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Inactive "Active" Serials

whisperclaw 🚫
Updated:

If you've been reading on SOL long enough, you've probably followed some serials that start out strong but eventually stop posting. Speaking for myself, even though it's been nearly three years since some of these have updated, I still hold out hope that the author will find inspiration (or good health, or whatever caused them to stop working on it).

The ones for which I'm still carrying a torch:

Seed of Doubt by Denham Forest

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern by lordshipmahem

Free Trader Mary's Dream by FozzieBare

Twisted Bolt by Lord Van Leak

Those are the ones that are really stale. I have other, more recent ones, that are approaching 3 months without update--which is usually a bad sign. Yet, hope springs eternal. What are some of your inactive "active" serials? Maybe if the authors are around and see people are still interested, they'll make the extra effort to return to their work.

Replies: Paladin_HGWT itsmehonest Dinsdale whisperclaw redthumb akarge Joe Long hambarca12 curiousvisitor Kanga Roofa

Paladin_HGWT 🚫

@whisperclaw

You didn't mention my story Aztlan Portal https://storiesonline.net/s/25148/aztlan-portal however, since I have been considering making a post, I think it makes sense to put it here, rather than a separate, near identical topic.

For the last decade or so I lived where I could not get internet for my laptop computer. I volunteer at a couple not for profit organizations. Until last year, I would be in their offices at least once a week. Government shutdowns due to Covid-19, imposed some restrictions. Then my vehicle became (practically) inoperable, so, my access to internet, even at Starbucks, or similar locations became almost nil.

I have not been able to send any chapters to my volunteer proofreader, or to post chapters on SOL for nearly a year. I might have been able to post intermittently, however, I decided that I wanted to be able to consistently post the remaining chapters for "Book 1" before I begin posting submissions.

A bit more than a week ago I was able to move to an apartment where I should be able to get internet. If nothing else I am much closer to "civilization" (I was some 50 miles from Seattle, without access to public transportation).

It will take me at least 45 more days to get sufficiently unpacked. I have permission to install a free-floating engineered wood floors; which I must do before unpacking some 10,000 books, as well as my binders of notes. Not to mention that several bookshelves and my computer chair didn't survive the move.

Until some 90 days ago (when I had to start packing), I had been writing (and rewriting earlier chapters). More than a year ago I transitioned from MS Office to Libra Office. While most of my documents were automatically switched, I have needed to go through and fix some issues.

Once I get my "home office" (basically the entirety of my apartment is a Library/home office; with attached kitchenette, and a latrine) set up, then I can get back to self editing. I don't know if my volunteer proofreader will be willing to go through the considerable backlog. Even if they are willing, I don't know how much time it will take me to make corrections.

That said, I anticipate having "book 1" finished by the end of 2023. However, since I intend to post 1 chapter a week, the full story won't be up until 2024.

I will be attending classes at a local university, as the deadline for my GI Bill is fast approaching. It is use it or lose it!

I have been writing other stories too, during this time. After my experiences with Aztlan Portal, I intend to wait to post those other stories After I have AP finished. Then I will put those other stories in the SOL "hopper" only when they are complete.

itsmehonest 🚫
Updated:

@whisperclaw

Tycoon by Raven Soule (no longer with us)

My Journey series by Xalir (no longer with us)

Are two that spring to mind, oh wait Citizen Miller by Fantasylover (he said he was not adding it so stoop bothering him {grin}) blog post 8/18/2016 he said

At this time, I have no plans to complete Citizen Miller. As much as I'd like to complete it, the desire to finish it is gone. IF I ever find the desire again, I'll complete it. I already some written, but posting it would leave the story MORE unfinished than where I left off.

Dinsdale 🚫

@whisperclaw

With lordshipmayhem's Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern, I have come to the conclusion that he had written the story up until that particular point some time ago, and it had become "canon". Eventually he accepted that he was never going to be able to write the horrors that came a few hours later and posted what he had. Remember, he was posting three chapters a week until he suddenly stopped.

The Rise of Azkoval by Jay Cantrell (Christmas 2019)
Tales of Bunny Boy by Robberhands (May 2019)
Maquis by Starfiend (Jan 2022)
Rewind by Don Lockwood (Feb 2007)
Wraith by Andrew James Gordon (Dec 2005)
Laramie by Dilettante (Oct 2006)

All stories which were either abandoned by the author or where the author went "missing, presumed alive". I have several more where the author is known to be "no longer with us".

whisperclaw 🚫

@whisperclaw

Another one on my own list is A Soldier for All Seasons by RobWilsonWriting.

Replies: curiousvisitor

curiousvisitor 🚫
Updated:

@whisperclaw

The author is posting weekly updates on Patreon, last one about 90 minutes ago.

redthumb 🚫

@whisperclaw

Ones from my list are by Warlord: Atlantis and Wild West

Replies: LonelyDad

LonelyDad 🚫

@redthumb

Sadly, they will remain unfinished unless some intrepid soul steps up to attempt to finish them.
Warlord has gone ahead to see what lies beyond.

akarge 🚫

@whisperclaw

This is why I totally complete a story before I post it. Now if I could just manage to write more than one sentence a week....

Joe Long 🚫

@whisperclaw

One Thousand Apologies After way too long away from writing I have finished two of three scenes for the next chapter, with the third having a previously written draft so I won't be doing it from scratch. Hopefully the new chapter will be up in a week or so.

hambarca12 🚫

@whisperclaw

I occasionally go back and re-read old favorites, even the inactive/abandoned. I just finished up "Pete a Young Man's Story" by Magi. Its a decent story finally starting to get to a point where the MC was starting to be led less by his penis and more by his brain.

