How many chapters is too many

[tk5555]

I write stories with the same characters, mostly because I am not that creative. For the most recent series I called them chapters. I have noticed that views seem to be falling off in the later chapters. Is there a limit where readers tend to give up and new readers don't want to start late in the series? Or is it just getting boring?
Looking back I should have called them episodes because they are more like a TV series. Each one pretty much makes sense on its own, but there is some value in reading them all. I'm on " chapter" 15 now, is that too many?

 

[sr71plt]

Readers for subsequent chapters will steadily drop off, yes. Whether long series will be followed and appreciated to the end, though, is largely determined by how good the story plot, characterizations, and writing are of that individual series--to those who are reading it. So, no magic bullet answers to this one.

Unfortunately on Literotica, though, there's an added factor that many series are never completed. That doesn't encourage readers to invest in them, especially if they are being posted at great-delay intervals.

 

[SevenSquared]

Well people are unlikely to start reading a story at a chapter other than 1, so it's only natural that your viewings, votes and comments will drop off as the series go on. After every part, you will have some people not want to read any further for whatever reason, so if your first part gets X readers, then the second chapter will get X-a and the third chapter will get X-a-b and so on.

I don't think any number of chapters is too many by definition, but a big drop-off in readers is a good sign that your penultimate chapter was one too many.

 

[Euphony]

Agreed. One chapter too many is the chapter that no longer drives the narrative well. Ill read 50 chapters and barely think about it. Ive struggled with some 3 chapter stories here.

Just keep the story moving. Try to keep chapters relatively short and roughly balanced ( a 3 pager then a 16 pager then a 5 is a bit rattling and makes it feel like the 2nd is your beloved chapter)

We'll stick with you if you write well and release timely updates. We tend to vote high too.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

People read LIT stories for diverse reasons. Chapter One is always a dice roll, with Chapter Two the reader has a better idea if the writer and tale are worth the candle.

 

[Bramblethorn]

FWIW, when I posted my first chapter as a stand-alone, it got somewhere around 10,000 views. I think the 2nd-3rd chapters got about 8000 views each when first posted, and since then it seems to have levelled off at about 5000 views when a new chapter goes up. I guess that's a combination of 'loyal readers' and 'people who don't mind starting halfway through'.

OTOH, while later chapters get fewer views, they ALSO get people reading the earlier stuff. I'm up to nine chapters posted now, and I still get about 1000 extra views on Chapter 1 when a new installment goes up.

Those numbers are likely to vary considerably depending on what you're writing, of course.

(I got curious about reading/voting patterns so I started keeping tabs. Some people collect stamps...)

 

[Euphony]

FWIW, when I posted my first chapter as a stand-alone, it got somewhere around 10,000 views. I think the 2nd-3rd chapters got about 8000 views each when first posted, and since then it seems to have levelled off at about 5000 views when a new chapter goes up. I guess that's a combination of 'loyal readers' and 'people who don't mind starting halfway through'.

OTOH, while later chapters get fewer views, they ALSO get people reading the earlier stuff. I'm up to nine chapters posted now, and I still get about 1000 extra views on Chapter 1 when a new installment goes up.

Those numbers are likely to vary considerably depending on what you're writing, of course.

(I got curious about reading/voting patterns so I started keeping tabs. Some people collect stamps...)

Thanks for this. Very helpful. Far more than had you collected stamps instead.

 

[3113]

Break Chapters up into "Books"

ILooking back I should have called them episodes because they are more like a TV series. Each one pretty much makes sense on its own, but there is some value in reading them all. I'm on " chapter" 15 now, is that too many?

There are Lit readers who will happily invest in a big book with a 100 chapters...but not many. First, because unlike a completed book you can pick up from Amazon, writers here post chapter by chapter and so readers rarely know how many chapters the books has or if it will be completed. Many don't want to invest in a book where they don't know it's length or if it will be finished.

Second, the longer it gets, the fewer new readers will want to invest in it. They'll see 20 chapters and say, "I don't got time for that..." and just not start. Third, the vast majority of Literotica readers are after the short and sweet. However, they do fall in love with characters and want to see more stories with them. And there-in is the trick.

