# Why I Love Writing a Serial



## Elizabeth Barone (May 6, 2013)

I just read a thread that advised new writers to embrace their short stories and serials (http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,151209.0.html), which gave me warm fuzzies because I so badly want to chat with other serial authors. (My definition of a serial is an ongoing story regularly published in short segments.)

I've learned a lot about creating suspense while writing my serial, _Sandpaper Fidelity_. I've also learned a lot about characterization. I am a huge character nerd. I love creating them and I love following them. I also love writing my serial because you get feedback in realtime. When you publish an episode, you don't have to wait long to find out if what you were trying to do worked for your audience. If it didn't work, you can try to figure out why and learn from your mistakes. If it did work, you can learn how to do even better things in future episodes.

Who else here writes serials? What do you love about writing it?


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## H.M. Ward (May 16, 2012)

Me! I LOVE writing them and reading them. I wish so badly that my fav authors would stop listening to the negative nellies and publish them. Im a junkie and I need my fix! lol.

As for writing, I love how fast the story moves. There's no slow build - it's BAM! Tons of conflict with a dash of crazy. LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Edit - Looked at that thread and the OP is right. The ppl who hate serials will rip your head off, but there are scads of silent who LOVE them and snatch them up as fast as they can.


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## SunHi Mistwalker (Feb 28, 2012)

Add me to the list of serial junkies! Uh...that didn't come out right.


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## MegHarris (Mar 4, 2010)

I love writing serials. Writing a serial uses a different skill set from writing a novel or a short story-- you have to keep the tension high and the audience engaged. And if you're writing a sexy serial, you have to keep dialing up the heat, which can be challenging.


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## Nicki Leigh (Aug 25, 2011)

I'm adding my hat to the ring of one who both enjoys reading and writing serials. I've only published one serial so far (a BDSM) but I've been trying to plan others, a YA actually. I actually have thought of breaking points for each episode, I'm just trying to decide how I want to proceed with it.

Some folks may hate the way serials work. Some may say $2.99 is too much for 12-15k words. But honestly, if folks can afford a Starbucks coffee, they can afford a serialized novel


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## daringnovelist (Apr 3, 2010)

I write serials on my blog.  Short episodes (600-900 words) so that they are like comicbook episodes.  At the end of the "season" I collect them into a novella-length ebook, a complete story arc.

Although I have an idea of where the story is going, I write it pretty much off the cuff.  (I usually have some idea of where the next couple of episodes will be, but sometimes it'll only be the end.  That is, "Hero will chase villain, and be led into frozen pit of doom where he meets Ice Cream Man."  But that chase scene might have whole arcs of its own that I didn't think of until I wrote it.)

I also do little illustrations for the episodes -- those mostly done at the last minute too.

The current story, The Case of the Misplaced Baroness, is at episode 4 right now.  It is a "paraquel" (starts before the previous story and will probably cross over and maybe end later).

What I love about doing this? It's an adventure.  It's a challenge.  That's why I really like sticking with the short episodes, twice-a-week format.  (I have expanded from under 700 to under 900 words as the goal, however.)  It also seems to pump up the RSS activity on my blog (along with overall traffic) though readers I find do not comment the way writers do.

Camille


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## Elizabeth Barone (May 6, 2013)

holly w. said:


> As for writing, I love how fast the story moves. There's no slow build - it's BAM! Tons of conflict with a dash of crazy. LOVE LOVE LOVE!


Yes! You get away with constantly adding more tension and conflict. It's so much fun!


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## Elizabeth Barone (May 6, 2013)

SunHi Mistwalker said:


> Add me to the list of serial junkies! Uh...that didn't come out right.


That's okay. We can be junkies together!


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## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

Erin Lark said:


> Some folks may hate the way serials work. Some may say $2.99 is too much for 12-15k words. But honestly, if folks can afford a Starbucks coffee, they can afford a serialized novel


Yes, this. I know some people hate the coffee comparison (and I was already making it long before I self-published, while I was still hawking the university magazine at our weekly bookstall). But considering how many people are willing to drop three or more dollars (no idea what the going rate is these days, since I rarely buy the stuff) every day on a fancy cup of coffee that's gone in a few minutes, I wonder why they aren't willing to pay as much for a novelette or serial installment.

As for serials, I haven't gotten into the game yet. However, I have an unpublished, unfinished romance novel that is something of a hot mess and way too long for its genre, which is why I eventually abandoned it. However, it would be perfect for serialization.


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## Elizabeth Barone (May 6, 2013)

Erin Lark said:


> Some folks may hate the way serials work. Some may say $2.99 is too much for 12-15k words. But honestly, if folks can afford a Starbucks coffee, they can afford a serialized novel


I price each episode at $0.99. Originally, they were 1,000 words each. Now they are 3,000, still at $0.99. My "seasons"-collections of a segment of episodes-are $3.99.


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## Elizabeth Barone (May 6, 2013)

daringnovelist said:


> I write serials on my blog. Short episodes (600-900 words) so that they are like comicbook episodes. At the end of the "season" I collect them into a novella-length ebook, a complete story arc.
> 
> Although I have an idea of where the story is going, I write it pretty much off the cuff. (I usually have some idea of where the next couple of episodes will be, but sometimes it'll only be the end. That is, "Hero will chase villain, and be led into frozen pit of doom where he meets Ice Cream Man." But that chase scene might have whole arcs of its own that I didn't think of until I wrote it.)
> 
> ...


