Jun
15th
2014
So I'd like to combine two stories, can you? · 7:09pm Jun 15th, 2014
I've gotten in trouble for deleting and reposting a story in the past, and I'd rather not stir up any more trouble with the mods. Does anyone know if I would get in trouble if I delete Let the Silence Sing 2 and post it's chapters in Let the Silence Sing 1. It doesn't much feel like a sequel as much as it does a continuation-- it just feels like it would be less confusing for the readers if it was all in one place.
Thoughts? Advice?
I've written to knighty in the past but never recieved a reply, I think the poor guy might be too busy to answer individual problems like this. The site is big and no doubt full of bigger problems. I just don't wanna stir the pot without asking around first.
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Aegis Shield · 1,043 views
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I honestly don't know... and what got you in trouble before, if you don't mind me asking.
It could probably be done, but I think it'd make more sense to keep these as two different stories. The conflict and goals have shifted from one story to the next, and each of them could ideally be self contained. Besides, aren't sequels continuations, after all?
I shouldn't see it being a problem. I have yet to read this one, but it's not like you're going to repost it as a story, right?
As long as there is nothing saying you can't in the rules, then go ahead. Just be aware, the rules seem to change a lot recently, and they also seem to apply them retroactively. So just be careful.
2208847
I can see this argument, definitely; and the end goal certainly has changed.
If you haven’t gotten a response from knighty, why not ask one of the other mods or even the Royal Guard? If anyone’s going to know the answer, it’ll be them.
I recommend asking Alexstranza about this. He is normally pretty good at replying, and if it can be done acceptably, seems willing to help out if need be.
I'd just leave it.
I'd try asking Obs or Alex.
I like the separated as they are.
2208846 I threw a bit of a temper tantrum and deleted a bunch of stories from my account... only to come crawling back and put them back up just as they were. It's against the rules to repost a story over and over again to gain views/comments/watches.
If you want to make it less confusing for readers, you could start by linking to the sequel on the first story.
Also, if you delete or take down the current sequel you'll lose all the comments that are attached to those chapters, so I wouldn't recommend it.
As far as it being allowed, I can't see any problem with it. The only issues I'd see them having with taking down and reposting a story would be that it resets the publication date, so that if everyone goes and likes it again you can possible get into the feature box or the popular stories list by abusing the heat system. If you were just adding chapters to an existing and even older story... well no one really knows the mechanics for the bottom two slots of the feature box; they're reserved for stories that are longer/have more chapters and have recently updated, but I assume there needs to be an influx of likes or at least views for it to get in there.
If you're still worried (and still considering it) message one of the less busy mods, if they can't answer your question, they'd have a better chance at getting the attention of someone who can.
2209013 Well it's not against the rules to edit your existing stories. So it could go either way in your current situation.
Let the Silence Sing clearly wasn't the end, but was clearly an end. You could have left it, there, just didn't. It makes perfect to have a sequel that leads directly from the first story.
All of this and everything 2208847 said.
Leave as is, I have read many story that are split apart when the "sequal" does not fell that of an actual sequal- no point annoying the mods again.
In this case, you wouldn't be deleting a story and reposting it, you'd be updating an existing story with like, all the chapters of another story. Which isn't against the rules. What's against the rules is posting the same story over and over again as a new story.
So yeah, you'd be in the clear here, but be sure to PM Obs or Alex about it.
Also, under no circumstances should you EVER delete a story unless there's a conflict with site rules. Just mark them Cancelled.
Keep them separate, for cleanness sake if nothing else: The first part came to a good ending point, and second parts are frequently continuations.
How about just leaving it like it is? A sequel is, basically, a continuation, so getting uppity about a sequel being a continuation is the most asinine thing you have done.
I don't think that adding chapter of an existing story to a different existing story is a violation of the rules; rather, posting an old story as a new story is what they want to avoid.
Since you're here posting an old story as a new part of another old story, you're probaby good.
But, as other people have suggested, you might want to clear it with a mod first, just to be sure.
2209013
I remember that, it wasn't pretty. Anyway I say leave it as is. You have had enough time pass for it to not be considered a continuation of the same story and as others have pointed out, a sequel is essential a continuation of a story.
Leave it as is would be my vote, assuming this is a democracy, which it isn't.
Well, I think the first one had a good ending as it is, but it's your call.
I don't really see a need to pull the two together, personally.
Actually, I think it would be better to leave it as is for a very particular reason- In the last chapter of Let The Silence sing (1), the silence was broken. When Celestia introduced Big Mac to the guards and set up the magical farm-to-castle door for him, there was a pretty distinctive need for the dialogue- which you pulled off beatifully, I might add. No hefty speeches, or awkward attempts at turning the speech into a greater message or moral. Short, intimate, and to the point. The magic door was like getting the keys to someponies apartment- a symbol of the relationship taking the next big step.
If you'd continued from that point and returned to the amorous silence, it would have felt just a tad awkward. "Oh hey they talked, now I'm going to expect them to talk again, at least around/to the guards. Aaand they aren't."
Letting the story have a distinctive end followed by the sequel, however, removes that. We can quietly reason to ourselves that the issue was addressed while we weren't looking and the feel of the first part can be preserved.
Leave as is. It works this way, and as long as you link them on both sides, it does not matter that much.
So ether ask Knightly, or just leave it as is.
Please keep them separate. I mainly read completed stories on my e-reader and use the Read Later list to keep track of stories I want to read when completed. I probably would have lost track of the sequel if you had merged the stories.
Its best to ask the Admin Staff that Question.