I was looking forward to seeing where the story was going to go. 3 or 4 years ago Pepere re-edited the story I guess with permission of Magi, but nothing since. Now I cant even find Pepere on the site and Magi does not answer emails. As this story has been dormant for quite awhile I am guessing Magi wont pick it up again, but I would love to see even an outline of where he thought the story was going to go or even Pepere's attempt to continue.

curiousvisitor 🚫

@whisperclaw

I sadly miss all the incomplete series from Jay Cantrell. Also, I am quite worried that we will not see any more chapters from GreyOldWolf: Blazing Star or Ahazurak: The Warlock

Kanga 🚫

@whisperclaw

A good reason why I usually avoid serials. I always exclude incomplete and inactive stories from my searches if I go looking.
I made an exception for Arlene and Jeff, but often left a couple of years between reads because I prefer a nice, long read. RoustWriter started a new story, but has posted that his wife is wuit ill and his health isn't all that great either.
When you know the 'why' it's not so bad, but when the story just stops, and the author disappears, it is quite frustrating.
Many authors complete their stories before they start posting, even if they're intending to post a chapter a week, and that is a great idea. Often you can purchase the full work from another site. I like doing this, and one I can recall straight off is G Younger's 'A Better Man' series.
Other calamaties strike occasionally. Up to a year ago I was editing a story for an author who had written forty fairly long chapters of a book, and was about 80% finished, when his not so great heart and Covid killed him. Nothing to be done about that sort of thing.

Replies: awnlee jawking Keet

awnlee jawking 🚫

@Kanga

Up to a year ago I was editing a story for an author who had written forty fairly long chapters of a book, and was about 80% finished, when his not so great heart and Covid killed him. Nothing to be done about that sort of thing.

Could you not complete it for him? Having done so much work for him already, you must have a decent stylistic handle.

AJ

Replies: Kanga

Kanga 🚫

@awnlee jawking

Unfortunately, his wife has asked me to scrap the story. She contacted me after finding his stories on his computer. The poor lady didn't even know he wrote! Not that the stories shocked her by their content, but she had no idea.
Apparently, the story in progress, while a little embellished for literary effect, was a tad too biographical of their family situation in general and some episodes were far to realistic. It's a shame, but I will accede to her wishes, and not publish. That said, I won't delete it from my server either.

Replies: awnlee jawking

awnlee jawking 🚫

@Kanga

It's a shame, but I will accede to her wishes, and not publish. That said, I won't delete it from my server either.

That's a shame, but I admire your ethical approach of contacting the widow.

AJ

Keet 🚫

@Kanga

When you know the 'why' it's not so bad, but when the story just stops, and the author disappears, it is quite frustrating.

For some authors you can find out what happened here: ReaderInfo.net. The link is also available on the SOL homepage in the links section on the bottom left.

Replies: Kanga

Kanga 🚫
Updated:

@Keet

Yes, I know readerinfo well. Their rules are somewhat silly, maybe even stupid. When The Troubador died a while back, they would not accept my information, even when a few others of us who knew him (a couple of whom attended his funeral) contacted them it wasn't good enough. They basically wanted a death or funeral notice from a newspaper. A bit silly when authors can have very good reasons for wanting/needing the anonymity of a pen-name.

So, we see "Unknown" instead of a nice "In Memoriam" for a really good guy.

Replies: Keet REP

Keet 🚫

@Kanga

Yes, I know readerinfo well. Their rules are somewhat silly, maybe even stupid. When The Troubador died a while back, they would not accept my information, even when a few others of us who knew him (a couple of whom attended his funeral) contacted them it wasn't good enough. They basically wanted a death or funeral notice from a newspaper. A bit silly when authors can have very good reasons for wanting/needing the anonymity of a pen-name.

So, we see "Unknown" instead of a nice "In Memoriam" for a really good guy.

As one of the admins of readerInfo I have to agree, but...
We have to be VERY careful to publish a contributer as deceased. Nothing worse than finding you have been declared dead when you are still alive and kicking, especially if family sees it. So if there's no indisputable confirmation we have to resort to a status 'Unknown'. I'll see if REP can adjust the CP so at least his unconfirmed death can be mentioned in the CP.

REP 🚫
Updated:

@Kanga

Just to set the record straight:

1. You sent ReaderInfo one (1) email dated June 12. 2019. In that email, you stated that the Troubadour passed away in May of 2019 and provided us with some information about his writing.

2. You are the only person who provided us with any information about the Troubadour's death.

You may feel that the rules ReaderInfo has in place are "somewhat silly, maybe even stupid", but they are in place for a reason. That reason is - we want to publish accurate information about SOL's contributors, and we know there are a large number of people on the internet who enjoy putting out false information. We typically have no idea who is contacting us or if that person may have a hidden agenda. However, we do accept "the word" of people we know and trust to not misrepresent things to us. ReaderInfo avoids speculating on what has happened to an Inactive Contributor on our website.

In your Forum post, you stated: ". . . even when a few others of us who knew him (a couple of whom attended his funeral) contacted them it wasn't good enough." Those anonymous 'others' may have misrepresented their actions to you for they did not contact ReaderInfo. There may be another reason you told SOL's Forum readers that ReaderInfo refused to accept your and your friends' statements that the Troubadour had passed away. I don't know and other than setting the record straight, I am not going to worry about why you posted what you did.

The other side of the 'coin' is that at the time ReaderInfo received your email, I didn't know who you were, and I still don't know much about you; other than you made an inaccurate post in the Forum. I believed the information you provided was accurate, but I stayed within the limits of our rules in preparing the Troubadour's Contributor Page.

What you need to remember is, as you indicated, authors use pennames to gain anonymity. That fact makes it very difficult for ReaderInfo to confirm statements made to us by individuals we do not know.

Roofa 🚫

@whisperclaw

Does anyone know about Max Geyser situation would love to see his story finished

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Inactive "Active" Serials

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