The release of a new Potter story is always exciting. It was exciting when GoF came out, when OoTP came out, and now that HBP is coming out. But it is also a stressful time for fan fiction authors with unfinished stories. I wasn't in the fandom when GoF came out, but two years ago, before OoTP came out, I was. There were a bunch of people back then rushing to finish their creations. Many made it, some didn't. I think one of the highest profile stories finishes at the time was "After The End" over on sugarquill.net.

I remember reading a comment from one of ATE's authors where they joked that no one would care about their story approximately 5 minutes after OoTP was released. This wasn't, quite, true. I know that many people still value classic pre-OoTP pieces like ATE, as well as Imogen's "Carpe Diem", Caitlyn's "Lessons for Life", and many others.

Still, the release of a new book does change the landscape. And I think, much as we might like to protest, it does lessen the interest in older "pre-new-canon" works. Sometimes I think it lesson's the author's own interest. I can recall a few in-progress pieces that were "interrupted" by the release of OoTP. The authors released a few more chapters, but the intervals grew, and unfortunately some intriguing stories were orphaned.

So I'm curious... all you with large in-progress pieces. Do you think you're going to make it? I know that Tim/Jeconais has vowed to get "This Means War" and "White King, Grey Queen" finished. I hope that others can make it.

Actually, I suspect that a number of people have already wrapped up their work in preparation for the release of HBP. At least, it seems to me tha the amount of new stuff released on ff.net has dropped way off.

regards
...art

Heh. Not me. No way, no how.

But, that's ok. If my big WIP becomes A/U, then I'll deal with it (meaning I'll ignore canon for that particular story ). If not, I'm planning on incorporating as much of HBP into the fic as I can without ruining the story line.

I trying to finish He Said, She Said by then, though. It's only got one or two chapters and an epilogue to go, so that's doable.


Julie

I'd really like to! My story's set three weeks after OotP, and I think it's harder to cope with when a new book comes out than say, a Post-Hoggies story. I started chapter 8 last night and sent chapter 5 into pre-beta yesterday. I just can't expect the people who help me to rush so I can post my story on time. I'll have deal with it being made AU as well, but that's okay, it was only supposed to be short! Woops

*laughs herself into a corner before she starts crying* Nope...I'd hoped to but it ain't happening AGAIN!

Next time, I'm sticking to short stories.

With the four or five unfinished stories out there with my name attached, I'm going to write one more entry for Fluffy Firsts (as I suspect a fluffy first in canon soon) and compress the story line for Consequences of the Mind to link the beginning (already published) to the end (mostly written). Who knows how I'll end up. My goal is to finish, but things keep getting in the way of my writing time. Blasted real life. All of my other projects I haven't published yet. One, a character analysis of Ginny won't be affected by HBP too much, as it's all about Ginny! Another one, is a post-hogwarts H/Hr story that won't get too much of my time and therefore, won't fall out of canon very far until after HBP comes out. The other WIP I have is also unpublished, but I'm not going to say anything more about *that* one until I've read book six.

*laughs* I knew Seo Gerecednis was going to be AU even before I started writing it, so that's never really been a concern; I hadn't intended, however, still to be working on it after 20 months, with the end nowhere in sight. My goal at this point is to write at least 3 more chapters before mid-July, though my current motivation struggles even that seems to be a long shot.

MM

QUOTE (Musings @ Jun 2 2005, 06:41 PM)

Nope...I'd hoped to but it ain't happening AGAIN! Next time, I'm sticking to short stories.

Michele, I'm just very impressed that you're still plugging away at your piece.

I still am sad that Jewels' story "Connections" got abandoned after OoTP came out. And considering the current six month gap... I've just about given up on BJH's "Adaptations" going further.

best,
...art

QUOTE

Michele, I'm just very impressed that you're still plugging away at your piece.

Hey, I'm nothing if not stubborn. ; )

Well I've only got two more chapters, an outtake and possibly an epilogue on my WIP to go so I am hopeful that I will get it written, beta-ed and posted in time.

Of course given the lack of time, it would be daft to let a one-shot plot bunny bite as well, wouldn't it?.............

There's no way I'll get Harry Potter and the Deadly Deception done before then. I'm lucky to have posted a chapter over the past week or so after an almost year-long interval. I'll be lucky to post one more chapter, and at the very most two, plus an outtake before HBP is released.

However, I knew starting out my story would be AU. I have vowed many times over not to abandon it, so I'm still plugging away, too.

There's no hope for The Season, either -- not that that bit of news will come as any surprise considering I'm only two games into a 24-game season. Sadly, at the the rate I'm working now, finishing before Book 7 would be a much more realistic goal.

-KC

I am going to finish Lee Jordan: Tour Guide by the end of June if it kills me! If I say this often enough and use my supply of pixy dust, I should be good to go. Sigh. I know what is going to happen in the rest of the story. It is going to be 25 chapters and I finished chapter 19 today. So that leaves six chapters to write. The good news is that the last six chapters are "outlined" and I know every scene I need to write. The bad news is that there aren't six weeks in June! Send me some good energy everybody! I'm going to need it!

