

I’ve seen others mention here that they plan to save stories for future contests or events. I’ve seen some comment that they are too impatient to do that. My question is, which camp do you fall into on this, and how has that worked out for you? Has anyone done both? If so, when do you know a story is better off saved for just the right opportunity?

I have yet to write a story and save it for a contest/event, but I have plans to do that for a couple events later in the year, since I already have the ideas. Once I kick out my next story, I'm working on some for for contest that aren't until September or later (parallel to stories I'll be publishing upon completion). I don't have any issue holding off for when it makes more sense, especially if it's something seasonal. As has been mentioned, the trick is to avoid tinkering with it too much once you've completed it.

The longer between completion and publication, the more opportunities there are for you to have ideas about the story. That's both a gift and a curse. It's a gift because maybe you realized something that works a lot better and it improves the story. It's a curse because instead of working on other projects, you keep going back and tweaking it to make it "perfect," which isn't really possible for a story, so you divert a lot of time and attention on increasingly minor tweaks.

If your goal is more eyes, then waiting for a contest (not an author event) is probably best. If you have enough restraint to leave well enough alone, then I'd hold onto them. But if having it sitting there waiting for publication results in diverting your resources and attention, then you're probably better off publishing.

 

[anthrodisiac]

Yeah - I need to use my dragon tail on it more often

Mmmm... dragons

 

[KittyOfSteele]

I wish fucking autocorrect would stop changing publish to punish…

Those darned darlings need to be punished!