The Do's and Don't in Writing a Series of Stories

[JayG88]

Hi, I have noticed that there are quite a few story series (or story cycles) in the Literotica catalogue and, seeing as they are so popular (or prevalent) I wanted to know from readers and authors, what are the most common pitfalls that befall these series. What are the things you find annoying, what are the things you like, what do you expect, what do you find a tiring trope, just any opinion you care to share on the subject.
I am developing a series and (as a member of the Literotica community trying her pen at erotica)wanted to make sure that I keep readers interested, entertained, and a little horny (if I'm honest) and would really appreciate any advice, comments or opinions you'd care to share that might steer my pen in the right direction. All contributions much appreciated, thanks!

 

[NotWise]

I suggest that you should write the entire series first, then post the parts on a regular schedule. That can be as short as every day but probably it shouldn't be much more than a week.

By writing it all first you ensure that there is an ending. You also have the opportunity to make sure your story details are consistent. A series that doesn't end is an annoyance for readers.

By posting things on a regular basis without long delays you can keep and even build your audience. With long lags you may have few readers for the later stories.

 

[HeyAll]

I agree with above.

I look at the category Hubs everyday. The longer the delay, the less views it will have. People will forget about it, there are so many other stories.

 

[NotWise]

I agree with above.

Now if I would just take my own advice...

 

[TamLin01]

Every chapter of a series should change something--about the reader's understanding of the story if not something in the story itself, although preferably both. If you get to the end of a chapter and realize that you haven't really given us anything new, then you're not actually at the end yet.

 

[oggbashan]

When titling the parts, whether as chapters or parts, do it like this:

My Story Ch.01 The Beginning
My Story Ch.02 They Meet
...

My Story Ch.11 On a Journey

Etc.

If you title starting 1,2,3 etc by the time you get to 11 and beyond it could appear like this:

My Story Ch.1 The Beginning
My Story Ch.11 On a Journey
My Story Ch.12
My Story Ch.13
My Story Ch.14
My Story Ch.2 They Meet

If you are going to write more than 99 parts, then start with 001

 

[JayG88]

I'd love to have my titled like that (example:
My Story Ch.1 The Beginning) but on the submission page there doesn't seem to be enough space for such a long title. I have just have numbers at present.

Good suggestion about having a regular flow of stories to keep the interest of readers rather than just at odd intervals.

 

[oggbashan]

I'd love to have my titled like that (example:
My Story Ch.1 The Beginning) but on the submission page there doesn't seem to be enough space for such a long title. I have just have numbers at present.

Good suggestion about having a regular flow of stories to keep the interest of readers rather than just at odd intervals.

You can expand in the sub-title box but getting the parts to appear in the right order is important.

If you use identical titles for the first part they will appear as a set. If you don't they will appear alphabetically. I've made that mistake with my Tripletit stories.

jeanne_d_artois, my alt, also made that mistake with her Laundry series but I/she asked Laurel to retitle them to put the stories in order and together.

 

[Kimikimidoll]

I posted my chapters every 2nd week- and once I took a break of max 1 month between two chapters.
Is that a slow rate?

 

[oggbashan]

I posted my chapters every 2nd week- and once I took a break of max 1 month between two chapters.
Is that a slow rate?

Not by my standards. How about more than 5 YEARS?

 

[BuckyDuckman]

Some series seem to work like a TV show where you're visiting with the same set of characters over and over without any changes. If that's the sort of series you envision, then knowing the ending isn't as important as achieving some sort of reset at the end of each chapter.

Otherwise, you'll need to keep copious notes about who did what to whom and when. Readers sometimes have a better memory about what happened in the past. For example, it can't always be her first time.

Maintaining a regular posting schedule of a never ending series is a wonderful service to your readers. That means you'll always need to be a few chapters ahead. You never know when real life will interrupt your flow. Comic strip writers typically work several weeks ahead.

Good luck and welcome to Lit!

 

[sr71plt]

I posted my chapters every 2nd week- and once I took a break of max 1 month between two chapters.
Is that a slow rate?

I submit the next segment the day the previous one posts--so, every two or three days--and I give a chapter count and estimate a completion date in a note on the first chapter. I wouldn't read a series here otherwise, because there's little chance it would be completed while it was still in my mind, so I don't make the completion delay longer for any other reader.

 

[JayG88]

Lots of really good points. I'm thinking that I could comfortably manage one a week (I'm a few ahead at present) and that might be an ok pace (don't think I could match sr71plt's efficiency) I figure that as long as I have at least one or two chapters in reserve I should be ok. I do have a story arc for chapters 1 - 9 but from there who knows, I'm on 4 now so hopefully I will have some more story ideas once I get to where I'm writing to at present.

 

[CyranoJ]

I suggest that you should write the entire series first, then post the parts on a regular schedule. That can be as short as every day but probably it shouldn't be much more than a week.

It's a good idea.

I personally tend to avoid chaptered stories on Lit, precisely because -- with honourable exceptions -- they all too often tend to sprawl out endlessly and lose any momentum they started with, and I much prefer to read something self-contained. (Another approach to "series" is to write self-contained episodes, but this is rarer.)

 

[sr71plt]

It's a good idea.

I personally tend to avoid chaptered stories on Lit, precisely because -- with honourable exceptions -- they all too often tend to sprawl out endlessly and lose any momentum they started with, and I much prefer to read something self-contained. (Another approach to "series" is to write self-contained episodes, but this is rarer.)

That's why I don't have a problem submitting as soon as the preceding chapter was posted. I don't post a series that hasn't been completed already--and I don't really want to read one that hasn't been completed before posting began.

 

[sunandshadow]

If it's a romance, you need to be prepared to change main character between installments in the series. A happy couple don't usually lend themselves to being protagonists, and it's bad style to give them relationship problems which require them to renegotiate their relationship when you've just spent a whole book getting them together. Especially over and over again, ugh. Successful, reader-pleasing romance series are the ones which stay in the same setting but get a new pair of main characters.

 

[RetroFan]

Don't get writer's block.

I was writing a series of stories about a trashy and promiscuous trailer park girl on the Fetish board, but got writer's block and have not been able to finish it in over a year. I have tried many times, but seem to go nowhere. Maybe over Christmas and New Year I will finally get it finished.

 

[Weird Harold]

Hi, I have noticed that there are quite a few story series (or story cycles) in the Literotica catalogue and, seeing as they are so popular (or prevalent) I wanted to know from readers and authors, what are the most common pitfalls that befall these series. What are the things you find annoying, what are the things you like, what do you expect, what do you find a tiring trope, just any opinion you care to share on the subject.

A lot depends on what kind of series you're contemplating and what you expect from your series can alter the plan.

If you're planning a never-ending soap opera style series, your strategy should not be the same as if you're planning a trilogy or stand-alone stories linked only by a common setting or common characters.

Completing a series before posting is ideal for a serialized novel or trilogy format. That isn't practical if you're going to depend on reader feedback to guide the plot (not a format I'm fond of, BTW) or if your goal is to improve your writing based on reader feedback. It also isn't practical for a soap opera format; although it is definitely the way to go for a "Saturday morning cliff-hanger" story. A "Saturday Morning Serial" that misses a Saturday (or more) because of writer's block will piss off readers and result in a torrent of down votes.

A regular posting schedule will enhance readership. Stories stay on the New List for a week, so a posting schedule of a week or less will keep your story on the New Stories list. If that isn't a concern, then post whenever you wish, but establish a regular pattern so readers will know to look for the next episode.