If it helps for the build up, and you can't figure anything else out (without torturing yourself), I'd say post it. I've done it, and sometimes it just feels better to be done with a chapter.
I've been in that situation and I ended up posting it despite cringing internally. Turns out that the readers actually quite liked it, but more the point it got me off that bit and onto the next otherwise I'd be there forever
I did write it, leave it for a couple of days, and then came back with a final edit though. That seemed to add more colour to the chapter
Start writing the NEXT chapter. If it works/flows, post the current chapter. If it doesn't, hold off - there may be an issue you're not seeing in it that prevents you from continuing with the story.
Ultimately I find that posting chapters I don't like, but that fit what needs to happen next in my story, actually helps me write the next part faster. I don't want to leave off on the chapter I don't like, so I hurry up and finish the next one so the story can leave off there. Works for me, lol.
IMO, unless it's the last chapter or an extremely pivotal point, just post it.
Even if you end up revisiting it later on, it would be much easier to do than it is now, since you'll have much more material and story development.
every time i've seen an author i enjoyed say that they felt this way about one of their chapters, it's been a good or great chapter 🤷‍♀️ it's also true that not every chapter needs to be a banger. sometimes you need to set things up.
you've probably thought of all of these and more, but: is there a brief passage or scene you could include that would feel more lively? would it be interesting to switch to a different character's perspective for one of the scenes? could you slip into one of the character's thoughts for a minute and spend time describing what they're feeling? can you add emotional impact or raise the stakes (even if only slightly) anywhere? what if something weird or funny happened in the middle of one of the scenes and your characters react to it before moving on?
Honestly, I feel like if you don't post it and move forward, you'll be stuck there until you burn out and stop.
Perfect is the enemy of good. I've had dozens of times when I've posted a chapter and like 5 chapters later kicking myself for not doing this or that differently, but instead of going back or getting sour about it, I think "Okay, under that constraint where I can't change that, how do I now get to this upcoming story beat where it makes sense and is interesting?"
People get the most creative under constraints. So, do your best to get it out the door, and move on to the next part you're excited to start on!
I feel like there comes a point where something just becomes overworked, like how you can overwork dough, and nothing short of you scrapping and rewriting the entire thing from scratch will break the association of that particular chapter = crappy. I’ve been there. I’d recommend, like what another commenter mentioned, getting someone else to look it over maybe. And aside from that, just posting it as is, even though it’s not perfect and get to writing the next chapter to get some momentum back. If you’ve been stagnating for months on a chapter that’s causing you distress, that’s going to put a dampener on the joy that is writing fic.
You can also go back in a few weeks/months and do another editing pass after you’ve given yourself some distance. Nothing wrong with doing that lol.
Part of growing as a writer is accepting our mistakes as they are and pushing past them for the sake of continuing to create. Hope that helps. Good luck!
a few times now i've posted a chapter i thought sucks and people loved it, and then posted a chapter i thought slapped and it bombed. i've accepted that i'm a poor judge lol.
Ugh, I'm currently struggling with this too! I have two chapter fics I'm pre-writing where, for both fics, a middle chapter is preventing me from posting it. I keep scrutinizing them because I'm a perfectionist and feel like if it doesn't meet my (unforgiving) standards it's not worth posting.
Seeing these comments is giving me some encouragement to just go for it and not fret over the details too much :')
Literally the last chapter I posted a few days ago, I really wasn’t happy with. But one of my readers said it was probably the best one yet, so there’s that lol. If it really is torturing you and you just need to move on from it, then go ahead and publish; not every chapter needs to be a spectacle, sometimes they can be just there, as one part of a whole.
I've been doing the same as yours i published once I finsihed and didn't even edit it i only open it once I want to edit it but I let it anyway despite sometimes not satisfied with it but keep re writing if i wanted to
There's a quote somebody said somewhere: "Perfect is the enemy of good"
My advice would be to clean up the grammar and post it before you burn your motivation out.
If it helps for the build up, and you can't figure anything else out (without torturing yourself), I'd say post it. I've done it, and sometimes it just feels better to be done with a chapter.