I've found the best way to have one's cake and eat it, too, is to break up your novel into three short stories. Or, rather, make it seem that way. So you write up a story of about 3 chapters ("Dick and Jane's Excellent Adventures!")--not only likely to attract readers ("only three chapters! doable...."), but you can probably post the story complete, so readers don't have to wait for chapter 2 or 3 and lose interest. So, now they're hooked and you bring out "Dick and Jane Further Adventures!" (Book 2)--which is really just chapters 4-7 but readers don't have to know that. They think, "Yay! Another Dick & Jane book!"

This is the way the popular book market works now. There are "saga" readers out there that want long-assed books. But most readers like their sagas broken up into a series of books, not all in one tome. As with Harry Potter and Twilight type series, they want both a complete book, yet one that hints of more to come so they can look forward to the next book. Do up your chapters this way, as a series of shorter "books" and I think you'll not only keep readers, but also get newer readers as those checking out "Further Adventures" will go back to read "Excellent Adventures."

 

[tk5555]

There are Lit readers who will happily invest in a big book with a 100 chapters...but not many. First, because unlike a completed book you can pick up from Amazon, writers here post chapter by chapter and so readers rarely know how many chapters the books has or if it will be completed. Many don't want to invest in a book where they don't know it's length or if it will be finished.

Second, the longer it gets, the fewer new readers will want to invest in it. They'll see 20 chapters and say, "I don't got time for that..." and just not start. Third, the vast majority of Literotica readers are after the short and sweet. However, they do fall in love with characters and want to see more stories with them. And there-in is the trick.

I've found the best way to have one's cake and eat it, too, is to break up your novel into three short stories. Or, rather, make it seem that way. So you write up a story of about 3 chapters ("Dick and Jane's Excellent Adventures!")--not only likely to attract readers ("only three chapters! doable...."), but you can probably post the story complete, so readers don't have to wait for chapter 2 or 3 and lose interest. So, now they're hooked and you bring out "Dick and Jane Further Adventures!" (Book 2)--which is really just chapters 4-7 but readers don't have to know that. They think, "Yay! Another Dick & Jane book!"

This is the way the popular book market works now. There are "saga" readers out there that want long-assed books. But most readers like their sagas broken up into a series of books, not all in one tome. As with Harry Potter and Twilight type series, they want both a complete book, yet one that hints of more to come so they can look forward to the next book. Do up your chapters this way, as a series of shorter "books" and I think you'll not only keep readers, but also get newer readers as those checking out "Further Adventures" will go back to read "Excellent Adventures."

That sounds like an excellent idea. I just need to wrap up the current series. Thanks for the advice.

 

[sr71plt]

Might be aware that it isn't a straight spiral down in number of views on a chaptered series, either.

I have a 21-chapter novel on Literotica that follows the following progression from most to least views: 1, 2, 5, 3, 11, 6, 9, 21, 4, 7, 20, 8, 14, 13, 16, 18, 12, 10, 15, 17, 19. This on chapters posted every three days from beginning to end.

So, there must be readers attracted by a particular blurb and coming in to read just that chapter.

In addition, there are chaptered series with chapters posted to different categories. The views of these should be all over the map, influenced by the relative readership in those categories. My novel was posted to just one category.

 

[JackLuis]

I wrote a 41 chapter serial in Novels (Spreading Seeds) about a guy in the 23rd century. Each chapter was a story about a different girl, or her sister. It took me almost 2 years to write it and it generally has 15-19 H's, depending on how the new readers vote.
The first "Chapter" has >36K reads and 116 votes.
Chapter 40 has >5K reads and 33 votes.
most average >6K reads
Lots of the highest rated stories have 2-3K more reads than the lower scoring stories. I guess people are just reading the highest scoring chapters now.

One thing that I noticed about the scores is that some of the chapters that were not "terribly sexy" scored as well as the three way detailed sex chapters??

I varied content from 2 -5 Lit pages and got comments about 'short chapters" if it wasn't 3 pages or more.

I'd heed the advice given so far in the thread. I did put in a plea for votes as a foot note and instead of my 30-50 votes I got 113, so begging helps get votes.

 

[mynameisben]

It depends on the author. For many, it's one.

 

[3113]

My novel was posted to just one category.

Good point. If you're going to have more than one book or chapters, try to keep them in one category. I've seen instances where readers think the story has ended because the next chapters have moved into a different category, etc.