Ooh, I like the idea of adding illustrations! I'm not that talented, though, haha.

My serial started out at 1,000 words per episode. I had so much fun writing those flash fiction length episodes!


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## Joseph Turkot (Nov 9, 2012)

I'm writing and publishing a serial called Black Hull, which is in my sig. I am loving the model, and plan to write my next book in the same way.


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## H.M. Ward (May 16, 2012)

CoraBuhlert said:


> Yes, this. I know some people hate the coffee comparison (and I was already making it long before I self-published, while I was still hawking the university magazine at our weekly bookstall). But considering how many people are willing to drop three or more dollars (no idea what the going rate is these days, since I rarely buy the stuff) every day on a fancy cup of coffee that's gone in a few minutes, I wonder why they aren't willing to pay as much for a novelette or serial installment.
> 
> As for serials, I haven't gotten into the game yet. However, I have an unpublished, unfinished romance novel that is something of a hot mess and way too long for its genre, which is why I eventually abandoned it. However, it would be perfect for serialization.


I had someone bitch me out after reading SECRETS 1 (which is the longest - around 35K words) b/c her coffee would have lasted longer and still been hot. Why do haters gotta hate like that? * whiny voice* _Make it longer... make it free... free's too much... this is too short... write a whole book, damn it._ There are some ppl that just don't get it. I tell them to enjoy their coffee and go buy 99 cent books.


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## Griffin Hayes (Sep 20, 2011)

I love writing serials. I've got two of them on the go and they're a lot of fun to read and write. I do see a ton of hostility in reviews toward serials from readers and I find it all very confusing. They moan about length and price etc. but most serials include collections (seasons, omnibus editions) that bundle together the equivalent of a novel. So those who love reading episodes when they come out are happy and those who want the whole thing in one shot just need to wait (but maybe wait is a four letter word for some people).


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## Simon Haynes (Mar 14, 2011)

A couple of weeks ago I decided the next novel in my ongoing series would be released in parts, as a serial.  Mostly because it takes me around a year to write and release each novel, and I have readers on my case the whole time asking when the next will be out.

If I release the novel in 7000-10000 word segments, I can see two benefits: 1, less of the compulsive rewriting/replotting I spend months on with every title. 2, Happier readers. 3, tighter deadlines.

My plan is to charge 99c for each part, with around 10 parts. Then I'll release the whole thing as a 4.99 ebook, as usual. Fans of the series who don't want to buy and read book seven in chunks can just wait until then.


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## Susan Kaye Quinn (Aug 8, 2011)

I love writing my Debt Collector serial! It's fast, furious, fun, some other f-words as well.  I honestly haven't had many complaints about length or price... mostly just moans of complaint that the next episode isn't out yet (which is totally fine by me). The pace is exhausting, so I'll be taking a break between Seasons One and Two to write a novel or two! But I think I'll definitely come back for Season Two, irrespective of sales - it's just to much fun!


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## Nicki Leigh (Aug 25, 2011)

In all honesty, I think I only had one person complain about All He Desires as a serial before I released it as a set. Everyone else seemed perfectly fine, and the first episode continues to sell to folks who are new to it.

Fun story. Parts 1 & 2 were already written and edited last fall. I think I was halfway through part 3 when hurricane Sandy hit. I lost power for close to a week, and it was terrible! It was freezing. If I wasn't outside walking to keep warm, I was siting at our card table, with candles lit all around me, scribbling furiously into my notebooks.

By the time we got the power to come back on, I'd finished part 3 and had started part 4. In total, I think I hand wrote about 20,000 words. I'm thankful I had the distraction from the cold, but man did I have a massive hand cramp after that! I am not used to writing longhand the way I used to.


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## dldkrypto (Mar 18, 2012)

I think the main reason I like writing serials is because it's fun.  For a while I started to become bored of writing but serials seemed to ignite my passion for the whole thing.  I think there's something about the cliffhangers and the way you can explore in greater detail the new worlds that makes it so much more satisfying to write.


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## Carradee (Aug 21, 2010)

Personally, when I serialize, I do it on a blog. When I release for e-book and print book, I put it all together.

I've recently started something I'm calling "First Draft Fridays", wherein I pick a single story, and then I post at least one scene on Wattpad every Friday until it's done.

It's helping me a _lot_, to make sure I actually put my butt in chair and work on what I _need_ to work on, even when I don't particularly want to.


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## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

holly w. said:


> I had someone bitch me out after reading SECRETS 1 (which is the longest - around 35K words) b/c her coffee would have lasted longer and still been hot. Why do haters gotta hate like that? * whiny voice* _Make it longer... make it free... free's too much... this is too short... write a whole book, d*mn it._ There are some ppl that just don't get it. I tell them to enjoy their coffee and go buy 99 cent books.


Either they were extremely fast readers or the coffee would have been long cold by the time they got to the end.

Still, there's nothing you can do about people like that.


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## quiet chick writes (Oct 19, 2012)

I've been writing blog serials for years and I love it! I love getting the instant feedback from readers, which even shapes the direction I take the characters sometimes. And I love the structure of it -- I love having readers waiting for a new episode, which lights a fire under my butt to work on it. I also love that I'm still discovering the story as my readers are. (Which yes, has also led to some plot holes or dropped storylines over the years, lol!) It's just a really fun writing medium to work with! I have 4 years worth of blog stories that I'm slowly splitting up into several full-length novels (EWTF was inspired by some of those characters) -- it's slow-going especially with my older stuff. At least I can see how vastly I've improved as a writer in 4 years. 

