Chapter 2?

[Sim73]

Hi I'm new here so don't know if I'm posting this on the correct section? I've asked around about this (volunteer editor's) and haven't had a response. I just want to know this, I have a draft story that I'm working on and want to add chapters, in my draft do I just type 'chapter 2' and continue with that draft or do I have to upload chapter 1 first then upload chapter 2 separately? Thanks simon.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Hi I'm new here so don't know if I'm posting this on the correct section? I've asked around about this (volunteer editor's) and haven't had a response. I just want to know this, I have a draft story that I'm working on and want to add chapters, in my draft do I just type 'chapter 2' and continue with that draft or do I have to upload chapter 1 first then upload chapter 2 separately? Thanks simon.

To get chapter stories organised in your story file, submit your chapters individually:

Story Title Chap.01 - first subtitle
Story Title Chap.02 - second subtitle

Start at 01 if you plan more than ten chapters, so that Chap.10 stays in sequence.

The site editor sorts out all of the joining up and sequencing in your story list.

The only thing to watch is your story title overall must be kept to around 35 characters, which isn't many.

 

[MelissaBaby]

To get chapter stories organised in your story file, submit your chapters individually:

Story Title Chap.01 - first subtitle
Story Title Chap.02 - second subtitle

Start at 01 if you plan more than ten chapters, so that Chap.10 stays in sequence.

The site editor sorts out all of the joining up and sequencing in your story list.

The only thing to watch is your story title overall must be kept to around 35 characters, which isn't many.

If I could change anything on Lit, I'd allow longer titles. All my chapters are titled, and there is rarely room to include them, so they appear only in the text. It's really annoying, because I think of each chapter by its name, not its number.

 

[ElectricBlue]

If I could change anything on Lit, I'd allow longer titles. All my chapters are titled, and there is rarely room to include them, so they appear only in the text. It's really annoying, because I think of each chapter by its name, not its number.

I'm the same, I want to include a meaningful sub-title in the main heading, but 35 characters or whatever it is doesn't give you much to play with.

 

[SimonDoom]

From the reader's standpoint, I think short and sweet is better. I can understand why authors would want subtitles for creative reasons, but I don't use them, and I don't they do a lot to give the reader additional useful information. The first chapter will establish the subject matter of the story, and if readers like it they'll continue with the story regardless of subtitles.

Taglines can be used to give the reader a hint or summary of the content of each successive chapter.

My format simply is Story Title Ch. 01 followed by Story Title Ch. 02, etc.

Make sure you include the "0" in the number for the first nine chapters, so the chapters appear in the proper sequence.

 

[MelissaBaby]

From the reader's standpoint, I think short and sweet is better. I can understand why authors would want subtitles for creative reasons, but I don't use them, and I don't they do a lot to give the reader additional useful information. The first chapter will establish the subject matter of the story, and if readers like it they'll continue with the story regardless of subtitles.

I disagree, because I have had readers ask me "What was the chapter where...", and if each chapter had it's own title, they'd have found what they were looking for more easily.

And, besides, "creative reasons" are the best reason for a writer to do anything.

 

[oggbashan]

If I'm writing a long story but I want to split it into chapters because of change of narrator or to mark a change of place/time I just do a couple of carriage returns and type Chapter Two (with or without a subtitle) then continue with the story until I have reached the end.

Then I post it as a single submission.

Or I can submit as separate chapters as other posters have suggested.

 

[SimonDoom]

I disagree, because I have had readers ask me "What was the chapter where...", and if each chapter had it's own title, they'd have found what they were looking for more easily.

And, besides, "creative reasons" are the best reason for a writer to do anything.

I haven't tried the use of subtitles, so if you have reason to believe your readers want them, that's something to consider.

