That girl who wrote that fic.

I know some people hate reading WIPs for a variety of good reasons, but I LOVE them, OMG. I think I love them for the exact reasons many people hate them, actually. I adore getting the story in little chunks, eagerly awaiting the next part, that delicious feeling of excitement I get when the next chapter has been posted, and being part of the collective squee that is OMG, fic XYZ has been updated all the FEELZ YOU GAIZ. I love the way WIPs allow me as a reader to stop and think about the story and where it's going, to analyze it and give the writer a level of feedback that I find I don't give on finished works. It's also fun to read other people's comments on the latest chapter and see how others are responding as the story unfolds. The level of thought and conversation is sometimes truly inspiring.

Sometimes WIPs get abandoned, and that's sad, but that's okay with me. I can enjoy them for what they are and imagine my own ending. I prefer it when authors update regularly, but if the story is good I will hang on even if months go by with no updates.

The HP fandom back in the day was full of WIPs; everyone had one. And at some point it became a fandom of one-shots instead, perhaps because the fandom seemed to become so fest-driven around 2005. I can't remember the last time I read a WIP in HP. It's been ages.

In other fandoms I've been working and reading in lately, the WIP is alive and well, and oh how I missed it! Here are a few WIPs I'm following that I am loving and highly recommend.

The Fabric of Life by holyfant (Sherlock BBC, John/Sherlock)
Links: On AO3 | On LJ
A gorgeously written post-Reichenbach fic with a fantastically angsty and damaged Sherlock and John who is trying to work Sherlock back into his life again. Another one I don't want to ever end.

The Quiet Man by ivyblossom (Sherlock BBC, John/Sherlock)
Links: On AO3
Everyone is reading this one already, I know. Wah, so much love for this John. So much post-Reichenbach angst and UST and then the last two chapters OMFG. That is WIP gold, right there. And done in that glorious first person POV that no one pulls off as well as Ivy does. I don't really want this one to end.

Roses of Picardy by splix (War Horse, Jamie/Jim)
Links: On AO3 | On LJ
If you fangirl either or both of Benedict Cumberbatch or Tom Hiddleston and watched War Horse for that reason, you need to read this fic. OMG, so angsty and period and good, and I can't wait to see where it's going. I can't get over the voice of this fic and the dialogue. Gorgeous!

A Study in Doubles by jupiter_ash (Sherlock BBC AU, John/Sherlock)
Links: On AO3 | On LJ
Sequel to A Study in Winning, which should also be read. Glorious tennis AU! It sounds cracktastic, but it isn't. Even if tennis isn't something you find interesting, you'll get sucked in, I promise. I eagerly await more.

Overclocked by Abundantlyqueer (Sherlock BBC AU,John/Sherlock)
Links: On AO3
Updated only sporadically, currently only 3 chapters, but oh what a fascinating premise for an AU. It's a sort of dystopian futuristic thing and honestly, I haven't quite worked out all the details yet because there are only 3 chapters. But the potential is fantastic. When it's updated, my squee will be epic.

Edit: I'm mortified that I forgot these amazing WIPs as well:

Long Ago and Far Away series by lotherington (Sherlock BBC AU, John/Sherlock)
Links: On AO3 | On LJ
She had me at the summary: WWII AU in which John is an army doctor and Sherlock is a cryptographer at Bletchley Park. But what I really love is the way she's taken these particular incarnations of John and Sherlock and has transported them to WWII-era London -- a time when being gay was still something that could land one in prison. Oh, it's lovely, and she brings the time alive in such heartwrenching ways.

In Deed Accomplish our Designs by greywash (Sherlock BBC, John/Sherlock)
Links: On AO3
Sequel to the amazing post-Reichenbach The Sensation of Falling as You Hit Sleep (which OMG you should READ if you haven't yet). YUM. Just... yeah, yum. OMG.

I could swear there was a Cabin Pressure WIP I was following, but maybe not. What WIPs are you following that I should read too?