And now that I've sort of "retired" the first blog, I'm starting a second blog story which I imagine I might gather together into books some day too. Hopefully with experience now, this second one will come out a bit cleaner the first time through. I want to get a few "seasons" into it first before I start publishing anything for real. This one would be published as an actual serial, with each season ending up about novella-sized. 

I also have another WIP serial (novella-sized installments) that I'd like to get started soon -- this one wasn't previously published on any of my blogs though.


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## Claudia King (Oct 27, 2012)

I love serials! For me, they were what made the leap from dozens of short stories/unfinished manuscripts to full novels possible. I love being able to sit down and write a nice juicy chapter, publish it, and say "that part's done". And then I do the next chapter, and the next, and the next. Before you know it you're a novelist, and it doesn't feel like you've had to climb an insurmountable hill of 50,000+ words to get there!

It does come with some problems obviously; there are always details and scenes I want to go back and change in retrospect, but I'm getting better at planning these things out and learning as I go. Besides, when it's time to publish the whole thing as a standalone work there's no better opportunity to release the revised edition.


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## Vaalingrade (Feb 19, 2013)

I've been writing my Descendants webserial for going on seven years now, ~2500 words in the main series each week, every week, which means it's closing on on a million words not counting the all the other works in the same universe (published on other days).

What I love about the format is the same thing I love about comics: continuity and playing the long game. I've created and fired Chekhov's guns over the course of years and I've been able to develop things about the world that I wouldn't be able to in any other format.

At the moment, I'm trying to find ways of monetizing it, stymied in large part by how Amazon works and how the webserial community... isn't one. I've tried the webcomic model for some time, but without the unity of creators that community has, it's very, very hard to reach new people.


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## Elizabeth Barone (May 6, 2013)

Vaalingrade said:


> I've been writing my Descendants webserial for going on seven years now, ~2500 words in the main series each week, every week, which means it's closing on on a million words not counting the all the other works in the same universe (published on other days).
> 
> What I love about the format is the same thing I love about comics: continuity and playing the long game. I've created and fired Chekhov's guns over the course of years and I've been able to develop things about the world that I wouldn't be able to in any other format.
> 
> At the moment, I'm trying to find ways of monetizing it, stymied in large part by how Amazon works and how the webserial community... isn't one. I've tried the webcomic model for some time, but without the unity of creators that community has, it's very, very hard to reach new people.


Oh wow, congratulations! Seven years is something to be proud of!

I love the long-term relationship, too. It's like cultivating one big family, centered around your world and characters. I love it! I can't say that enough. And you're right, that we can do more with our worlds than we could in any other format. It's a blast.

On monetizing: I'm assuming your serial is free, via your website. You could put together digital collections of story arcs and sell those, so that readers new to the serial can catch up quickly. You can put together paperbacks for those who love the serial and want it on their shelves (and sell signed copies through your site). You can also do tee shirts and other merchandise. You could also seek out advertisers and sell ads on your site that are relevant to your story and readers.


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## Derrick M. (Jul 27, 2013)

Sorry for digging up an old thread! LOL

Just wanted to say how much I appreciated this thread and the one linked in it. The current project bouncing in my brain is refusing to take any other form than a serial, and I wasn't sure that was a worth while endeavour until reading these threads, but now I am convinced that the story knows better than I do what format it wants to be told in, and I will willingly comply!


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## daringnovelist (Apr 3, 2010)

Just an update on mine: I ended up abandoning my serial.  It was taking up too much time, and I wasn't making any money at it.  I plan to continue the series as books, (and I might take up the serial on the blog again someday, too).

Camille


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## BEAST (Mar 31, 2012)

Would it be fair to say that serials are like Soaps on network tv to some extent


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## swolf (Jun 21, 2010)

I tried my hand at a serial, but I couldn't bring myself to release the first one until the entire story was complete.  I was afraid I'd want to put something in the last installment that had to be set up by something in the first.


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## Susan Kaye Quinn (Aug 8, 2011)

GavinFletcher said:


> Would it be fair to say that serials are like Soaps on network tv to some extent


What's a Serial and Why Would I Read One?


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## Derrick M. (Jul 27, 2013)

Great read Susan....so before asking any more questions, go read that blog NOW!! LOL


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## Vaalingrade (Feb 19, 2013)

elizabethbarone said:


> Oh wow, congratulations! Seven years is something to be proud of!
> 
> I love the long-term relationship, too. It's like cultivating one big family, centered around your world and characters. I love it! I can't say that enough. And you're right, that we can do more with our worlds than we could in any other format. It's a blast.
> 
> On monetizing: I'm assuming your serial is free, via your website. You could put together digital collections of story arcs and sell those, so that readers new to the serial can catch up quickly. You can put together paperbacks for those who love the serial and want it on their shelves (and sell signed copies through your site). You can also do tee shirts and other merchandise. You could also seek out advertisers and sell ads on your site that are relevant to your story and readers.


Totally missed that last time around. Yup. that's my current arc. Pulling things together for the books is sort of frustrating though because I'm fighting myself from seven years ago. The thing is a comic book without words and organized in 12 issue volumes (1 'year' of the comic plus an Annual and a Special for a total of 14 stories) with side stories n miniseries and one-shots. I never thoughts about how to break them up, so now I'm stuck with the problem of hacking parts out for consumption.

Then again, I did some quick maths and once I edit them, I have something like 20 books written and ready to launch.