QUOTE (St Margarets @ Jun 3 2005, 12:02 PM)

I am going to finish Lee Jordan: Tour Guide by the end of June if it kills me! If I say this often enough and use my supply of pixy dust, I should be good to go. Sigh. I know what is going to happen in the rest of the story. It is going to be 25 chapters and I finished chapter 19 today. So that leaves six chapters to write. The good news is that the last six chapters are "outlined" and I know every scene I need to write. The bad news is that there aren't six weeks in June! Send me some good energy everybody! I'm going to need it!

Well, you've got two weeks in July to beat HBP to press, so there's *some* hope of finishing before new canon. Before June 30, is a tough one, though. As soon as I find some pixie-dust, I'll be sure to send it your way!

Thanks for the pixie dust offer, Mr. Intel - if the stuff also comes with bug repellent that would be a bonus. It's black fly season here! That's true about July 16th - but I should give Sherry more than ten minutes to beta all of these chapters!

Well, as my stuff in the CD Universe is already AU, I'm not too worried at this point. My primary goal is to get Ch 1-8 all tied up and finished for ILL MET BY MOONLIGHT, the sequel to INVICTUS and start work on the short story which will tell the tale of Harry's summer before A&O.

ILL MET is already over a 100 pages and I've got a nice twist for the end that die hard Trekkie fans of Sondra Marshak & Vonda Macintyre's work will appreciate.

Robert
(who is stuck at home tonigth with a possible bad waterpump)

Finish? Hahahahahahahahaha....surely you jest. I haven't even started posting. (Soon! The prolouge will go to the beta by Monday if it kills me)

I'm going to hope and pray that she doesn't kill off someone that I already haven't killed, since DTR is post-Hogwarts by a good deal. And if she doesn't get Harry and Ginny together in book six, I'm all set. If she kills off someone important or gets Harry/Ginny together, well...I'll solider on.

My story "The Gryffin Councilor" takes longer to write with every chapter. .. no way will I finish it by July. Its way post-hogwarts though and I am going to try and subtly include the new canon if possible. Else... AU it is.

Even now the story is way off what will actually happen in canon so there.

buzzzz

I did hope to have my current WIP finished before fresh canon assaults my senses but I'm realising that it's very doubtful.

I have another two fics -one mucho longerer- that I wanted to finish and there isn't enough time to do them all, and as someone else said, interest falls off in previous stories so I don't expect anyone will follow them after HBP. I'll finish them, for my own satisfaction at the least.

Y'all will think I'm bonkers, but, I have even considered waiting to read HBP until I've penned the end of one fic in particular so that I'm not 'corrupted' by new information/attitudes etc.

I think I need a course of shock spells in St Mungo's... who am I kidding? Not read the book the minute I get my hot little paws on it...?

Imposserus!!

QUOTE (Bring and Fly @ Jun 6 2005, 11:12 AM)

Y'all will think I'm bonkers, but, I have even considered waiting to read HBP until I've penned the end of one fic in particular so that I'm not 'corrupted' by new information/attitudes etc. I think I need a course of shock spells in St Mungo's... who am I kidding? Not read the book the minute I get my hot little paws on it...? Imposserus!!

There's no need for such drastic action, Baffy, there's a much easier solution...

Write, write, write!

Bart (Not impatient for the resolution of FfN, at all!)

I knew that my time would be limited, so I stuck to writing short pieces...but I still have three that I'd like to see finished before HBP comes out. Judging by how slowly I work these days, I'm not holding my breath. But I probably will get two of them out, a least.

I can say with full confidence that I'm not going to finish my story, Staff of Serpents, before July 16. It's supposed to be about 32 chapters or so, and I'm working on 24 right now. (PS will be lucky to see Ch8 before HBP unless my beta Black Angel puts on a burst of speed)

But it's my own fault I approached the project like a fat man at an all you can eat buffet, then had months and months of writer's block.

I seem to recall an interview wherein JK Rowling said book 7 would probably be the longest, and take the longest to write, because she won't want to finish it. Maybe we all should have waited to write 7th year fics.

Optimist

Actually I hate it when authors feel the "need" to rewrite due to canon change.
Their works are based upon what they had and by having to revise their story that flowed so well may just fall apart.

Unfortunately not. I had enough time to finish it, but foolishly I moved in February and with my old flat went a conducive writing atmosphere and the joy of not being interrupted every five minutes.

Sorry for the whinging.

Well I've failed in my attempt to complete my WIP in time for HBP But I will have the penultimate chapter and an outtake up this week.

As for me, I still have to wait until I can get my submissions accepted in September (if they're open?). I've got like two short-fics going and one on the back burner along with a long fic to boot. (Muse is physco ) My short stories are probably going to be AU, unless devine intervention of my Muse helps me out before Book 7.