Long form versus short chapter based stories. What's your preference?

[ShelbyDawn57]

The heading pretty much says it all. What's your preference? Not just writing, but also reading.

Personally, I prefer longer formats as it allows me to get completely enmeshed in the story. Also, writing short chapter based stuff is honestly quite difficult for me.
I guess I just don't think that way. The few I've tried, I find that each chapter needs to be a complete story in and of itself or I'm not satisfied with it.

Reading short chapter based stuff, unless I come across a completed series, is a challenge, too. I find I have to go back and re-read earlier chapters to get back into the story, and something that does more harm than good as I get bored with something I've already read.

 

[intim8]

I prefer to read chapter based just because if I see a story that is 30k words, I feel like I'm making a time commitment by starting it. But if the story starts out well, I'll read all the chapters anyway. But maybe not all at once, and if I have to put it aside, the separate story chapters make for a handy bookmark. I'll know when I come back to it that I finished chapter 4 and need to start back with chapter 5.

As a writer, it's a bit of a gamble. Downside is that giant word count that puts some readers off. Downside of chapter based is that, if they're dropped a week apart, it is easy for readers to discover that they wern't that interested after all.

So I'd make the decision based on the story itself. Some lend themselves to chapters, some don't have those natrual breaks that will leave the reader both satisfied and wanting to read on.

 

[StillStunned]

I enjoy writing it all. Short vignettes allow me to explore a single situation, and force me to make the characters interesting with very little room. Separate chapters let me explore those same characters in different situations. Longer stuff (with the caveat that my longest stories here are just 19k words) let me deepen the plot and focus more on the emotional side, perhaps explore some symbolism.

For reading, I rarely stick to anything that's very long, particularly if there isn't enough sex to keep me interested. I'm just a bit burned out on reading fiction.

 

[intim8]

Longer stuff (with the caveat that my longest stories here are just 19k words) let me deepen the plot and focus more on the emotional side, perhaps explore some symbolism.

Yeah, the chapter based needs to have some kind of payoff in each chapter, usually a sex scene on here, or you're limiting yourself to readers who enjoy erotica in their fiction rather than tolerating some fiction in their erotica. But it is possible to gradually deepen the plot while still doing that. The sweet spot is when the sex scenes are things that move the plot and build the characters rather than being just a chapter payoff.

 

[mpeters]

So I’m sort of halfway between there, I suppose. All of my stories have the same main character, so it’s one overall series, but there are sub-series within them (one of which is finished, another I still have a few installments to write). But I try to make each one stand on its own, recapping the important information for the reader. Each story is as long as it needs to be.

 

[samhasstories]

I prefer chapter based stuff, both writing and reading. I like to know there's a payoff coming, even if it's not anything approaching an overall story resolution.

 

[Euphony]

Preference is always for chapters. Rendering of the website and my consumption habits (more frequently bits and pieces than luxuriating sit down) make more frequent good stopping points a huge advantage in chapters favor.

Really, and I mean REALLY technically sound authors can seduce me into long form readers but their ability to manage flow, push/pull of motivations, frequent stakes, building in break points (even if not technically chapters, they are rest areas,) and the like make the reading experience feel less taxing than it actually is.

Travel is inherently draining no matter what you do. Flying first class lessens that with creature comforts which is exactly what a skilled author does in even their long pieces.

 

[Tomh1966]

I'm trying both. I have a 25K word one but am putting obvious breaks in it so it is easy to pick up where you left off.

 

[Zootonius]

One feature I wish Literotica had is some type of bookmark system. I'm not likely to set aside the time to read 30k+ words and would like to be able to put a work aside and pick up where I left off with ease.

 

[EmilyMiller]

The heading pretty much says it all. What's your preference? Not just writing, but also reading.

Personally, I prefer longer formats as it allows me to get completely enmeshed in the story. Also, writing short chapter based stuff is honestly quite difficult for me.
I guess I just don't think that way. The few I've tried, I find that each chapter needs to be a complete story in and of itself or I'm not satisfied with it.

Reading short chapter based stuff, unless I come across a completed series, is a challenge, too. I find I have to go back and re-read earlier chapters to get back into the story, and something that does more harm than good as I get bored with something I've already read.

I’m really trying to work it out. I think my longer (30k plus words) works seem to put some readers off. But those who read them seem to rate them highly. I just experimented with splitting a 20k word work into chapters. More views, but the people who stay to the end tails off.

Hard to know really.

Em

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I'll take neither. I like really long stories divided into long chapters. I want the immersion that comes from reading a long and hopefully well-written story. Dividing such a story into chapters makes it easier to read, but I still want the chapters to be long, because 2-3k words chapters do nothing for me.

