I have a question. How to post 35k words in 12 parts?

[NotNotty]

Here's my question...
Post 40k words and 12 parts all at once?
Post the parts one at a time? Would it build interest that way if it was a decent story?
OR
groups of 3 chapters at a time

does it matter?
what would you do?

thanks

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Not one at a time - very short things don't grab attention on Lit.

Three or four parts at a time, with a note that the story is complete and will be posted in sections a few days apart, will probably get you the most readers.

 

[nice90sguy]

Whatever you choose, you need to make sure that the parts are published in order. Naming the parts "My story - ch 01" through "My story -ch 12" should do it.

It does matter, to me. I would rather read a whole story in one sitting. Ironically, I'm still adding chapters to my story, after 3 months.

 

[TheRedChamber]

Not one at a time - very short things don't grab attention on Lit.

Three or four parts at a time, with a note that the story is complete and will be posted in sections a few days apart, will probably get you the most readers.

This. 10k-13.3k words is probably a good reading length for one session, so 4 or 3 parts make sense. Remember to try and split at dramatically satisfying moments.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Is there a reason for the twelve chapters? That is, logical story sub-elements?

For a 40k story, that's a Lit page per chapter, which is far too short, I think.

I'd publish something that length as a single, stand-alone story. If the chapters are important, give them chapter headings in the narrative.

 

[PennameWombat]

Here's my question...
Post 40k words and 12 parts all at once?
Post the parts one at a time? Would it build interest that way if it was a decent story?
OR
groups of 3 chapters at a time

does it matter?
what would you do?

thanks

I'd publish it as a single story, one single file, not in parts. I have a number of stories close to that length, some up to 70k words.

If I'm doing numbered chapters, each chapter is 15k to 20k words.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I don't break my stories (some well over 100K) up anymore because readers stated that they would prefer a single post from me.

When I did break them up, whether as chapters or parts containing multiple chapters, I endeavored to keep each submission two to three Lit pages long.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Why break it up at all? 35k is a good short story length, and if you post it as one story, readers will likely read all the way thru. If you post it as 3 parts, # of views for parts 2 and 3 will drop off. Over to you, but for myself, I'd just post it in one hit

 

[Voboy]

Yeah, 12 parts? No way is that a good idea.

IF there's a natural stopping point, where one part of the story has some resolution, then by all means chapterize. Otherwise? 35k is long, but by no means TOO long. I've had zero qualms about posting such long pieces.

Is there a risk that some people won't follow through from page 1 to page 16 or so? Of course. But if the writing is good, most will. As for 12 fragmented serials? You're going to lose many, many readers I suspect, unless each installment has its own internal arc, plus a sexual payoff. And that's a hard thing to pull off consistently in twelve 2,500-word chunks.

For reference as to what I'm talking about there, most of my fuckscenes come in around 2,000-3,000 words, with plenty of them topping 4,000. I'd never dream of posting anything here that didn't contain its own self-contained fuckscene. Unless in nonerotic, I suppose. Though I don't really post there.

 

[astuffedshirt_perv]

Is there a risk that some people won't follow through from page 1 to page 16 or so? Of course. But if the writing is good, most will.

For a new, unheralded author, which I assume the OP is, asking me to trust that a multi lit page story is worth it is a big ask. I would prefer a few smaller bites to see if the write can write. But, like, for CholeTzang, pages upon pages are fine.

 

[djrip]

For a new, unheralded author, which I assume the OP is, asking me to trust that a multi lit page story is worth it is a big ask. I would prefer a few smaller bites to see if the write can write. But, like, for CholeTzang, pages upon pages are fine.

Can't you read the first page or two of a 12 page story, and decide from that? Seems like you could read the way you're describing in a long story by just doing that, but breaking it up for that reason is forcing every other reader to follow your preference when they might not want to just have the first 2 pages.

 

[Voboy]

For a new, unheralded author, which I assume the OP is, asking me to trust that a multi lit page story is worth it is a big ask. I would prefer a few smaller bites to see if the write can write. But, like, for CholeTzang, pages upon pages are fine.

Honestly? If I saw a 2,500-word piece from a new writer that was merely setting up the next eleven chapters, with no internal arc and no partial resolution? I wouldn't give Chapter 2 a chance. Let alone 3-12.

To be honest, I don't really pay attention to whether a writer is new or not. If I click on the piece and I like where it's going, I keep reading no matter who wrote it.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Honestly? If I saw a 2,500-word piece from a new writer that was merely setting up the next eleven chapters, with no internal arc and no partial resolution? I wouldn't give Chapter 2 a chance. Let alone 3-12.

To be honest, I don't really pay attention to whether a writer is new or not. If I click on the piece and I like where it's going, I keep reading no matter who wrote it.

This. It's only when you go look at their story page, that you find out they're new.

But that doesn't mean they've never written before, it just means they new to Lit, and maybe new to erotica. Some of the very best stories I've read recently have been first offerings, and I'm waiting for more.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Make it 3 or 4 chapters max if you got 40k words. There are pros and cons to publishing it as an integral story, but for a new writer, 10-15k words per chapter is probably the best.

 

[Trionyx]

35k is a good short story length,

For Chloe, at 35k she’s just getting started…(LOL) but for the rest of us 35k is a rather long Literotica submission. I agree with others to publish it as one submission.