I disagree a bit with your second point. My view is that the content of your story should follow your own artistic and creative principles. You shouldn't compromise, or cater to what you think the audience wants. But for everything else -- title, taglines, category choice, etc. -- I think it's perfectly acceptable, and sensible, to take into account the realities of this site and its audience. I want to write the stories I want to write, but I also want to try to connect them with the largest possible audience of readers who might like them. When it comes to titles, I think pragmatically rather than creatively. I'm satisfied with that approach because so far I think it's worked. But I acknowledge others have every right to disagree, and that's fine, too.

 

[Handley_Page]

Hi I'm new here so don't know if I'm posting this on the correct section? I've asked around about this (volunteer editor's) and haven't had a response. I just want to know this, I have a draft story that I'm working on and want to add chapters, in my draft do I just type 'chapter 2' and continue with that draft or do I have to upload chapter 1 first then upload chapter 2 separately? Thanks simon.

One thing you have not mentioned is the length of each part. As one Lit page is about 3700 words, it might not make too much sense to have one chapter of one page and do them separately.

Just a thought. . . .

 

[Emirus]

One thing you have not mentioned is the length of each part. As one Lit page is about 3700 words, it might not make too much sense to have one chapter of one page and do them separately.

Just a thought. . . .

Whatever you do you must never publish in chapters of one page/3k plus words. I learned the hard way. I wrote a story - a day in the life of... - and then instead of submitting it as one story I split it into five chapters and submitted it at three day intervals. It bombed. A complete disaster.

I asked for all five chapters to be deleted and then submitted it again in its original form - BiBi and Will. It was much better received and is a decent red H. From this experience and my other stories I think you should never submit individual chapters of less than two pages/6k plus words.

 

[Emirus]

I disagree, because I have had readers ask me "What was the chapter where...", and if each chapter had it's own title, they'd have found what they were looking for more easily.)

One thing I like about your submissions, Melissa, is that you give an indication of the content of each chapter even though they are only titled eg Mary and Alvin Ch.01. I hate it when someone has a story of several chapters and keeps repeating the same thing over and over such as if you had put “A romance between young and old” as each chapter description.

Could I make a suggestion? If it’s only an identifier you are looking for then you could, for example, add Birthday; Storm; Christmas; Surprise; and Families to your last five chapters. Select one word for every chapter you’ve written and then submit the edit. Wouldn’t that solve the problem for both you and your readers?

 

[MelissaBaby]

One thing I like about your submissions, Melissa, is that you give an indication of the content of each chapter even though they are only titled eg Mary and Alvin Ch.01. I hate it when someone has a story of several chapters and keeps repeating the same thing over and over such as if you had put “A romance between young and old” as each chapter description.

Could I make a suggestion? If it’s only an identifier you are looking for then you could, for example, add Birthday; Storm; Christmas; Surprise; and Families to your last five chapters. Select one word for every chapter you’ve written and then submit the edit. Wouldn’t that solve the problem for both you and your readers?

That could work, I suppose, but I'd still like to see thee title bar expanded to more characters, or to have a subtitle option added. I choose my subtitles very deliberately.

 

[Hypoxia]

Whatever you do you must never publish in chapters of one page/3k plus words. I learned the hard way. I wrote a story - a day in the life of... - and then instead of submitting it as one story I split it into five chapters and submitted it at three day intervals. It bombed. A complete disaster.

Then again... I wrote a one-page piece. Readers demanded more so I wrote two one-page sequels, each page from the POV of one of the three participants (Mom, Sonny,m & Sis). All did well. But that just happened. (Those are the Lemonade pieces listed below.)

ObTopic: Story title organization is alphanumeric. I may indicate a story cycle (shared universe) and distinct story flavors and arcs (with chapters) like this:

A Taste of Incest - Kumquat
A Taste of Incest - Lemonade
A Taste of Incest - Lemonade 02
A Taste of Incest - Lemonade 03 End
A Taste of Incest - Peaches & Cream

Or I can name a planned series:

FotoFun: Angle of View Ch. 01
FotoFun: Angle of View Ch. 02
FotoFun: Angle of View Ch. 03

...with room for <Ch.04 End> if I ever get there.