 

[dadadadiox]

I’m a long-form fan. I’ve submitted over fifty chapters on two stories but it’s the same MC at different points in his life.

When I read, I prefer when the author digs deep into a character’s fears, anxieties and insecurities. Short stories often lack this depth. I want to know what motivates the characters besides lust, desire, or greed. So, that’s what I write.

 

[AG31]

I seem to be in the definite minority here. I much prefer short stories, both to write them and to read them. This is the opposite of my preferences in the world of mainstream fiction, where I rarely read short stories. In the world of erotica, I prefer what I call "simple erotica." That is, lots of attention to arousal, but well done, without the slap dash connotations of "stroker."

 

[mythtrav16]

For stories that are long enough to warrant it, I prefer to break them in to chapters.

However, all too often I've been forced to submit long stories as just one big block, since that's the only way Lit will accept its contest entries.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Most of what I write are novel-length stories. I break these into natural chapters and originally posted four of them here in chapters or parts, but subsequently had them all converted to single, longer posts. Now, all I submit are single posts of stories, regardless of how long they are.

These were not "stroker" stories and feedback from readers indicated that they preferred them posted as a single submission. (It's amazing how many people are able to successfully bookmark a page in their browser) My longest is just under 180K words and has been viewed by approximately 50,000 readers. This tells me that longer stories aren't a turn-off if they keep readers interested.

As a reader, I also prefer single-submission stories over chapters because, on Literotica in particular, it assures me that the story is complete before I invest any time in it, and that the author has demonstrated enough patience to complete the story before posting. This means that the continuity and flow of the story are usually going to be more solid. Janet and Bill in the first few chapters are less likely to become Janice and Bob by the end.

 

[Stimtheone]

My preference is "as long as it needs to be to get somewhere". Chapters are good if you make them feel like they represent a whole step and conclude with something pleasant. Also, I write such long shit that I assume many would just NOT be able to finish it if I post it in one piece. And I even wonder if Lit can handle it.

 

[ElectricBlue]

My preference is "as long as it needs to be to get somewhere". Chapters are good if you make them feel like they represent a whole step and conclude with something pleasant. Also, I write such long shit that I assume many would just NOT be able to finish it if I post it in one piece. And I even wonder if Lit can handle it.

Lit can handle huge submissions. The longest single submission I've seen was 80 or so Lit pages, about 300,000 words.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Lit can handle huge submissions. The longest single submission I've seen was 80 or so Lit pages, about 300,000 words.

I didn't know George R. R. Martin posted here...

 

[djrip]

I didn't know George R. R. Martin posted here...

Close... The author of a piece that size with whom I'm familiar has a username that pays homage to a certain 14 book fantasy series

 

[intim8]

Lit can handle huge submissions. The longest single submission I've seen was 80 or so Lit pages, about 300,000 words.

Got a link? I'm really curious about that one.

 

[djrip]

Got a link? I'm really curious about that one.

Here's the one I was referencing, maybe EB has another..

 

[intim8]

Here's the one I was referencing, maybe EB has another..

Holy hell, that person writes long stories.

I love long fiction. I recently read a 9 part sci-fi series of 2700 pages in about two weeks and still thought it ended too soon. But I hate reading long form on a screen, I need dead trees. Still, I may give this a shot.

Thanks for the link.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Here's the one I was referencing, maybe EB has another..

No, the author took it down and published commercially. I can't remember who it was, to be honest. Someone with a solid reputation on Lit, though. He ran a very good critique thread in the Feedback Forum, six or seven years ago.

 

[elizaloo]

Short stories or chapters for me, both in writing and reading. I like the quick set-up, fucking, and then it's over...kind of how I enjoy it IRL too...hmmm.

If I open a story and it's 12 pages long....I can't stay with it - maybe age? maybe two strokes shortened my attention span? I dunno, but that's a no-go for me at this point in my life. I can only read novels in short sessions as well.

 

[WritingwhatIlike]

I've done both, with writing. I first started with chapters, and I released each one as I wrote it. Then I tried a few longer ones and they did well, and it was nicer to have the entire thing done in one go. My latest is fully written, and I could release it as a long form, but figured a few chapters worked for the story. I flip flop!

The 'fun' thing about chapters is having comments predicting or asking for story directions. I know I'm not going to please everyone. Speaking of which...

In reading, I have a sweet spot. Long enough to establish characters but not novel length. If it's super long and seems to be starting well, I'll tend to skip ahead...because I want to know if the journey is worth the destination. Is the author serving up a salad of my kinks, or did they go for the full Beef Steak of Disappointment. If it looks good, I roll back and dive in. If it was delivered via chapters I'll skip a few ahead to see where it's all gone to. I'm just as difficult to please as my audience.