Part, episode, chapter, volume…

[ScrappyPaperDoodler]

By my rough estimation, the vast majority of authors refer to entries in a series as a 'part'. I recently saw a story divided into volumes, and I’ve mainly seen 'chapter' as an alternative to parts.

I’ve been wondering about 'episode' as an alternative, simply because I think a lot of readers expect a relatively self-contained story in each instalment of a series.

What’s your approach to the naming of series instalments? Do you ever shake it up, is it mainly habit, or do you handle it on a case-by-case basis?

P.S. I wish there were a function to group stories in a series without retaining the same name with a number at the end. Then again, that might drive readers insane if it’s not clearly communicated.

 

[oggbashan]

Whatever you call it doesn#t really matter BUT:

If you want the series to be displayed together the title should be identical in the first part, followed by the numbered section e.g.:

My Story Part 01; My Story Part 02 etc.

I start with 01 becaisue otherwise if you get to part 11 it might show as:

Part 1
Part 11
Part 12
Part 2
Part 3

 

[PriestOfIshtar]

Whatever you call it doesn#t really matter BUT:

If you want the series to be displayed together the title should be identical in the first part, followed by the numbered section e.g.:

My Story Part 01; My Story Part 02 etc.

I start with 01 becaisue otherwise if you get to part 11 it might show as:

Part 1
Part 11
Part 12
Part 2
Part 3

This is helpful. Is it possible to put anything *after* the numbered part, e.g.

Story X 01 The Beginning
Story X 02 The Middle
Story X 03 The End

I feel like I have seen this pattern once or twice, but now I can't find it.

 

[oggbashan]

This is helpful. Is it possible to put anything *after* the numbered part, e.g.

Story X 01 The Beginning
Story X 02 The Middle
Story X 03 The End

I feel like I have seen this pattern once or twice, but now I can't find it.

Yes. As long as the part up to the numeral is identical. But note there is a limit on the overall length of the title.

Which is why some people use Ch. or Pt.

 

[TadOverdon]

Ours are published as ebooks before they appear here, so chapters.

 

[KeithD]

All of mine that come to mind are chapters.

 

[LAHomedog]

As others said "Part and number" in the title and "chapter and number" in bold and underline (Chapter 2:) within.

But sometimes I will title a chapter instead like "It Begins," or "Callie," or "It Finally Happens." As the mood strikes me and it feels right in advancing the story.

 

[ElectricBlue]

As others said "Part and number" in the title and "chapter and number" in bold and underline (Chapter 2:) within.

But sometimes I will title a chapter instead like "It Begins," or "Callie," or "It Finally Happens." As the mood strikes me and it feels right in advancing the story.

Within a story that's fine, but if you're talking about separate chapter submissions, you won't get a linked series.

 

[jaF0]

I toyed with something, but I'm not sure it either worked or didn't. The titles are standalone other than they all have a nursery rhymish tone. The subtitles (descriptions) though have a type of implied numerical sequencing to them.

More Morgan Organ & Tail. The second coming.
More Morgan Tail Tales. Her Third is entered.
Four play and more play with the Morgans
Take Five (or more) Morgans.

I haven't conjured up six and seven yet and may not considering the reception of the stories.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I toyed with something, but I'm not sure it either worked or didn't. The titles are standalone other than they all have a nursery rhymish tone. The subtitles (descriptions) though have a type of implied numerical sequencing to them.

More Morgan Organ & Tail. The second coming.
More Morgan Tail Tales. Her Third is entered.
Four play and more play with the Morgans
Take Five (or more) Morgans.

I haven't conjured up six and seven yet and may not considering the reception of the stories.

They will show up in your story list in this order:

Four play and more play with the Morgans
More Morgan Organ & Tail. The second coming.
More Morgan Tail Tales. Her Third is entered.
Take Five (or more) Morgans.

The sort sequence is alphanumeric, and as Ogg notes, the series sequencing software picks up the first lot of common text first, then proceeds alpha-numerically.

Which is why 01, 02, 03 works best. Or you start your first chapter with an aardvark.

 

[jaF0]

They will show up in your story list in this order:

No, they show up in Alpha sequence based on the full story titles, not the sub-header or descriptions included here.

 

[ElectricBlue]

No, they show up in Alpha sequence based on the full story titles, not the sub-header or descriptions included here.

Gotcha, subtitles. But you'd have to have correctly sequenced story titles, presumably with numerics, in which case you've got some redundancy going on. I'm not sure I see the point of doing this, to be honest. Wouldn't more descriptive subtitles be better to hook in readers?