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## daringnovelist (Apr 3, 2010)

I REALLY enjoyed doing my serial.  I can only say that the nature of it varies widely.  I like the soap opera idea. And actually, I was doing it on a kind of "comic strip" idea, with frequent really short episodes.  But mind had a plot arc and were complete in a "season" -- not just ongoing.  However, like most of my series, the series itself is open ended, and I have lots I want to do with it.

I did find that I've written enough that I don't have to worry about being blocked or not being able to finish the story.  I ended my third serial just because the format I chose (and love) doesn't make any money, and I really had to stop and get serious about writing.

The only reason I haven't finished the story as a book yet is because I'd really like to continue it as a serial some day.  I love writing 700-800 word episodes.  (If/when I take it up again, however, it will probably be a once a week thing.)

Camille


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## Austin_Briggs (Aug 21, 2011)

Erin Lark said:


> In all honesty, I think I only had one person complain about All He Desires as a serial before I released it as a set. Everyone else seemed perfectly fine, and the first episode continues to sell to folks who are new to it.
> 
> Fun story. Parts 1 & 2 were already written and edited last fall. I think I was halfway through part 3 when hurricane Sandy hit. I lost power for close to a week, and it was terrible! It was freezing. If I wasn't outside walking to keep warm, I was siting at our card table, with candles lit all around me, scribbling furiously into my notebooks.
> 
> By the time we got the power to come back on, I'd finished part 3 and had started part 4. In total, I think I hand wrote about 20,000 words. I'm thankful I had the distraction from the cold, but man did I have a massive hand cramp after that! I am not used to writing longhand the way I used to.


I seem to see more and more readers complain about serial releases, wanting "the whole story". That's actually one of the reasons why I'm releasing my erotic romance as one 140K words monster rather then making seven 20K-word episodes out of it.

In my historical series, the first novel was 80K words, and people said it was too short. The first reader feedback on my 3K illustrated children's book (first in the series) was that the next episodes should be longer. Maybe I'm just unlucky.

But - it's great if it works for you. I'm just too much of a chicken to do it.


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## Elizabeth Barone (May 6, 2013)

Claudia King said:


> It does come with some problems obviously; there are always details and scenes I want to go back and change in retrospect, but I'm getting better at planning these things out and learning as I go. Besides, when it's time to publish the whole thing as a standalone work there's no better opportunity to release the revised edition.


I've found that outlining a story arc helps me avoid any issues like that. I wrote the first season of _Sandpaper Fidelity_ almost completely off the cuff, and while it was freeing, I was afraid of running into inconsistencies.

If you're less of a planner and more of a pants-er, you can use a style sheet-a separate document or notebook that you keep track of details in (so-and-so's eyes are blue, so-and-so died in Episode #5, etc).


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## Elizabeth Barone (May 6, 2013)

GavinFletcher said:


> Would it be fair to say that serials are like Soaps on network tv to some extent


Not always, but my current serial is. 

The one I'm working on now is a little different. Instead of focusing on six main characters, it focuses on two.

It all depends on the story. Like Susan said in her guest post, serials are akin to TV series. I like that they can vary so widely-across all genres and timelines.


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## Madeline Freeman (Apr 22, 2011)

I think the idea of serials is really cool, and I love that they're kind of a throwback to the days of Dickens. But I haven't jumped on board now. I'm afraid if I commit to a serial, I wouldn't be able to keep up with the pace (like, if I said there'd be a new installment every two weeks, there might not be).

Also, I've got a question about the pricing: Doesn't Amazon price the serials at $0.99 automatically? I was under the impression it was $0.99 no matter how long the end result was. Or is there a way to do serials without being in the Amazon program? And if that's the case, what do you do about the cover art for each installment?

(See, I'm full of questions!)


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## Vaalingrade (Feb 19, 2013)

Secret serial technique for making your deadline: buffering.

If you say you're going to put out something every two weeks, writer four before you start. That way if you're sick, or your muse is too busy eating bonbons and watching The Price is Right, one week, you won't be screwed over and no one will ever notice.

Whenever you have time, add to your buffer, no matter how big it is. I did one miniseries (12 installments) on my site all in two weeks, thus giving myself one week off of writing that story for an entire year.

Granted, I squandered it and now I've only got a week's lead time in that slot, but still!


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## Daizie (Mar 27, 2013)

I'm publishing my first serial now, and it's so much fun. I'm just not quite sure how to promote it because so many people don't get the concept, and plus, mine has some explicit content, of the BDSM variety, and not everyone is into that.


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## quiet chick writes (Oct 19, 2012)

swolf said:


> I tried my hand at a serial, but I couldn't bring myself to release the first one until the entire story was complete. I was afraid I'd want to put something in the last installment that had to be set up by something in the first.


I'm the same way. Or that I'd be boxed in by something I wrote in earlier episodes and not be able to change the later stories for the better. For that reason, and for the buffering others were talking about, I'd want to have the whole thing at least drafted before I started publishing the first.


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## Routhwick (Apr 1, 2012)

I've embraced the format from the moment I started out with this _Sevton_ job. Too bad it all came down to one thing--"Publish the whole thing first, then serialise it"--after the first six chapters of my _Gambit_ experiment went nowhere last May. Folks, you're in for a much longer wait yet (unless I can get into the hang of that project again in a few weeks and get a workable storyline down on paper).

