How often should I publish chapters?

Hey folks!

Before the question, just wanted to say hello, and that I've admired and enjoyed the stories and articles here for a long time, and finally got the bug to try my hand at writing one myself. Thanks to all that have invested so much into this outstanding site, for so long.

And now, the question: how often should I publish/submit new chapters to a long-ish story?

It looks like it'll come in at 8 chapters, each in the vicinity of 8,000-13,000 words. The first chapter has already been submitted, and chapters 2-5 are already written. I've also written the last chapter, and it feels like writing two more (6 and 7) will bridge the gap, story-wise.

So, assuming the first one gets accepted, does anyone have advice on the best timeframe to wait before posting the follow-ups?

Would it be best to wait, say, a week or so? That would allow more time to receive feedback, and/or find out if anyone really cares to read the thing. Or a month? Less? More?

Or would it be better to post more quickly, to keep reader interest?

Or some other frequency, for some other reasons I haven't considered?


Your advice appreciated. Thanks!

Post them when you want, soon as you finish typing them, when the previous one was accepted, a day or two after the previous one was submitted. There isn't a right answer, there are wrong answers, like all of them at once.

See the thing about this site is everything is accepted or denied by one person. She does a damn good job of it most of the time, but rule breaking stuff gets in sometimes, not to mention things posted at the same time don't always get noticed as part of the same story. So you could see chapter two appearing after chapter three is posted if you post them all in a short time frame.

Generally I post them as I finish typing, which means sometimes really fast, some are a day or two after the previous chapter if I am doing a chapter story. Sometimes I take longer, and that's nothing more than I wasn't working on that story for a while. Sometimes I go back to something, sometimes I don't, all your decision on if you continue or not. Get one look at your story or 50000, continue when you feel like it.

I'm just evil that way.

Thanks, emap.

I won't be submitting them 'as soon as I finish typing them'; my urge to edit and change and tweak is just too strong, plus I need to have several chapters written before I even start publishing a story, just be sure I can finish it.

But I think I'll generally take your advice, and just play it by ear.

Much appreciated.

JackEvans said:

Thanks, emap.

I won't be submitting them 'as soon as I finish typing them'; my urge to edit and change and tweak is just too strong, plus I need to have several chapters written before I even start publishing a story, just be sure I can finish it.

But I think I'll generally take your advice, and just play it by ear.

Much appreciated.

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Just an FYI. You can submit everything in one big batch and Laurel will schedule them for posting at the rate of one-per-day unless you request a slower schedule in the comments field.

Another point to ponder: Each chapter will stay on the new stories list for seven days; a posting schedule of once-per-week will keep your story on the new stories list for the maximum continuous time.

Weird Harold said:

Another point to ponder: Each chapter will stay on the new stories list for seven days; a posting schedule of once-per-week will keep your story on the new stories list for the maximum continuous time.

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That's cool to know; thanks.

I'm not really looking for 'acclaim'. I haven't written the next great work of English Literature. I've just really enjoyed the writing itself.

But it would be cool if people actually read the thing, and even better if some didn't hate it.

Plus, putting a new chapter out every week or so seems about right, so I think I'll stick to that.

Much appreciated.

I'd publish them about a week apart. If you space them farther apart than, say, two weeks, you should put a note in at the end of the story that says there'll be more coming in the future. Otherwise, your readers might think that the story's over.