Have you ever put one of your stories on hiatus?

[SouthernMaiden]

I'm approaching the end of a major arc for my story. After 31 chapters, 1 a week, since like October!

Now for the next arc I wanna build up a back log, just for my own sanity. So I wanna go on hiatus for a month

Have any of ya'll ever done something like this? Did it hurt engagement? Any tips or advice?

 

[Worthy39]

Yes, doing it right now. As for engagement, I can't say it's been positive. Since I stopped, the number of new readers I get is almost ten times lower than what it used to be. As for how things go when you get back to it... well, I'll let you know once the full rewrite is done, and I start uploading new chapters again.

 

[Eldoria]

I have four of my five fiction works on hiatus. I was so enthusiastic at the beginning that I didn't realize my limitations. I also didn't focus much on engagement. Now I'm more focused on improving the quality of my narrative (repeated editing). One work already consumes a lot of resources. Therefore, I have no advice for you; I'm a bad example.

 

[TheKillingAlice]

So I wanna go on hiatus for a month

Have any of ya'll ever done something like this?

*War flashbacks* Noooooooooooooo, never.
I would never do something so heinous.

 

[Bimbanana]

It'll hurt engagement
Better if you just lower the release numbers. Lets say from 4x /week to 2x /week

 

[Kurayami]

What I did to build a backlog before was write more chapters in the week. Work hard so I can rest more. Basically, I would only release 3 chapters a week but write more than that. That's how I got my patreon backlog. Now I just need to do it have a backlog for that backlog.

 

[eagle_360]

Honey,

Don't stop now. The momentum you've gained over the past chapters of completing an arc would be for nought.

Once, you've finished an arc, it's like finishing a bag of Doritos. You got to make sure to lick it clean and get as much out of it as possible.

Spoiler: Doritos,

 

[SouthernMaiden]

What I did to build a backlog before was write more chapters in the week. Work hard so I can rest more. Basically, I would only release 3 chapters a week but write more than that. That's how I got my patreon backlog. Now I just need to do it have a backlog for that backlog.

3 chapters a week would turn me into a skeleton. I can only handle 1

 

[Dashio_Sumeragi]

I have my Black Fang sequel on hiatus atm... Can´t really concentrate. Starterd working on episode 5 but the past few weeks my mind is like a black hole - nothing comes out.

 

[Lysander_Works]

Some projects take priority over others, so it's normal for some to be.

 

[SouthernMaiden]

It'll hurt engagement
Better if you just lower the release numbers. Lets say from 4x /week to 2x /week

How do ya'll publish so much a week o_o

 

[CanOfTuna]

I want to put mine on hiatus so bad, have already rewritten my third volume like 6-7 times

 

[Juia_Darkcrest]

I have two on hiatus... Still haven't started them up again, so I have no idea how re-engagement will happen. Once you do it, let us know how it goes lol

 

[Shorgoth]

I do all the time, it's a complex story and requires a lot of thinking to build and combine music and images, so... it's not an applicable case to you, I'm guessing, as I only write because I want to finish my project for its own sake. It is an artistic venture, not an attention-grabbing one.

What to expect: better quality book if you don't force it, but loss of attention from the people following you.

This is a personal choice to make. Are you writing to feed a need for attention, or are you writing to make art? Good art usually achieves success only long after the author's death, if ever. Of course, there are in between states, I'm just explicitly pointing out the extremes. And using more time doesn't always mean better at the end if you don't put in the work and get good ideas.

I can, however, tell you that forcing it usually turns it into generic slop as your brain defaults to simple narratives to produce volume and repetition over composing anything complex.

 

[Makimaam]

The first time I came out of hiatus, I made it to trending. The second time, I made it to trending again. Now, I don’t see that happening. But reader engagement isn’t why I came out of hiatus. I simply want to push through and complete my book while making sure I’m not writing something that bores me.

 

[Shorgoth]

The first time I came out of hiatus, I made it to trending. The second time, I made it to trending again. Now, I don’t see that happening. But reader engagement isn’t why I came out of hiatus. I simply want to push through and complete my book while making sure I’m not writing something that bores me.

You're a real one, respect.

 

[Sylver]

I'm approaching the end of a major arc for my story. After 31 chapters, 1 a week, since like October!

Now for the next arc I wanna build up a back log, just for my own sanity. So I wanna go on hiatus for a month

Have any of ya'll ever done something like this? Did it hurt engagement? Any tips or advice?

Yush, my main novel.

Been trying to grow my audience for a while, it was going well for the first year. The second year, stats began to stagnate. I would leave comments to thank viewers for following along, I would reply to nearly every comment readers would leave, but it got rough for me when newer stories would skyrocket in viewers, readers, and favorites. Felt like I was working twice as hard to stay in last place

So I stopped. I paused on my story and took a year break. Came back and completed the second Act and am currently on Act 3.

I still haven't found a way to grow my audience and I'm in a spot where if I whine about it, well I have more viewers and readers than a large amount of writers here so I should be grateful. Which I am, but I know I can do better through effort. Still seeing new stories zoom past my 3 year old novel, sigh. It's just something I try to brush past now, I will complete my novel and finish the story for the audience I do have.

Tiny complaint though, I just wish my audience was more vocal. I love interacting with readers

My advice? Discover the source of your hiatus and work on it. For me, it's insecurity and jealousy. For others, it's writers block and self-doubt. Figure out why your story isn't as fun for you anymore, and take a break to relax. This us a hobby for us, once it stops being fun, that's the sign that we should take a break.

 

[Rezcore]

All of mine are. I'm writing, just not publishing.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Yes. All of them. And for the ones that had any engagement, it did hurt them, but most of them had none.

 

[Bimbanana]

How do ya'll publish so much a week o_o

You need to find the right motivation. For example, by being broke.