Newcomer requests advice: Post slowly or wait?

[themightyoak]

I've posted the first two chapters of a story, but a few people have commented that I am posting too slowly. Given the fact that I am making this story up as I go, it does take me about three weeks to write another chapter.

So, the question is this: Should I continue to post at the present frequency, or should I wait, write about five chapters to get ahead, and then begin posting again with less time between postings?

Your comments are greatly appreciated.

 

[oggbashan]

You can post as many chapters at once as you want to. Literotica would normally post them on consecutive days.

Waiting is not good. I have made readers wait years to finish some of my chaptered stories and they are still waiting for me to finish some

 

[sr71plt]

When I'm posting a chaptered piece, I try to submit the next chapter when the previous one has posted--to ensure it's all posting without problem. I don't start posting until a work is complete.

I can fully understand the disgruntlement of readers who have to wait weeks for another installment--or who have to read a rambling, unfocused storyline that doesn't know where its headed or what is necessary to be included in getting there because the rest of it hasn't been written yet.

 

[oggbashan]

...

I can fully understand the disgruntlement of readers who have to wait weeks for another installment--or who have to read a rambling, unfocused storyline that doesn't know where its headed or what is necessary to be included in getting there because the rest of it hasn't been written yet.

There is also the annoyance to the author if the characters refuse to cooperate in later chapters and the posted chapters have to be revised/edited to fit where the story has gone.

 

[sr71plt]

There is also the annoyance to the author if the characters refuse to cooperate in later chapters and the posted chapters have to be revised/edited to fit where the story has gone.

Unfortunately, most authors won't go with revelations on new/better directions in the storyline precisely because they don't want to go back and try to change what's already been published. This both can make their work less than it could have been and can spoil the enjoyment of writing.

 

[alwayswantedto]

<deleted>

 

[PennLady]

Some would say -- and I wouldn't disagree -- that the ideal thing is to finish a story and then post every week, or as SR said, submit the next chapter when the previous has posted.

I have tried -- and succeeded at times -- in writing about half of a story and then posting once a week, and finishing while posting the previous parts. I tried that on my current story, but things got out of control around Ch 7 and I ended up with a big lag between chs 8 and 9. Hey, it happens.

 

[sr71plt]

I do think that posting of chapters is a situation in which the reading needs of the readers should be taken into account from the get-go.

 

[themightyoak]

Thanks for your responses.

Yeah, I already know about all that stuff. I mean, who would start posting a story before it's finished? I'm actually asking the question for a friend of mine. His name is...umm...Phil. Yeah. That's it. Phil. He wears argyle socks and has a dachshund. (The dachshund wears argyles too.)

Anyway, Phil is a real dumbass and he's already started posting a story he hasn't finished. So, given that fuck up, what should he do? Should he post at the present frequency, or should I wait, write about five chapters to get ahead, and then begin posting again with less time between postings?

Ahem. That's, uh, "...should he wait...."

 

[jdnunyer]

I vote "write about five chapters to get ahead, and then begin posting again with less time between postings."

 

[sr71plt]

I think "he" should quickly whip up the next chapter. And then, while that was waiting to post, bring this puppy to an end and post the rest. And then that next time "he" should complete it all first and then submit it so that it doesn't take more than ten days for the next chapter to appear. All of this just to keep whatever readers and fan base "he" can start to build.

(But that's just my opinion).

And I'm not sure I'd wear argyle socks around a dachshund. Their vision doesn't reach far off the floor and their teeth are attracted to flashy patterns. You might pass that on to Phil.

 

[estragon]

And yet to every rule there's an exception. LettersfromTatyana's great series "Seven Years Since the Motel" posted over the course of a year from Ch 1 to Ch 7, with an average score of 4.79. Not too shabby.

 

[PennLady]

I read an interesting article the other day on the psychology of waiting; what makes people do it, mad about it, etc. One thing was that if people knew how long they would be waiting, they were much better about things. It didn't really matter how long the wait was, so long as they knew. I wonder if it works like that with stories. If the reader can be relatively assured of a weekly posting, perhaps they won't care about the wait? Or even a monthly posting?

I find I like to space it out a little, although I did post at least one multi-part story on a daily basis, I think. I'd have to check.

 

[sr71plt]

A chaptered series is about the only time I include a logistical note at the beginning. For recent series, at the top of the first chapter I've indicated how many chapters there are and approximately when the last one should post.

 

[jomar]

I tend to do what sr does...finish a story then post weekly or submit as soon as the previous chapter posts.

Though in one story there was an 8 month gap until I wrote/posted the last chapter and in another it was a year before I wrapped up the last two chapters.

 

[HeyAll]

Trust me, I like checking the viewing & voting stats often, and the longer you wait, the less the viewers/votes you will have for the next installment.

http://www.literotica.com/top/

If the next chapter comes within a few days, the drop off becomes less. But if it's over a week or more, then the drop off in views become higher. Just look at the Top Lists and you'll notice the trend with multi-chaptered stories.

