Writers have many options for ways to get their words seen by the world. They can write novels, short stories, novellas, articles, etc. One of those outlets is serial fiction. While some newspapers and magazines still publish serials, most serial fiction is published online. Let’s look at serials and how they differ from publishing other types of stories.
Serial Fiction
Serial fiction is a large story that is divided up into small segments to publish on a regular schedule. The first recorded use of serials is in the 1800s when Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe was published over several months in a newspaper. Other major books that were originally published as serials are The Count of Monte Cristo, A Tale of Two Cities, The Secret Garden, and The Martian.
Nowadays, most serials are published online. If you’re thinking about writing a serial, there are common factors that readers today expect from them. Serials need to be long stories. Generally, they are published at least once a week and run for a minimum of a year. Each segment should be between 2,000-6,000 words. That means that most serials are between 100,000 and 300,000 words. Think of books the size of Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archives or George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice series.
Consistency Is Key
Not only do readers want long stories, but they want ones that are consistent. You need to update the story with new segments regularly. If you say you’ll publish once a week, you better do it. Some publish two or three times a week or even once a month, but the average update schedule is once a week.
You also need to be consistent in each segment’s length. If you want to aim for 2,000 words, then make sure each falls close to the range. Don’t write one that’s 500 words or 6,000 words. Readers want to know that they only need 20 minutes or an hour to read a new update to the story. Meet their expectations.
Lastly, your story theme and genre should be consistent. If you have an underdog story, you can’t have your protagonist be totally component a quarter of the way into the story. Likewise, you shouldn’t start with a science fiction story and switch to fantasy at the midpoint. Readers invest in your story because they like what you are doing so you shouldn’t alter the story’s path. If you want to do something new, start a new serial with that theme and genre.
Before You Start
Before you decide to write a serial, you need to make a few choices. First, you need to decide where you plan to publish your story. There are many online platforms out there to choose from. Some have rules of how much and how often you need to publish. There are a few that are paid and others that let readers get your story for free. Some platforms are geared toward certain audiences, like romance readers or LitRPG fans. Do your research and find the platform that is best for you. You may even be able to find print magazines or journals that accept serials, if that’s important to you.
Next, you need to figure out details about your audience. Who do you want to read the story? Teenage girls? Science fiction fans? Knowing your ideal audience can help you pick a platform as well. Besides knowing your audience, you need to know how you plan to interact with them. Readers love serials because they enjoy giving feedback as the story goes, and they love hearing back from the author on their feedback. So, along with deciding how often you plan to publish your story, you need to set boundaries for how often you plan to interact with your readers. There is a chance you won’t have too many comments, but you want to have a game plan so it doesn’t take over your time.
The most important thing to consider before writing a serial is, of course, the story. Even if you are a discovery writer, you need to figure out a few keys things before you start publishing. Mainly, you need to know your main characters, your theme, and a basic plot outline. Since your writing live, you don’t have the luxury of having writer’s block. You need to know your characters and their main internal journey (theme). Then you should at least know where your story will end. I’d suggest identifying the main plot points. Know your inciting incident, midpoint, and climax. Then you can discovery write the rest. Or, you can have it all plotted out, even written, before you start publishing. It’s up to you, but you need a basic plan to keep the story flowing and not disappoint your readers.
How To Structure Serials
Writing a serial is a little different from writing a story that is published all at once. Think of it like writing a TV show. You have to make each segment stand on its own yet connect to the other segments in order to keep people coming back for more. If you want to write a serial, you have to master hooks. A serial needs to start quick paced (without info dumps) to grab readers. You can slow down at times in the middle once you have them interested, but each segment needs to end with a hook or readers won’t remember to check back every week.
When you’re writing your serial segments, you need to have a complete arc of some kind. The teenager passed her potions test. The soldier gets behind enemy lines. Whatever the scene goal is, it needs to be completed by the end. You can end the scene with a new question to entice the readers back, but there needs to be a sense of completion and fulfillment for the readers.
Serials are known for the sprawl. Essentially, it’s the idea that your story includes an ensemble cast with numerous subplots and many places. You can write the wide expanse stories that most publishers won’t take or that readers don’t want to pay $50 a book. Now, that doesn’t mean you can go on side quests that have nothing to do with the main plot. Every scene should progress the plot or be cut. But you can make your story more intricate as long as it all connects and pays off in the end. That is the fun of writing serial fiction!
Benefits and Drawbacks
Now there are pros and cons to writing serials, just like anything else. For the benefits, serials are great for procrastinators. If you need someone holding you to a deadline to write, there is nothing better than a live audience. Plus, getting instant reader feedback is great for honing your writing skills and spotting flaws in the story. It’s important to be flexible when you write serials so you are able to alter things as the story goes. Also, it’s nice when you get positive feedback that encourages you to keep writing. Serials also have a better built in publicity plan. If you are putting your name in front of people every week for a year, they will become stronger fans than if you put out a book that they read once a year for a week.
Some drawbacks to writing a serial is obviously the compensation and publishing style. Most serials aren’t paid, although there is a way for fans to donate money to you. Yet there is no real money in that route. Then, after you finish the serial, most traditional publishers won’t take the story to publish as a book. You can self-publish on Amazon or with another distributor, but if people read it for free, they probably won’t rush out to buy the book (unless they are mega fans). The other major drawback is that you can do the work and not have a big following. Few may read it, and even less may leave comments. Disappointment is always hard, but the same can happen with published books too.
Final Thoughts
I’ve been contemplating doing an online serial. Since I’ve done all the initial research, I figured I might as well share my findings for anyone else considering it. I love the idea of instant feedback and how I’d have the freedom to write the long, complex stories that I love. If that sounds like your idea of fun, then give it a try. People who write serials are mostly doing it for the love of creativity and not for money. To me, it feels like a great way to write without the pressure. You have fun and hope others enjoy it too. If not, it doesn’t matter because you’re doing it for the love of writing. If, however, you happen upon a wonderful story that speaks to readers, you may find the most committed and supportive readers in the publishing world.
Thanks for reading!
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