Short version is, in better keeping with the Fallout crossover theme, I adjusted the year the bombs fall in Renewal from 1067 to 1077.
May
11th
2020
Question time! · 6:28pm May 11th, 2020
Hey folks, I'd like to test the waters on something that's been nibbling at the back of my head for a while and I could use some opinions. Chapter 19 obviously ran long, clocking almost double the word count of prior chapters. I'd like to break it into two separate chapters for the sake of smoothing out what I think new readers might see as a wall of text, however I'm pretty sure doing that might cause the fic to reappear in Recently Updated. Honestly, I'm not sure if that's kosher with the folks on FIMFiction or not, so I thought I'd check in with those of you who read these things.
What do you think? Split Chapter 19 into two parts or leave it as-is?
A chapter should encompass a complete narrative unit. The length of it doesn't really matter. Scene cuts are perfectly natural break points for readers. You're worried about new readers on chapter 19? Don't. A chapter that varies greatly in length from other chapters is a sign for caution, not a problem in itself.
My question for you, then, is is there a point in chapter nineteen where you can cut it to create two complete narrative units? Would such a cut improve each narrative arc?
5260679
Hm, that's a fair point. I was considering snipping it after Ward orders them on the ground and picking the new chapter up at the next scene, but it's an arbitrary change. Nothing that would improve the narrative or hurt it, just make it bite-sized. Something to consider!
Well, at least regarding the concern about the fic reappearing in Recently Updated, while I don't know if that's how the system works (seems plausible it is, though), it seems like there's a simple solution: Just put the split in just before, or after, uploading a new chapter, when it would be reappearing in Recently Updated anyway and definitely recently updated.
Lofty Withers does have a point, but I think it's also potentially valid to sort of split a chapter into two by making it a two-part chapter; we did that a few times in PH, as I think I recall. Of course, I also think I recall that splitting being done during the writing and editing process to get them out more quickly, rather than being put in after the fact, so the situation isn't quite the same. I could still see this working if you picked the right split point, though, and indeed potentially making it easier on readers depending on the particular way they go through and keep track of their position.
5261185
Definitely something to chew on. I'm pretty sure it would bump the story by generating a new chapter, which I know would torque me off if I got a notification for an update that wasn't actually an update. Maybe waiting until Chapter 21 is ready is the right move. Mask the bump and hopefully not ruffle any feathers.
5261193
Right, I think that's an understandable concern.
(Oh, by the way, while I'm replying, and talking of questions: you replied to two of my three recent comments in two of the three places they were, it looks like, but I just checked, and the rifle thing is still there in Chapter 18. Do you plan to not change that, or was it just that you were in a position to reply to comments but not edit the story or something? You're the author; I'm just curious, and hope you don't mind me asking.)
5261205
Oh, let me change the rifle line now that I'm up. I think I glazed over it when I read it this morning.
5261234
Ah, no problem, and thanks. :)