 

[Safe_Bet]

Though in one story there was an 8 month gap until I wrote/posted the last chapter and in another it was a year before I wrapped up the last two chapters.

**Nods**

I bet the scores and comments on both of those chapters got the fuck panned out of them too, didn't they? Us "readers" could pretty much care fuck'all about your writerly need for immediate gratification that caused you to start posting a story before it was finished and we "readers" only have two ways of showing that displeasure.

Seems a shame to have your hard work 1 bombed / "you're a douchewaffle!"-ed because you just HAD TO post those first chapters to stroke your own ego.

 

[lance gt]

I usually get the notes for my chapters done first, so the story has a beginning and an end. I'll write the first three or four chapters and start posting them one per week, giving me time to write the subsequent chapters and keep the flow going. RL always gets in the way and will fuck up your rhythm, but most readers will be patient for a chapter as stated, for about two weeks and get antsy for the next. I have gaps as long as a month, but in some cases, it's done better than the others, because I've taken a bit longer on it and the readers can see that in the story and writing. Stroke stories just have to keep a steady flow of sex going to keep them cumming, but one with more story to it, is expected to take longer to post.

 

[themightyoak]

I guess I'm...I mean, Phil, is doing this story Ray Bradbury style. Bradbury always created his stories "on the fly." It's more in keeping with real life, because once something happens, you can't go back and change it.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Just because I post a story as a singleton doesn't mean it stays that way. I've only written one or two multi-chapter stories that were supposed to be multi-chapter stories. The rest just . . . well, I'd say they grew but mostly the characters kept waking me up at night and demanding more stage time. I think the current one has finally played out. Now maybe I can write what I want!

 

[jomar]

**Nods**

I bet the scores and comments on both of those chapters got the fuck panned out of them too, didn't they? Us "readers" could pretty much care fuck'all about your writerly need for immediate gratification that caused you to start posting a story before it was finished and we "readers" only have two ways of showing that displeasure.

Seems a shame to have your hard work 1 bombed / "you're a douchewaffle!"-ed because you just HAD TO post those first chapters to stroke your own ego.

Ha! Actually, 2 out of 3 got a red H and the other was a red before it settled at 4.45. Like most, I have had 1 bombs for dumb reasons, like once when I forgot the put Ch 1...reader had issues with that.

 

[bashfullyshameless]

You Aren't Punching A Clock

Thanks for your responses.

Anyway, Phil is a real dumbass and he's already started posting a story he hasn't finished. So, given that fuck up, what should he do? Should he post at the present frequency, or should I wait, write about five chapters to get ahead, and then begin posting again with less time between postings?

Phil was me, then, when I first started posting on Lit, about a year & a half ago. It worked awfully damn well for me.

As has been said, if they're urging you to write more, that's a great sign. That said:

1. Take the time to make it good. It's your story, not theirs. Don't post something until you're happy with it.
2. You are not being paid to write here. There are no deadlines except those you give yourself.

Yes, it's nice to have a story completed and post it in chapters on a schedule, or in quick succession. If you post Chapters 1-4, for instance, they will eventually post on four successive days. This really helps with early visibility. That said, if you're writing in a serialized format, and you're making it up as you go... who cares? Tell your readers that's how it works in a footnote. Then get back to what you're doing, and have fun with it.

Good luck!

 

[topace]

When I start posting my multi-chapter stories here, I'll be leaving a note at the top of each chapter telling them to watch my blog for details on when the next chapter is up.

So far my average between chapters for a story is 2-3 months maximum - usually because I work on a different story's chapter to keep the interest high in what I am doing. If writing becomes boring, I then tend to slack off.

 

[BONNIEBREA]

I never begin posting chapters until I've completed writing the story. Then I'll submit a chapter, wait until it posts to make sure it's posted completely and correctly, and then submit the next.

 

[RodenAddison]

I just finished my Nude Day story and have it sitting in mothballs until the 20th. It was a break for me. I'm writing a four or five parter, three of them are doen (I know) and it does require writing it from beginning to end since I find that a lot of my writing is a process of discovery. None of it will be posted until the plot line is complete. The parts will be posted about four days apart once I'm satisfied with it. None of it goes to my friendly editor until I'm pleased with it.

I'm finding this approach to be pretty satisfying but I'm finding it trying to not be posting. Nude Day is waiting, my four or five parter is in development and I'm also working on a story for a friend. My last two were posted together n the 26th of May. I'm finding the time between stories to be frustrating, however... I also felt when I was writing so much and posting quickly that I was losing some of the joy in the writing.

The story for sxyhotwfe6649 will probably show up in a week or so on the site. It's not my job, I'm learning a lot and having a lot of fun. At this point, that's my goal.

It's important to remember why we write.