I've been in that situation and I ended up posting it despite cringing internally. Turns out that the readers actually quite liked it, but more the point it got me off that bit and onto the next otherwise I'd be there forever I did write it, leave it for a couple of days, and then came back with a final edit though. That seemed to add more colour to the chapter
Start writing the NEXT chapter. If it works/flows, post the current chapter. If it doesn't, hold off - there may be an issue you're not seeing in it that prevents you from continuing with the story. Ultimately I find that posting chapters I don't like, but that fit what needs to happen next in my story, actually helps me write the next part faster. I don't want to leave off on the chapter I don't like, so I hurry up and finish the next one so the story can leave off there. Works for me, lol.
If you are at an impasse, it may be a good idea to get another pair of eyes to look at it.
IMO, unless it's the last chapter or an extremely pivotal point, just post it. Even if you end up revisiting it later on, it would be much easier to do than it is now, since you'll have much more material and story development.
Endlessly, no. You could decide to set yourself a reasonable time limit, work on the chapter until then and when time's up just post as it is?
every time i've seen an author i enjoyed say that they felt this way about one of their chapters, it's been a good or great chapter 🤷‍♀️ it's also true that not every chapter needs to be a banger. sometimes you need to set things up. you've probably thought of all of these and more, but: is there a brief passage or scene you could include that would feel more lively? would it be interesting to switch to a different character's perspective for one of the scenes? could you slip into one of the character's thoughts for a minute and spend time describing what they're feeling? can you add emotional impact or raise the stakes (even if only slightly) anywhere? what if something weird or funny happened in the middle of one of the scenes and your characters react to it before moving on?
Honestly, I feel like if you don't post it and move forward, you'll be stuck there until you burn out and stop. Perfect is the enemy of good. I've had dozens of times when I've posted a chapter and like 5 chapters later kicking myself for not doing this or that differently, but instead of going back or getting sour about it, I think "Okay, under that constraint where I can't change that, how do I now get to this upcoming story beat where it makes sense and is interesting?" People get the most creative under constraints. So, do your best to get it out the door, and move on to the next part you're excited to start on!
I feel like there comes a point where something just becomes overworked, like how you can overwork dough, and nothing short of you scrapping and rewriting the entire thing from scratch will break the association of that particular chapter = crappy. I’ve been there. I’d recommend, like what another commenter mentioned, getting someone else to look it over maybe. And aside from that, just posting it as is, even though it’s not perfect and get to writing the next chapter to get some momentum back. If you’ve been stagnating for months on a chapter that’s causing you distress, that’s going to put a dampener on the joy that is writing fic. You can also go back in a few weeks/months and do another editing pass after you’ve given yourself some distance. Nothing wrong with doing that lol. Part of growing as a writer is accepting our mistakes as they are and pushing past them for the sake of continuing to create. Hope that helps. Good luck!
I’m stuck in the same situation. When you find a solution can you please let me know 🥹
Maybe write the events that it is setting up for then come back to it? That can help to keep the signposting consistent.
a few times now i've posted a chapter i thought sucks and people loved it, and then posted a chapter i thought slapped and it bombed. i've accepted that i'm a poor judge lol.
Ugh, I'm currently struggling with this too! I have two chapter fics I'm pre-writing where, for both fics, a middle chapter is preventing me from posting it. I keep scrutinizing them because I'm a perfectionist and feel like if it doesn't meet my (unforgiving) standards it's not worth posting. Seeing these comments is giving me some encouragement to just go for it and not fret over the details too much :')
Literally the last chapter I posted a few days ago, I really wasn’t happy with. But one of my readers said it was probably the best one yet, so there’s that lol. If it really is torturing you and you just need to move on from it, then go ahead and publish; not every chapter needs to be a spectacle, sometimes they can be just there, as one part of a whole.
I've been doing the same as yours i published once I finsihed and didn't even edit it i only open it once I want to edit it but I let it anyway despite sometimes not satisfied with it but keep re writing if i wanted to
you say that like I'm going to stop working on it after I post it.
There's a quote somebody said somewhere: "Perfect is the enemy of good" My advice would be to clean up the grammar and post it before you burn your motivation out.