How do readers respond to long delays between chapter stories?

[FifthEstate]

I’ve had a serious case of writer’s malaise for the past year and a half. I haven’t published anything during that time leaving many readers disappointed and/or pissed! I have two unfinished multi-chaptered series that had both captured pretty nice followings prior to my sabbatical.

I’m happy to say I have finally overcome my affliction and just uploaded the next chapter in my “Warden’s Wife Pays His Debt” series yesterday.

Do any of you have experience in how readers respond to long delays (two years in this case) between chapter releases? Will the momentum be gone? Will loyal readers come back? Should I expect a big drop off in readership? I’m really excited to finally publish something again, but honestly I have no idea what to expect.

 

[KeithD]

There are hundreds of thousands of readers here, all with their separate likes and dislikes. Which of those are you asking about?

As for me, I wouldn't invest time reading anything that didn't claim it was finished--particularly here on Literotica where so much of it is left unfinished or suspended for a long time.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I don't submit any part of a story until the entire story is complete, and I won't start any story that I can tell isn't complete.

Loyal followers will likely go back and re-read prior parts of the story to refresh themselves.

I wouldn't expect a big drop off in readers (views) since there are so many more readers here versus two years ago

 

[RejectReality]

You'll have some people come back for a long idle storyline, but naturally a lot of people will have moved on. You'll also attract new readers from the new story lists, but also lose a lot who see the long gap between the new and the old.

If you can get in a groove and finish it before posting the first new installment, that's ideal. Say that it's finished right at the top of the first new installment when you post it as well. If it's already been idle for a long time, a little more of a delay to get to "The End" will serve you and your readers well. Tag that last installment in the title/description with something noting that it's the end as well.

Probably would be worth it to note that it's complete in the first installment with an edit as well.

Get that story finished, and then unleash it is my advice.

 

[lovecraft68]

Honestly? Who cares?
For that they're paying they get it when they get it

 

[Voboy]

I've given my readers long and unpredictable layoffs between chapters of my SF story. Over the past three or four parts, I've consistently gotten 2,000 views, give or take. Meaning, it's settled down, presumably to a core of readers who don't mind the delays.

I think I write well enough to hold their interest. Meaning, I'd imagine the answer to your question is probably story-dependent. There are boring and repetitious chaptered entries at Lit that I would never waste my time on. I don't want my story to be one of those, so I put in the effort to try to ensure I'm not. I like to think my readers respond to that effort.

TL;DR: if you make it an entertaining and well-written series, it probably won't matter much.

 

[BiscuitHammer]

I get complained at about taking too long, very often in all caps, and it often isn't just a one line question, but an entire screed that the Imperial Inquisition in Warhammer 40k would be awed by.

One reader went on for a good ten paragraphs about the fact that I hadn't updated his favourite story in some time. I called his bluff and said he could pay me if he wanted more right now.

Damned if the li'l bugger didn't do it, so now I'm working on a new chapter I wasn't scheduled to work with yet.

He gave me money, that'll teach me.

To be fair, I HAD been neglecting that story, and it is popular with the Novels crowd, so I knuckled under and began.

I probably get two complaints a week on average about my sluggish turnout schedule. Thankfully, the rate of compliments is much higher. I'll take the goodwill where I can get it these days...

 

[Bubo_bubo]

I think a lot might also depend on what expectations you've set and how well you meet them. As an avid consumer of webcomics, I'm no stranger to all kinds of variations in update schedules, expectations set and expectations met.

The expectations you set can be explicit (you set out in an Author note at the start of the story how you'll handle updates, or at the end of each chapter you give an indication for when the next chapter will be posted), or implicit (you regularly post a chapter every two weeks).
You can set low expectations ("I'll update with new chapters whenever I have time") but expect fewer readers to engage with your story.

But the worst thing is setting expectations and then not meeting them. That will get people angry, or at the least frustrated.

In those kind of cases I think it might be possible to put up maybe an edited version of your last chapter and amend it with a note (dated by preference) "Sorry people. Something came up in my life and because of that I can't spend as much effort and time in writing. This story is on hiatus until my situation improves."
People will still be frustrated though.

 

[oggbashan]

My worst delay was on Christmas Fairy. I had written myself into a corner at the end of chapter two and didn't know how to proceed. It took me THIRTEEN YEARS to write and post chapter three and last.

But people didn't seem that concerned...

 

[FifthEstate]

Wow! Thirteen years! I’m guessing it was pretty much a new group of readers when the new one published.

 

[FifthEstate]

I've given my readers long and unpredictable layoffs between chapters of my SF story. Over the past three or four parts, I've consistently gotten 2,000 views, give or take. Meaning, it's settled down, presumably to a core of readers who don't mind the delays.

I think I write well enough to hold their interest. Meaning, I'd imagine the answer to your question is probably story-dependent. There are boring and repetitious chaptered entries at Lit that I would never waste my time on. I don't want my story to be one of those, so I put in the effort to try to ensure I'm not. I like to think my readers respond to that effort.

TL;DR: if you make it an entertaining and well-written series, it probably won't matter much.

I agree with that. I think this newest chapter will hold its own, but I can’t imagine it will have the same kind of click rates, at least initially.