Question for readers (Read 329 times)

[jwsel]

I have a question about possibly posting one or two fanfics. jkjpatch has very nicely encouraged me to post my stories here, but I wanted to gauge interest in them before posting them here. Both are posted elsewhere, so I worry that if I start posting here, if they spark people's interest, they may just go find them on the other sites and I won't get feedback here. I much prefer posting to a board like this, because it is easier to get a back-and-forth discussion.

As for the content, the first story is set in 1991 and is a very long AU story involving Shane, Kim, Steve and Kayla. The basic premise is what would have happened is Steve was revealed to be alive in 1991 when Shane and Kayla were together. My co-writer is a big Steve/Kayla fan and I'm a big Shane/Kim fan, and our goal is to bring the right couples back together. At the same time, we don't despise the Shayla storyline, kind of enjoy how messy the situation was, and try to show all of the major characters as somewhat flawed, but well-intentioned people. So reuniting everyone has taken time and the story has ruffled some feathers with fans who don't like our takes on certain characters. However, I get the sense from skimming some of the stories and their comments here that people are pretty open to authors' interpretations.

We have posted the story on another site in its more sanitized form, so the version posted here would be slightly different. It is ridiculously long, as it is currently approaching 650,000 words, and is still not finished. If I posted a scene a day (most scenes are around 1,000 words, but they vary), I could post for the next 16 months without exhausting what is already written. I'm confident this story will be finished. So I don't think it is a worry that the story will be unfinished.

The second fic is Shane/Kim focused and currently on hold while I work on the first fic. It is an attempt to rewrite the 2010 Shane/Kim reunion in a way that does more justice to the characters than the writers gave them. But the story has a lot of other elements, and includes a lot of past and present characters -- Victor, John, Marlena, Philip, Bo, Hope -- as well as Andrew and Jeannie Donovan. It's currently about 150,000 words and has 135 scenes, but is on hold for now. I intend to continue it and have outlined the next phase of the story, but I don't know how the timing of the two fics will work, so I'm reluctant to begin posting it.

So would those stories be of interest? Have people already read one or both of them? And what would be readers' preferences as to how they are posted.

Also, I have written some background information about Shane/Kim, with links to various videos for people who are unfamiliar with them. Originally, I wrote the background scenes for some friends who were interested in the fics, but who had never watched Days. But some Days fans who were less familiar with Shane/Kim liked the links also. So I could include those background pieces with the stories or could link to them on my blog.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on whether I should post or not.

[Kpatch]

I haven't read your story elsewhere and, as you know, I would be very interested in reading it here, especially the one that is still active. Big Kayla/Patch fan! I also like Shane a lot.

My preferred pace is a chapter a day. Including weekends if you can. I agree that readers here are open to the story the author is telling, regardless of the on-air tale.

And if you embedded the youtube links within your story, that would be great.

Those are my thoughts.

[fluffysmom]

Both stories sound good. I've seen the Shane, Kim, Steve and Kayla story posted elsewhere but haven't read it yet. I would enjoy reading it here chapter by chapter. I think the links are a great idea for newer viewers or even some of us who may have forgotten some of the storylines.

I look forward to reading your fics jwsel.

[MrsM]

I don't read anywhere else, so I would enjoy reading it here.

[Kpatch]

So what's the verdict? When does your story start?

[jwsel]

I'm going to post Collateral Damage -- the Shane/Kim/Steve/Kayla story -- here first. I don't want to get started posting my other story because it is in a bit of limbo at the moment. I would like to provide the background information that I did for people who don't know Shane and Kim and, also, the Shayla storyline (or for people who know the Shayla storyline, but are willing to consider a different perspective). Collateral Damage starts in the middle of the Shayla storyline, with Shane and Kayla together, so the background stuff I put together will provide context.

Those background pieces get pretty long and provide a lot of links to YouTube clips. I could repost them here or link to them on my blog. Which would be preferable?

[fluffysmom]

I'd like the links posted here if it's not too much trouble. I'm looking forward to reading Collateral Damage. Thanks jwsel.

[jwsel]

I'll revise some of the essays and post them here in a background and discussion thread, though I might just link to the Shayla essay on the other site (it's three parts and is very long).