Of course, that's also my plan for _Marigot Magic_--whole thing first, serial later. Still no replies here or elsewhere for my draft storyline of that one, sad to say... (But that also "won" NaNoWriMo 2012 with over 105,000 words officially!)


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## ChrisWard (Mar 10, 2012)

I love cereals. Chocolate cornflakes are a particular favorite.


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## Routhwick (Apr 1, 2012)

ChrisWard said:


> I love cereals. Chocolate cornflakes are a particular favorite.


So do I. Only when they're *not* mixed with milk in a bowl.

But let's not veer off-course for Betsy's sake, shall we?


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## authoryallen (May 4, 2012)

Madeline Freeman said:


> I think the idea of serials is really cool, and I love that they're kind of a throwback to the days of Dickens. But I haven't jumped on board now. I'm afraid if I commit to a serial, I wouldn't be able to keep up with the pace (like, if I said there'd be a new installment every two weeks, there might not be).
> 
> Also, I've got a question about the pricing: Doesn't Amazon price the serials at $0.99 automatically? I was under the impression it was $0.99 no matter how long the end result was. Or is there a way to do serials without being in the Amazon program? And if that's the case, what do you do about the cover art for each installment?
> 
> (See, I'm full of questions!)


you can publish the serials yourself set your own price so you decide how often you are going to publish each segment. if you go through the serial program that amazon has you set a price that you are charging for the whole season let's say 4.99 so once that buyer pays that amount they don't have to pay for each episode it's just delivered to their kindles every week or whenever you have it scheduled to release. I'm not sure if you have to have the whole thing written before publishing through amazon's serial program but I have a serial that I'll be publishing and I plan to write it all first then serialize

If I can get it through amazon's program I'll go that route if not then I'll have the full season available and serialized episodes available each week for .99 (not sure how long each episode will be yet) to meet the reader's desires. of course you would save money buying the complete season vs paying for each episode so its good to have both options available in my opinion especially if you are not writing erotica which I think can get away with a lot more things length/price wise than just contemporary romance which is what I mainly write


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## Aducknamedjoe (Apr 25, 2013)

So would the Sherlock Holmes short stories be considered a serial?


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## Ty Johnston (Jun 19, 2009)

I've published a few short, 5-part serials, then later packaged them as a collection. Generally speaking, my serials have sold better than the last few novels I've published, so there's that.

One of the things I love about serials is that it's a different way to tell a story. Over the years there have a been a number of stories I've wanted to write, but they didn't fit well into the traditional formats of a novel, short story, novella, etc. When I started working with serials, I quickly discovered _this _was how I could tell those stories.

I also did some experimentation with length. For my first serial, each episode was about 20,000 words. Each episode sells fairly well, as does the collection for that series.

For another serial, each episode was about 10,000 words. This is my least selling serial.

For a third serial, I started off with the first episode being short, at only 3,000 words. Each episode after that grew in length until the last one is about 20,000 words. The individual episodes do not sell well, but the collection brings in a good number of sales for me, averaging about 40 a month.

As for pricing, I've done some experimenting and found for me a price of 99 cents for each episode works best, then the collection at $2.99. Also, I try to make the first episode a perma freebie.

One thing to keep in mind is that serial fiction has different plot points, highs and lows, than a novel. It's not just a novel broken up into a bunch of parts, and won't usually work well that way for readers.


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## swolf (Jun 21, 2010)

Aducknamedjoe said:


> So would the Sherlock Holmes short stories be considered a serial?


I'd say no. They're more of a series.

A serial is a single story broken into pieces.
A series is made up of different stories using the same characters.


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## dalya (Jul 26, 2011)

Regarding the negative review backlash, do you guys think that stating at the outset how many parts will be in the series will help much? 

I started off the Mimi stuff doing 3-part, 4-part, and 5-part serials. I really liked the format, but now I'm doing full-length novels and I hardly ever get to push the button and send out an email. Once every 2-3 months just isn't enough thrill for me, LOL! I am considering getting back to some serials, because I like a fast-paced, episodic plot.


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## Susan Kaye Quinn (Aug 8, 2011)

Mimi said:


> Regarding the negative review backlash, do you guys think that stating at the outset how many parts will be in the series will help much?


Yes. I stated up front nine episodes, but I had to keep repeating (people missed it or couldn't remember) - put it in the blurb and you'll be fine! It's all about setting expectations.


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## Ty Johnston (Jun 19, 2009)

Mimi said:


> Regarding the negative review backlash, do you guys think that stating at the outset how many parts will be in the series will help much?


I've been happily surprised that I've not received much negative backlash. But yes, I do believe stating how many parts will be in a series does help. It lets readers and potential readers know right up front what they are getting themselves in for.

And if possible, I also think it's a good deal to have a publishing schedule when a series is initially coming out, one of which potential readers are aware because the schedule is listed in each e-book's description. I took this route with my best-selling serial, publishing one episode every Monday for five weeks. Obviously afterwards I didn't need the schedule, but I believe it helped my early sales.

As each episode was 20,000 words, I made sure I had three episodes ready to go before I began publishing. Even then, my last episode was a day late coming out. The next time I do a serial, I'll probably try to have the whole thing completed before publishing, though I admit that takes away some of the fun of hitting that "publish" button.


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## Aducknamedjoe (Apr 25, 2013)

swolf said:


> I'd say no. They're more of a series.
> 
> A serial is a single story broken into pieces.
> A series is made up of different stories using the same characters.


Ah, good point. Thanks for clarifying.


