Serial or not?
I'll probably post this on the FM Hyperboard as well. I generally try to avoid multi-site cross-posting, but in this case I feel it might be beneficial.
Well, I've been agonized over my nearly finished story, 'Destiny: Legacy of a Spellbinder' (it's still in the beta reading/editing process), and I can't quite decide whether I should post it as a serial or if I should just do it in one fell swoop.
I feel that the actual story would lend itself to being posted as a serial both due to it's length (close to 80,000 words) and because I wrote it with the possibility in mind, but I worry that because the first two stories were not posted as serials I may alienate some of my readers. So I thought I'd turn to the folks hereabouts to see what you thought.
Each part would be posted fairly close together so the readers wouldn't have to wait too long to read the completed story...
So should I post it as a whole or as a serial?
Comments
I suggest as a serial or chapter releasing
so people have time to digest smaller portions of your masterpiece. Its much easier for the reader to savor what you write. A huge chunk is daunting and readers tend not to drop in depth as much as they would in smaller releases.
It's just my opinion though ^^
Sephrena
I agree with Sephrena. While I dislike serials ...
here they may be necessary, just to cut down on file size. Believe it or not, there are still some readers who do not have wideband, some still with dial-up and a large file is slow and the connection may even be lost.
I am working on two stories for eventual posting here, one of them over 170,000 words.
I plan to post it serially, but on a daily basis, not dragging it out too long.
Until I became involved editing for authors here, I could always make myself wait until all monthly magazine issues of a serial, even a Robert Heinlein serial, were out.
Now, editing serials I have to take them piece by piece. But most serials here which I do not edit, I wait for the completion.
There are a couple of exceptions, especially some story about a bike. But even there I waited until chapter 63 to jump in. If I hadn't I might never be able to read it.
Holly
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
Holly
I admit...
I admit that for me serials are a bit of a love/hate scenario. As a reader, I generally dislike them, first because I hate waiting and second because there are so many that never get finished. There are only a few writers whose serials I will read before the story is completed. If it's a new writer or one that has multiple unfinished stories then I will wait until the story is finished.
Now, as a writer, I love serials, first because I like to read some of the more speculatory comments and see how close they hit to home and because well, I admit that the more comments (well at least that are constructive) I get the more drive I have to keep putting out these insane ramblings of my demented mind. ^_^
Have a delightfully devious day,
80,000 words is HUGE
The database can handle it but if you do post it as a lump, I suggest that you do it as a file download rather than an inline post.
There is a third alternative though; post as a serial first then when the serial is complete, post as a single file complete download. You might even offer more than one format to download.
As for chapter size, posts larger than about 8,000 words do tend to slow the site down and are particularly hard on people with slow connections because that is near the point where storage of the story slips over from being a LARGE record to being a HUGE record. Those are technical terms for how the database stores things.
A downloadable file does not impact site speed as much because such files are stored outside the database; the database only stores the information on how to download them. Currently, in fact, downloadable files are stored on a different server than the database is stored on so they impact site speed almost not at all.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Sometimes I forget...
I always forget to consider dial-up users I'm so accustomed to everyone around me having broadband connections that I often forget that there are some people that don't have the benefit of a fast connection.
The third alternative is actually what I intended to do. Authoring eBooks is fairly easy for me since Scrivener does most of the work. Once an epub file is generated it's pretty easy to fine tune it with Sigil.
Have a delightfully devious day,
To be honest...
I hate serials. Advocates for them usually say that it helps let them read it in short bursts. But that's quite doable when you have it all in front of you. When something is fully complete and available at the get-go it allows me to set my own pace. Read one chapter today? Read 5? It's nice to have options.
That being said, since it's so big, you could post it in chunks to help allow it to load faster (for readers with slow connexions). If you posted a chunk a day (rather than one a week, or something equally slow) I think it would appease those that like things is smaller chunks while also appeasing those who like everything up front.
It's easy to wait 10 days for something to be posted in full. It's much more frustrating to wait eight or more weeks.
There's....
There's advantages to both approaches.
One factor that you should probably take into account is how many people you want to have a chance to read your story. it's a rare when people read things that are NOT on the home page - unless directed to it. So, by breaking your novel into several chunks you increase people's chances of seeing it. Since the story is (or will be) complete when you post it - why not post all of the segments at once - and ask Erin/staff to set dates so that segments after the first only become visible when you specify. And, on the first post you tell folks how many segments there are - and your posting interval. Existing fans can wait until the last segment is posted to get it all, if they want or read it as you post. Others have the opportunity to read as it posts, and more will see it posting.
If you go this approach - I doubt chapter postings is the best idea, though I know several authors do it that way... Personally - I think a minimum of 5 posts and no more than 15 (with 10 being the "sweet spot") is likely the best compromise... But, select LOGICAL break points not arbitrary ones.
The advantage of all at once is readers can read at THEIR pace not your posting pace, and a few really prefer things that way.
Good Luck!
Annette
If...
If I do wind up posting it as a serial. I'm not sure I'll posting a piece everyday, but it will probably be at least second or third day. So there would be multiple postings in a week.
Have a delightfully devious day,
Serial but...
...make certain readers know it has an end, by posting each as Part 1 of X parts and post frequently - I reckon one per day. People can then read at their own rate, but the story comes in bite sized chunks
definate serial
There are more benefits to serials than to one big post, and the benefit of simply one big post is offset later on. Let me explain.
If you post in a serial, you allow people to comment on certain segments of the story, which is neat because I am sure with 80k words there are a lot of little scenes people would like to comment on. When you post the whole story, then you just get general comments on the story but people tend not to discuss the particulars. I prefer people talking about the little things because I feel it enhances their experience, but also gives me so validation.
Second. I posted book 1 of Finding Jenny on Fictionmania and found that was a mistake to do as one file. The file size scared people and it didn't get read. It also didn't get commented on, kinda sucked.
You do have those who want to read it in one full swoop. Well, they can when you finish posting the last part and they don't have to keep loading pages either. If they go to your title pages and choose printer friendly, they will see the entire thing on one page (Kind of neat-o).
Katie Leone (Katie-Leone.com)
Writing is what you do when you put pen to paper, being an author is what you do when you bring words to life
Serial or not?
As both, I say
May Your Light Forever Shine
Serial Killer
-not me. I vote for serials.
Sighs are the natural language of the heart.
-Thomas Shadwell
Serial
Post as a serial sometimes the very long stories don't get read just because they are too long to read at 1 time so serial it should be
That is my 3 cents (inflation) HUGS RICHIE2
Thanks boys and girls
Thank you boys and girls or ladies and gentlemen whichever you prefer. :P
I think that's pretty well a resounding yes on posting it as a serial. Thanks everyone for their thoughts and input.
Have a delightfully devious day,