Curious about splitting stories in half

[Loki Olympo]

Greetings everyone. This is maybe my first post on the boards. Not a new writer, and not necessarily looking for feedback to the stories, but feedback for a new concept I'd come up with.

As my main novel with its subchapters was getting to be quite big, I went and added a Non Erotic subchapter listing everyone involved, as there is quite a cast within the story.

A Cast of Characters if you will, along with the background setting for most of the novel.

Now when I write (and browse through stories) I actually like a bit of buildup, as sometimes it makes the climax more stronger, much more impactful, if you've ridden on a journey with the characters of the story.

Most of my stories have the build-up right at the start, or if I'm writing out several parts, I'll use one of the later chapters to add more detail and background to my characters. I especially did this with Prom Night, but for the majority of my stories I casually try to mix the build up and background with the story itself.

Now of the feedback i'd gotten, either in e-mails or to the stories, I get replies to the "action" and seldom about the buildup. What I mean is, in stories where background and payoff are all together in one, the replies are to the action itself and almost nothing about the build up itself.

On the other side of the spectrum, when I use the first chapter as background (Fucking Father's Fiancee & Prom Night: Jesse & Rene for examples) naturally I get requests to keep the story going as the build up is too much to not have a payoff. So I learned by now, if hte first chapter is buildup and the second is the payoff, then lots of readers walk away happy.

So what I'm considering doing, and I'd like feedback for this proposal itself, not my stories, goes like this:
Under Non Erotic submit the first chapter or the background. Then under whatever category the story falls I would post the "action." Do you writers and readers think this would be a good balance, that way those who like the buildup to the story can track it and then go to the second chapter; and meanwhile those just wanting to get to the action sequence know where to go and they're happy too?

I'm just curious, as I'm not really looking to pad my story count, but there are times where I'll have page after page of build up with some action (sex) sprinkled in toward the end, and these don't get rated highly or don't get much of a reply. Do you think readers get bored and want to skip to the "hot stuff" instead?

So again, if you please, some suggestions or comments on the proposal of splitting large stories in two would be perfect. Should I post the build up and background under the Non Erotic section if there's no sex involved? Should I post the "action sequences" aka sex in the categories they go under? Is two stories split in half better or should I say heck with it and throw the whole story in all at once?

Thanks everyone.

 

[sr71plt]

I don't think that readers here generally follow a story from category to category. I also can't really envision a "working" e-site story that takes time out to do a rundown of the characters. If you think the reader will lose track of the characters, there's probably something fundamentally wrong--or too complex for the venue--with the work.

Or you're writing one of those humongous, convoluted fantasy epics some folks seem to like--but probably don't lend themselves to an Internet story site too well. And for those, there's a separate character list run in the front matter or as an appendix, yes--but not separated from the category of the work.

And on the question of whether readers on a site like this will tend to get bored with a lot of build-up and taking a long time to get to the hot sex. Yes, most reading this type of story will get bored. If you check the submissions requirements for erotica e-book publishers, you'll find several who will flatly tell you that a sex scene for each chapter is the general formula.

There will be some readers who like enriched backgrounds, though, as well.

 

[Loki Olympo]

Thanks. question answered

 

[Darkniciad]

Or you're writing one of those humongous, convoluted fantasy epics some folks seem to like--but probably don't lend themselves to an Internet story site too well.

Hey! I resemble that remark! *laugh*

Haven't had any trouble with readers confusing characters, though. I'm the one that needs the list, in order to keep track of eye color, spelling the names, etc.