"The Continuists and the Successionists"

Once upon a time, there existed two groups of fans, the "Continuists", and the "Successionists".

The "Continuists". as they were named, wanted the Story to expand on its original content; be it a little story about someone else in the same setting, a little backstory, an explaination; they wanted more depth into its little world, to improvise the Story.

Their rivals, the "Successionists", wanted more Sequel for the Story. They want to see it continue, regardless of background information lack: however, high quality, and no "irrelevance" is still a must for each new Sequel.

Never mind the Preservatists and the Casualies, which overlap these groups at any time. The Conties and Suxies are the most important belligerents here ... 

These fanbases were born out of request by the ever-active Author, who expected to see these groups of Storians/Storites clash with each other, " ... as long as the Story continues".

Ever since the start of the Story, if not the Declaration at the end of the First Book, the Successionists were the dominant ones.

But we now focus on the Books, all of them in a range, until the Author's distant death.

The Successionists were already basking in their streak of victories, with a growing world before them and to their recruits, until the Author has rested "longer than usual".

You see, every three years, the Author relentlessly writes a new Book, without delay. He might occasionally write a different short story or two, but he is still ever-dedicated to his work. Never mind his Fans' expectations; he unleashed the best of his abilities and skills into the Story, thanks to the help of an Editor, who shaped the story to its finest.

Already three Books have passed. The Fanbase does not want the seven new video-games: they want either a new Book, or something that expands on any one of the existing books.

The small trickle of letters to the Author's Mansion, crying out for a new Book/expansion, were replied with, "Not yet/Still working"

But ten more months gave the Author some time to create a new Book.

This time, the Successionists were disappointed.

The new book cannot be counted as a Fourth Book, because it gives away interesting information about "why the Hero is doing this, why the Villain is doing this (and he gets more sympathy, as intended), and so on."

The tearful joys of the Continuists were drowned out by the cacophonous screams of a pinchful of Continuists, who conceded defeat. Their rage, echoed into the media through one social website, caused a little bit of new interest into the Story - but at the ragers' expense!

For six more months, the Continuists won the battle, as sixteen new stories revolving around the events of the Three Original Books were published. Some were about heroes, some were about countries, and a few were about why events like these happened, and the basis of these very events.

But at the end of these months, a Fourth Book was finally there! ...

In total, the Author published 96 books, by the time of his death.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Now place yourself into this situation, into these fans' shoes.

It is the Fifty-Sixth Book, when people are complaining that the Story is getting a tad long, degenerating with each new Sequel, to the point that not even expansions (generous enough for selected pockets of Fans) could even save it.

On the other hand, other Fans would like you to ask for another expansion, so that we will understand why Hero X. A. III has been allowed to suffer that way.

On the second/third end, you get other Fans, who want to see what else will happen to Hero X. A. III.



WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?