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## 41352 (Apr 4, 2011)

removed


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## daringnovelist (Apr 3, 2010)

You guys have inspired me to try publishing an old fantasy novel of mine as a serial.  I'm thinking 10 episodes. The first would be permafree and the rest at 99 cents.  It would be collected into a 6.99 novel. (Or 5.99 if I end up lowering my prices again.)

A question for those of you who have been publishing serial stories -- that is, a single book serialized:

Does Smashwords allow you to do this?

I remember Mark Coker coming out and saying he didn't want any more serials on his site.  (Series were okay, but not single novels broken in into parts.)  It sounded like people were getting burned by writers who weren't marking their books properly and were also not finishing the story.

Camille


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## Carradee (Aug 21, 2010)

daringnovelist said:


> A question for those of you who have been publishing serial stories -- that is, a single book serialized:
> 
> Does Smashwords allow you to do this?


As far as I know, he still doesn't allow it.


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## Susan Kaye Quinn (Aug 8, 2011)

daringnovelist said:


> You guys have inspired me to try publishing an old fantasy novel of mine as a serial. I'm thinking 10 episodes. The first would be permafree and the rest at 99 cents. It would be collected into a 6.99 novel. (Or 5.99 if I end up lowering my prices again.)
> 
> A question for those of you who have been publishing serial stories -- that is, a single book serialized:
> 
> ...


My serial is up there.


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## daringnovelist (Apr 3, 2010)

Carradee -- then the next question is how many people are successfully ignoring the rule.

Susan -- is your serial a full out serial, that is it a split up story a la Dickens, or is it more like a TV show -- with each episode having it's own story, as well as being part of a larger arc?

Camille


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## Carradee (Aug 21, 2010)

daringnovelist said:


> Carradee -- then the next question is how many people are successfully ignoring the rule.


If each piece of the "serial" has a self-contained story, they've always been okay with it (though you might sometimes have to poke the reviewer to let them know). And some non-self-contained serials have always slipped through the system.

It's entirely possible that the policy has changed and I didn't notice, because I serialize on blogs, not vendors.


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## Susan Kaye Quinn (Aug 8, 2011)

daringnovelist said:


> Susan -- is your serial a full out serial, that is it a split up story a la Dickens, or is it more like a TV show -- with each episode having it's own story, as well as being part of a larger arc?
> 
> Camille


Both. Honestly, there's a spectrum on which this all slides. There are TV shows where each episode is such part of a larger arc, that you can't really say each has "its own story" - it's an installment in a series, just like Dickens. And there are TV shows with hardly any larger arc, almost all self-contained.

I don't know why smash would try to delineate which is where on the sliding scale - but it's their business, I suppose. Amazon, fortunately, let's you have as much freedom as you like with your stories.


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## David Alastair Hayden (Mar 19, 2011)

Susan Kaye Quinn said:


> What's a Serial and Why Would I Read One?


Thank you for this post. It's excellent.


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## Susan Kaye Quinn (Aug 8, 2011)

David Alastair Hayden said:


> Thank you for this post. It's excellent.


Thanks! I'm glad you found it helpful!


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## Mark Feggeler (Feb 7, 2011)

Mine might not necessarily qualify as a serial, but I am working on a series of short books for middle grade kids ("Psi Squad") with an effort to release two books a year with nine books total expected in the series (each between 15,000 and 20,000 words). So far, I'm having a blast with it. I work full-time, so whatever writing I do is either early in the morning or late at night. I'm good for 500-600 words during those times, so the shorter format of the series works well for me.


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## Derrick M. (Jul 27, 2013)

I know there is no definitive rule regarding a serials length, but what do people feel is a suitable word count per episode? I am thinking each should be around the 15,000 to 20,000 mark. To long, to short?


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## Susan Kaye Quinn (Aug 8, 2011)

Derrick M. said:


> I know there is no definitive rule regarding a serials length, but what do people feel is a suitable word count per episode? I am thinking each should be around the 15,000 to 20,000 mark. To long, to short?


Mine are 12-15k, no (real) complaints.


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## Derrick M. (Jul 27, 2013)

Thank you Susan, that certainly seems doable/month.

I notice you collection is called "Season 1"....so is that an entire years worth? Put out how often?

Sorry for the noob questions! hahaha


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## Susan Kaye Quinn (Aug 8, 2011)

Derrick M. said:


> Thank you Susan, that certainly seems doable/month.
> 
> I notice you collection is called "Season 1"....so is that an entire years worth? Put out how often?
> 
> Sorry for the noob questions! hahaha


Season One has nine episodes, put out (on average) every two weeks. I actually pre-wrote the first three, released those a week apart, and then it was every two weeks after that (writing on the fly). For season two (which won't be until 2014), I think I'll prewrite the first few again (to make sure I have my footing) and then release all of them about two weeks apart. Not least because if I string it out longer than that, I'll spend the entire year writing Season Two and there's no time for that - I have novels to write as well!


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## Derrick M. (Jul 27, 2013)

Every 2 weeks...hmmm, did you find this was what people expected, or more of simply putting an internal time frame on it? I ask because I was thinking monthly, but that may be too long between episodes and people loose interest?


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## Susan Kaye Quinn (Aug 8, 2011)

Derrick M. said:


> Every 2 weeks...hmmm, did you find this was what people expected, or more of simply putting an internal time frame on it? I ask because I was thinking monthly, but that may be too long between episodes and people loose interest?


Every 2 weeks won't be fast enough for your fervent fans.

