Submitting Novels

[Shwenn]

I apologize if this information is available but I have not been able to find it.

I have a novel. It is a work in progress. I do, however, have a complete outline. I am not finished nor am I winging it. I know where this is going.

I was wondering if people here normally submit their work in entirety or if it is more common to submit such work by chapter, as they are completed.

If it is acceptable to submit chapter by chapter, would it be better to submit to a different category, something fitting to the plot and content? Or is the novel category the best fit?

I would appreciate any thoughts.

 

[Boxlicker101]

I apologize if this information is available but I have not been able to find it.

I have a novel. It is a work in progress. I do, however, have a complete outline. I am not finished nor am I winging it. I know where this is going.

I was wondering if people here normally submit their work in entirety or if it is more common to submit such work by chapter, as they are completed.

If it is acceptable to submit chapter by chapter, would it be better to submit to a different category, something fitting to the plot and content? Or is the novel category the best fit?

I would appreciate any thoughts.

If it's long enough to be called a novel, 50,000 words or more, it is better to break t down into chapters. Generally speaking, it's also a good idea to submit all the chapters at the same time, and they will usually be posted one per day until they are all available. That way, you keep your readership interested. If you post one chapter now and another a month from now, there is less interest, because people don't like to wait such a long time for parts.

That's a suggestiopn. There are no actual rules on how to do it.

 

[Weird Harold]

Serials are not quite the same thing as a novel -- IMHO, you'd need to make some changes to serailize your novel to post it in chapters.

Posting chapters of an unfinished novel is IMHO a bad idea because it locks you into a published storyline/continuity that no amount of posting revised chapters will be able to overcome -- people almost never go back and reread edited chapters to get the revised story continuity straight.

Even if you're absolutely certain that you're not going to be making any critical revisions affecting continuity, posting chapters of an unfinished novel distracts you from actually finishing the novel with the requirements of proofreading and formatting each chapter for posting. In any case, posting parts of an unfinished work robs you of the chance of polishing it into a complete, coherent work.

However, there are no rules about how novel-length stories should be posted; there are novel length stries serialized over nearly every category, novel length stories simply posted piece-meal to extend the time the title stays on the new stories list, and novel-length stories posted as one single submission. Post your story in the manner that is most comfortable for YOU and don't worry too much about the "proper" way to post it.

 

[Shwenn]

Serials are not quite the same thing as a novel -- IMHO, you'd need to make some changes to serailize your novel to post it in chapters.

Thanks, this is probably the best way to go. This piece is already pretty ripe for serialization. It's heavy with foreshadowing and slow reveals. I did that mostly because there's no sex until the fourth chapter so I had to drag everybody along until then. But those are what you need for a good serial.

I was really wondering what the readers here are used to. If serials are not uncommon, that is the way I'll go. It may not end up the most polished, continuous work in the world but, let's be honest, it's not as though I'm getting paid.

 

[Weird Harold]

Thanks, this is probably the best way to go. This piece is already pretty ripe for serialization. It's heavy with foreshadowing and slow reveals. I did that mostly because there's no sex until the fourth chapter so I had to drag everybody along until then. But those are what you need for a good serial.

I was really wondering what the readers here are used to. If serials are not uncommon, that is the way I'll go. It may not end up the most polished, continuous work in the world but, let's be honest, it's not as though I'm getting paid.

Unfortunately, what the readers are used to is unfinished works because the author got offended by the inevitable trollish feedback and quit posting.

"Properly" serialized stories are fairly rare anywhere on the 'net, so good ones generally get better reviews than never-ending series and unserialized novels posted in pieces.

 

[Shwenn]

Unfortunately, what the readers are used to is unfinished works because the author got offended by the inevitable trollish feedback and quit posting.

Hell, bring it on. That's what I'm looking for, here. I want a lot of diverse criticism from people who have no interest in protecting my feelings.

I miss the brutality of my University creative writing classes. Online writer's groups pale in comparison.

 

[rgraham666]

Harold isn't talking about criticism. He's talking about trolling.

These people will not read your work. They will simply go to the voting page and give you the lowest score possible.

Then they will leave a comment that makes it very clear that your very existence offends them and you should die for that offense.

Enjoy.

 

[Weird Harold]

Hell, bring it on. That's what I'm looking for, here. I want a lot of diverse criticism from people who have no interest in protecting my feelings.

I miss the brutality of my University creative writing classes. Online writer's groups pale in comparison.

Brutality can almost be guaranteed. Relevance to your story or writing technique is what is problematic.



That is one point in favor of possing in novels and novellas -- Trolls don't have the attention span required to haunt long stories so they generally avoid that category except when it tops the overall top story list.

PS: I keep forgetting to welcome you to Lit. It can be pointlessly brutal, but you will also get some high-quality feedback.

 

[Shwenn]

Oh, I see what you mean. That is definitely good to know. I will keep a grain of salt ready at all times.

 

[chris 44]

Oh, I see what you mean. That is definitely good to know. I will keep a grain of salt ready at all times.

Better make that a bucket, oh and welcome.

Chris

 

[MarshAlien]

It also depends on the length of your chapters. When I first started posting my stories chapter by chapter, readers at Lit felt gypped; they were barely one Lit page long. So I started posting them by "parts," grouping three or four (consecutive ) chapters that ended up about three Lit pages. I've found that to be a pretty good length for keeping reader interest.

Good luck!

 

[michchick98]

Thanks, this is probably the best way to go. This piece is already pretty ripe for serialization. It's heavy with foreshadowing and slow reveals. I did that mostly because there's no sex until the fourth chapter so I had to drag everybody along until then. But those are what you need for a good serial.

I was really wondering what the readers here are used to. If serials are not uncommon, that is the way I'll go. It may not end up the most polished, continuous work in the world but, let's be honest, it's not as though I'm getting paid.

Lots of good advice here. I've done it two ways in the past, both seemed to get about the same reaction.

I've waited until the story was complete or with only one chapter left to finish/edit before I started posting.

I've posted chapters as I've finished them which forced me to write consecutive chapters faster so as not to keep my readers waiting too long.

It's however you feel comfortable. I am editing a series right now where the author is placing each chapter in a different category - a category pertaining to what the chapter is about.

I have posted multi-chapter stories of mine all in the same category. Novels and Novellas tells the reader that pretty much any of the Lit categories could be contained within any of the chapters. That saves you the hassle of trying to figure out 'which category should I put this one in?'

Good luck and welcome to Literotica and the AH!