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So, I am feeling a bit of frustration because several of the author's whose stories I really like post so infrequently between chapters that I've forgotten everything by the time they do. And I have been guilty of the same offense myself.
So, I am wondering about posting an entire story of say 12 chapters, as an example, at once as 12 different files? I've had poor performance at writing new chapters of a multi chapter story and getting them posted in a timely manner. For example, my 4 chapter "Katia" story took about 14 months.
Comments
If you're going to post an entire book...
I believe Erin would rather you post it all at once in one file, so as not to flood the site with chapters. No rule saying you can't sit on it and then post it all at once though.
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I know how you feel. I prefer
I know how you feel. I prefer reading completed serials myself. I can tackle each section with the prior one fresh in my mind, and I know the story isn't either "orphaned" or on hiatus.
If your story is complete, I would suggest posting each section daily or weekly. Also, what are you considering a chapter? A real "chapter", usually running a thousand words, more or less? Or a section or part of the story, actually containing multiple chapters?
I seem to recall Erin indicating that single postings should probably be limited to roughly 20,000 words, both to make things easier on Drupal and break things into more managable chunks for the reader. If I'm wrong, someone please correct me. My own personal preference is for postings that run in the 4,000 to 10,000 word range. Too short and you can never really get into the characters and their world before it ends. Too long and many won't read the entire section at once.
To give an example, I have a WIP (going through some editing/fine tuning) that is currently topping out at 30,000 words, composed as 38 chapters. For the reasons mentioned above, I expect to release it in either four or six sections, probably on a daily basis.
Anywho, that my two cents worth. Others may have different preferences.
- vessica b
"Assume all opinions are worth exactly what you paid for them, until proven otherwise."
Well,
Well, if you have a whole book ready. It might be best, for websites like this, to post a chapter a day. A long chapter would be best for what you are going for. That allows the reader time to read and review each chapter, without overwhelming them with the whole book.
Then there those uncomplete works
I've taken the decision (aided by some PM's) not to post anything here unless it is complete. i.e. there is an ending. I may do some editing but the piece of work is essentially complete before I start posting it here.
IMHO, this solves a number of problems.
1) This is highlighted by Gwen. The long irregular periods between parts of a story.
2) The saga of incomplete works. There is nothing worse for a reader to read from part 1 to part 35 and that's it. Nothing more ever gets posted. (Like a number of the old Saturday Morning Cinema Serials!)
I have a number of multi-part works that won't get published here simply because they aren't complete or if they are, I'm not happy with some element of it.
3) For the author, there is the satisfaction of completing something and releasing it to the world.
My early new years resolution is therefore:-
When I start to post a multi-part story I will attempt to post the parts at regular intervals i.e. weekly.
Everything I post will be essentially complete before I start posting the elements.
I will also try to indicate from the beginning how many parts there are to the story (e.g. Part 2 of 12)
I think that as Authors we owe it to our readers to make their experience as enjoyable as possible.
Exception
I take exception to this: "There is nothing worse for a reader to read from part 1 to part 35 and that's it. "
If I believed that, I would never write anything. Think it through, all the way through and you will see that it is a fallacy.
The idea behind the fallacy is that an incomplete thing has no value; but in fact, a thing has to be incomplete before it ever can be complete.
Incomplete stories have value; if I did not believe that, BC would not exist.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
I recommend daily posting
I post all my longer stories one section at a time on a daily basis. It's important to many readers to know the story is complete, so I make that clear at the start. Posting daily builds up a regular group of readers who look forward to each episode.
As for the optimum length of each chapter, I try to break the story at cliff-hanger points in the story so readers feel compelled to come back. Typically, my chapters are 2-5 k words long.
One word of warning if your story contains any kind of mystery which readers have to work out. Many commenters will start guessing at what's going to happen next; others build on those guesses to make more suggestions, and eventually the comments will give away the plot. So turn off public comments for this type of story.
With that proviso, I thoroughly recommend daily posting.
This is a difficult one ....
There is one author, quite prolific, here whom I consider to be outstanding, and yet she has managed to turn me off! I actually took time off work to read her entire portfolio, and was very impressed, so much so that I found myself glossing over the imperfections (their, there and they're as examples). She has one story that grabbed me (and a lot of others) as the protagonist hides from the 'baddy' and all sorts of sub-plots opened up. How would the battle with the evil hordes continue?
Unfortunately, we are still waiting, a year later, to find out.
In the meantime, this author has started or continued a dozen other stories and this particular story, from being posted weekly or fortnightly, is now being posted every month or two, and the episodes are all about a very nice home life.
The magic has gone, I'm afraid. As far as MY reading pleasure is concerned.
I'm still in awe of her writing abilities - but not of her stamina and resolve to complete one story at least before starting another handful.
So I would have wanted her to complete her story before posting it.
H O W E V E R
I myself post chapters of a story that is not complete - and cannot be.
I need to know from Penny of any events that SHE is going to think up that impinge upon my story world.
So I post without a complete story.
As ever, it seems that there are pros and cons whichever way you look.
But this is a GOOD discussion point.
Thank you.
Julia.
Posting the whole enchillada
Lately, I try to write the complete story rather than serialize it. One of the main reasons is so I can go back and change something I didn't like which becomes impossible if you've already posted several installments. A lot of my serials were never intended to be so. I'm real bad about letting months and sometimes years go by between installments. I have several unfinished stories that I've resisted posting what I have of them as an installment.
If you post the entire story
If you post the entire story at once, put it in like you're doing chapters, then create the index page - then post the index page. That way, you have the entire story up, but you don't overwhelm the front page.
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.
That's easy for you to say.
I am not sure I am astute enough to do as you say. I suppose there will be time when I get there.
Gwen