Every 2 weeks will be too quick for your less-fervent fans - they'll get behind, but catch up when the next episode comes out (buying two episodes at a time).

Every 2 weeks will get you quicker to the season being complete, at which point all the people who are waiting for the season to be complete will buy the whole thing.

Fans are not a monolith. Pick a time frame that works for you (or prewrite and then release on a faster schedule; quicker releases mean more excitement, but can also be overwhelming to authors and readers alike). There's literally no rules on this except what works for you and your readers.

ETA: WHATEVER YOU DECIDE, tell people up front and stick to it. The key is setting expectations and then meeting (or exceeding) them.


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## Christa Wick (Nov 1, 2012)

Austin_Briggs said:


> I seem to see more and more readers complain about serial releases, wanting "the whole story". That's actually one of the reasons why I'm releasing my erotic romance as one 140K words monster rather then making seven 20K-word episodes out of it....
> 
> But - it's great if it works for you. I'm just too much of a chicken to do it.


Silent, uncomplaining majority can equal major bank on serials. Just make it clear it's a serial and at least approximate # installments and length. Throw in sales for first few days, perma-free on #1 after you have around 3d installment out, etc.

Honestly, if I saw a book was 140k erotic romance, I don't think I'd buy it! Lots of books that size, and far larger, I'll read, but romances are short fixes for me.


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## Zoe York (May 12, 2013)

This thread is fascinating! 

I've written a short story that has sprouted all sorts of plot bunnies that would lend themselves very nicely to a serial. The short is 6k words, each subsequent one would probably be double that. The short could go perma-free after the first few release. I can see how this would play out...very interesting!


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## KimFaulks (Jul 8, 2012)

I am toying with the idea of writing my first serial. I think it's an excellent way to gain a following (which I desperately need) and give myself a break from sticking to one genre for any length of time. if anyone has any tips they could share, I'd be grateful. Particularly pricing. I was wanting to put the first installment on permafree and maybe $2.99 after that? What are your thoughts? 

And Happy New Year!!!


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## zzzzzzz (Dec 6, 2011)

Ty Johnston said:


> One thing to keep in mind is that serial fiction has different plot points, highs and lows, than a novel. It's not just a novel broken up into a bunch of parts, and won't usually work well that way for readers.


Bringing this back from the dead to ask for an expansion on this. I'm writing my first serial, and I was curious about this statement.

Second question is about distribution logistics. I'm going for a six part serial, each part 15k words long. First part will be free, but I'm not sure how to charge for each additional part. I'm also thinking about doing a netflix-style release, with all 6 episodes available immediately along with the bundle, or even forgoing the individual parts 2-6 and just offering the free 1st episode and the bundle of all six.

Thoughts?


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## nomesque (Apr 12, 2010)

I'd agree that serials are different beasts. It's not like a series, where you want the reader to finish each book satisfied but wanting more. Or like chapters in a book, where you don't have to work THAT hard to get the reader to click over to the next chapter. To me, the point of a serial is to end each episode leaving the reader hanging, preferably yelling, "You bastard! What do they do now?"


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## S.E. Gordon (Mar 15, 2011)

I love this thread. I have a big ideas for my serials. Will share once I get started.


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## quiet chick writes (Oct 19, 2012)

nomesque said:


> I'd agree that serials are different beasts. It's not like a series, where you want the reader to finish each book satisfied but wanting more. Or like chapters in a book, where you don't have to work THAT hard to get the reader to click over to the next chapter. To me, the point of a serial is to end each episode leaving the reader hanging, preferably yelling, "You bastard! What do they do now?"


This! Yes. I've been watching a lot of great TV shows lately, and I was just thinking about how not just the episodes, but the season finales too always leave off with a big bang that has usually some amount of closure but twice as much cliffhanger to make sure the viewers *remember* and come back. Totally different beast than a novel series.

I wish I could write faster. I'm so excited to start mine. Soon, I hope.


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## Laurel Cremant (Dec 10, 2013)

I started releasing installments of a serial in December and it has been great so far. Yes I get the occasional complaint, but for the most part readers have been really supportive. I made sure to include disclaimers in my blurb/description. However there are still a few people who complained about length and cliffhangers. I can really only laugh b/c when they mention things like that in reviews I can only assume they auto clicked my book and never read the description (where the warning is in bold, and on top).

I gauge reader engagement based on the amount of email I receive every week and the amount of people signing up for my newsletter. I finally wised up and added the newsletter link to the end of my books and since the first installment came out I went from having one or two sign ups a month to 100 in one month, which is AMAZING for me. I know others probably get that much in a day, but it is a big milestone for me.

And aside from being just plain fun to write, serials are a great way to have a LONG conversation with readers. Those who love it interact a lot and become great cheerleaders for your work. I'd actually equate serial readership with a street team in that respects.

So yeah short story long...I LOVE serials.


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## 60169 (May 18, 2012)

I don't know if I'm really doing the whole serial thing right (will the serial police come and arrest me?) because I don't leave each story on a cliffhanger. In fact, even though I am telling the story in a straight-through arc, I am writing each installment (10-12,000 words) as a standalone story.

Like Laurel, I've found one of the best things to be the additions to my mailing list. I've picked up 50-60 people on each installment so far, which is really great.


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## nomesque (Apr 12, 2010)

Shawn Inmon said:


> (will the serial police come and arrest me?)


Yes, and they'll confiscate your corn flakes.


