Keeping it together

[Icingsugar]

Kwestiunz, kwestiunz...

I'm trying desperately (before the NaNo demon posess me) to finish a three part story arch, which is basically one long story, split into three for reading convenience, and to perhaps get more feedback if readers actually make it to the last page.

Splitting a story into chapters, how much do you think the chapters have to be treated as seperate stories? Right now, although there are two good, natural breaking points in the story, the reader gets a bit brutally thown stratight into the action without introductions for the second and third parts.

Question #1 is: Do you think all the parts should be comprehensible all by themselves, with character and situation introduction in each submission, or does that only annoy the readers who made it through the first parts? And can you point me to good examples of cut up story arches?

Question #2 is: If parts of a story has different content, the different parts could span different categories. But it would look kind of nice to keep it all together in one place. Any suggestions as to how to acieve that?

Ie, would the mention of upcoming lesbian sex in one part of a story be enough to put it in the same category as the part where the actual lesbianism occurs? And how will the readers react to a story that includes none or very little of the sex they are seeking in that category?

/Ice

 

[ffreak]

Good questions, Ice. I'm participating in Nano myself this year. Since my novel will be an epic sci-fi/fantasy, it will be much longer than the required 50,000 word length. I'm going to break it into three parts, too (like your story).

Here's some ideas:

When you do parts 2 and 3, a brief paragraph or two (I don't think it should be longer here at Lit) can tell the reader what has gone before. It doesn't have to say those words, but it can recap enough so that readers familiar with the story can say, "Oh yeah, I remember that" and readers who are new get a sense of the characters not just meeting on the street and ripping each other's clothes off.

Also, as you finish parts 1 and 2, leave the reader wanting to know what happens next. If the story itself doesn't break on a cliff hanger, add an italicized question after the end (will they consummate their love or will work keep them apart?). OK, it's a cheap Hollywood trick, but it can plant your tale in their mind so they notice when the next part hits the lists of new stories.

As to keeping them in one category, I think Lauren is pretty flexible if you tell her the story parts are all in the same category.

Let us know when the story becomes available.

-FF

 

[Alex De Kok]

I have four tales on Lit which were written originally as single stories and then split, one by Laurel (it was submitted as a single story and split by her - my very first submission as it happens) and three which were split by me and submitted in parts. Each story is in three parts except one, which is in five.

In none of them did I try to do any build-up at the beginning of the second and third parts, although I did try to split them - at least those I split - at lulls or natural breaks in the action. Rightly or wrongly I was more concerned with submitting my work than trying to make the pieces stand on their own.

I have other efforts on Lit which are multi-part, but in these cases each part was written to stand on its own, the link being that they each concern the same characters in a sequential series of adventures.

My feeling about the scores is that the voting has not been particularly affected by the break down into parts, but those which were written to stand alone have attracted more votes. Not higher, necessarily, just more of them.

To attempt now to actually answer your questions, if you include 'back story' in the second and later parts, keep it to an absolute minimum otherwise you do indeed risk annoying those who are trying to read the series as one story.

My multi-part stories span different categories. It doesn't bother me. If someone likes a part enough to want to read another, all they have to do is follow the link to my profile and they will have the stories nicely listed for them. You could always ask Laurel if you want to keep them together. You do risk annoying the readers. I suppose the bottom line is 'how important is it to you that the tale is seen and read as a whole'? When I have a novel-length opus (after NaNo!) I might concern myself, but not until then.

I notice that ffreak has given you some good advice in the reply above.

Alex

PS: If you want to check them out, Kate was written as a single story, and split by me, Aunt Ellen was written as a series of episodes. Under the Frederick Carol by-line, Suzi was written and submitted as a single story and split by Laurel, Birthday Girl was written as a single story and split by me, while Change of Plan was written as a series of episodes.

 

[Icingsugar]

If the story itself doesn't break on a cliff hanger, add an italicized question after the end (will they consummate their love or will work keep them apart?). OK, it's a cheap Hollywood trick, but it can plant your tale in their mind so they notice when the next part hits the lists of new stories.[/B]

That looks like the way I'm heading right now. And a cheap hollywood thing can do the trick here, since the story is a pretty cheap setup anyway, not really intended to be taken too seriously.

I'm participating in Nano myself this year. Since my novel will be an epic sci-fi/fantasy, it will be much longer than the required 50,000 word length.

Is it ok if I hate you a little bit for that "much longer than 50k" statement?

/Ice - estimated Nano success chance: 7,4%

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I have a couple of stories in parts. I don't think any part need be comprehensible without reading the others, provided they are all posted in order. I try to break them at an approriate point and don't worry too much about symetry of the parts.

One thing I do suggest is breaking directly after a good sex scene. It will whet the reader's appetite for the next go round and their own imagination will go to work on where it might go, increasing anticipation for the next part.

That said don't be surprised if you get tons of feedbacks asking for the next part. One of my series is killing me with feedbacks wanting the next part. Those start coming in as soon as a current part is posted.

-Colly

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I read a celebrity story, and suddenly it was a lesbian incest story. Now I really like the two women that the story was about, but I didn't want to see them in such a situation. Not since the new season starts on Sunday...

Better keep stories in the categories where they'll offend the least. Incest in Incest, Lesbian in Lesbian, and Celebrity in Celebrity. If your reader really likes your story, he/she will go through the trouble of clicking to your page to find the link to parts 2, 3, 4...

 

[Dirty Slut]

Just a thought...

When writing a novel, I am reminded of the age old wisdom that each chapter is a short story unto itself. If you treat your three parter that way there should be no real problem.

DS

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I would think that it's pretty unlikely that someone would elect to read Part 2 or Part 3 of your story before they read Part 1.

---dr.M.

 

[Icingsugar]

Thanks everyone. Lots of good points here. I ended up edtiting up a little bit around the beginnings and ends of chapters, just to make it look a bit tidy, create some good cliffhangers, and submitted the first chapter. I'll let it pass through the New list before submitting part 2. Gotta keep them hanging on that cliff, for a while, right?

I'm still a bit torn about the categorization. The whole arch is about a quite intense first time experience. The first chapter includes noting more then a marsturbation scene and some sex talk, the second is all about oral sex, and the third is a bona fide orgy with several partners and including backdoor action. I'm still gonna aim for three First Time labels, since that'äs the focus of the story really. I guess it's, as a recent newcomer put it, The Powers That Be that will call the shots in the end. No biggie.

/Ice

 

[ffreak]

Good call on the timing, Ice. I think you should watch for the fall-off on voting before submitting the next part. You want to wait long enough to gather the voters but not so soon that they decide to read part one and two before voting - likely only on the last part they read.

-FF (Looking forward to reading the story)