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## zzzzzzz (Dec 6, 2011)

As a planner I'm curious as to how a successful serial's beats and plot points compare to self-contained stories, and how the overarching storyline's beats are integrated into the episodes.


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## 60169 (May 18, 2012)

nomesque said:


> Yes, and they'll confiscate your corn flakes.


They can have my cornflakes when they pry them... no, check that. I don't care for cornflakes. I won't put up much of a struggle.


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## zzzzzzz (Dec 6, 2011)

Can I have your corn flakes if you don't want them?


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## Vaalingrade (Feb 19, 2013)

I just had an issue using a monster type introduced in Volume 3, a television show introduced in Volume 5, and a slate of characters who, in Volume 1 were someone's dark secret (that person not showing up until the middle of the Volume). Nothing in the issue would make a lick of sense to someone who read #0, then skipped ahead to #76, but is completely readable to a newbie. The world changed a LOT over these past seven years.

This is why I love writing serials.


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## Cynthia Shepp (Dec 3, 2012)

As busy as I am lately, it seems that I only have time to read serials. I did not used to like them. I was more of a "bigger is better" type of reader. Now that I read as a job, I find that reading for pleasure is harder. I don't have the concentration that I once did. I also work while I read, which for me is finding every little thing wrong with the book and fixing it in my head. Serials have become my new best friend. I love the episodes, the wait on the next one, and I absolutely love cliffhangers. To me, serials are the perfect way to read. You can't beat short, exciting books that leave you on the edge of your seat in anticipation for the next one. Please keep writing them, everyone!


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## Michael McClung (Feb 12, 2014)

I've started a serial (epic fantasy) and released the first two installments for free at all the major etailers except Amazon. Both episodes are over 7000 words.

Nobody is reading them :/

Which is weird, honestly, since I've got a permafree novella in the same genre that is downloaded 600  of times a month on average and gets great reviews.

It is a mystery.


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## Philip Harris (Dec 15, 2013)

daringnovelist said:


> I write serials on my blog. Short episodes (600-900 words) so that they are like comicbook episodes. At the end of the "season" I collect them into a novella-length ebook, a complete story arc.


I'm considering doing something with a science fiction novel I'm working on. Do you get any negative reactions from the fact that the story is free on the website but you're also charging for an ebook?


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## Jacqueline_Sweet (Jan 10, 2014)

I've been working on a serial about a woman who is slowly transforming into a succubus and finds herself thrust into a love triangle that is swiftly becoming a quadrangle.   

The act of writing the serial--keeping it moving, keeping it propulsive, giving it what John Gardner called "profluence"--is very different from working on a novel. For me at least it's more efficient than a novel and becomes more bonkers for it. 

I just hope readers want to read about a succubus who is torn between her old scruffy crush, a handsome executive who literally has no heart, and an amnesiac sex demon.


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## L. Harcroft (Feb 23, 2014)

I just enjoy doing serial because it allows people to engage with your work more frequently-- and for you to engage with them. It feels more like a conversation and less like an explosion each time you feel you've managed your magnum opus. You're there in a way that allows people to emotionally invest in you and your work more easily as it's like you're more familiar-- how can you not be-- you've been around more often.


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## Shelley K (Sep 19, 2011)

Susan Kaye Quinn said:


> Mine are 12-15k, no (real) complaints.


I've just read the first installment of The Debt Collector (and yes, gone on to buy Season 1--it's _excellent_).

Anybody considering serials who hasn't read it would do well to read at least the first installment. (Then I dare you to not want to read more.) It does a great job of setting up the conflict I'm guessing is going to last throughout the season (Lirium's horrifying discovery that things in the system aren't as he believed), while setting up a conflict that lasts for the installment and is sort of soft-resolved at the end. That gives a sense of satisfaction for having read it, while it leaves you wanting more.

It's wonderful, engaging stuff, Susan. I love the characters, especially Lirium. Love, love, love him. I can't wait to read the rest! And I can't help thinking what an excellent movie this would make.


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## Oxymoronica (Oct 15, 2013)

shelleyo1 said:


> I've just read the first installment of The Debt Collector (and yes, gone on to buy Season 1--it's _excellent_).
> 
> Anybody considering serials who hasn't read it would do well to read at least the first installment. (Then I dare you to not want to read more.) It does a great job of setting up the conflict I'm guessing is going to last throughout the season (Lirium's horrifying discovery that things in the system aren't as he believed), while setting up a conflict that lasts for the installment and is sort of soft-resolved at the end. That gives a sense of satisfaction for having read it, while it leaves you wanting more.
> 
> It's wonderful, engaging stuff, Susan. I love the characters, especially Lirium. Love, love, love him. I can't wait to read the rest! And I can't help thinking what an excellent movie this would make.


Aaaaand, I read through this thread to find advice on writing my first serial, and ended up downloading The Debt Collector. Good marketing.


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## lee27 (Mar 3, 2011)

Cynthia Shepp said:


> Serials have become my new best friend. I love the episodes, the wait on the next one, and I absolutely love cliffhangers. To me, serials are the perfect way to read. You can't beat short, exciting books that leave you on the edge of your seat in anticipation for the next one. Please keep writing them, everyone!


I've written two novels and am work on a serial. I chose this path based on my own feelings as a _reader. _ The TBR pile on my Kindle app is too big as it is. These days I don't want a novel for 99 cents, or for free either, unless I already am mad keen to read the book. I'd rather spend a dollar on something I can imagine myself finishing right away. If it leaves me wanting more, so much the better!


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