Too many chapters?

[drksideofthemoon]

Like I said. Fans are fans. There are readers out there who, if they like your shorter stories, will stick with you through longer and longer and longer stories--who don't want you to ever stop.

And maybe you're a darn good writer and deserve all the acolades and can keep readers from stopping at the bottom of Lit page 1 when they see: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Um...but I checked and your first chapter of Montana Summer was only 3 Lit pages long. So it seemed you followed this rule when you started--enough to get the readers hooked.

This advice was for Carson, who has never posted anything so long before. Who, I'm sure, has his fans--and when he put ups this novel, who knows? Fans may read it in droves and scream for another story, and he may be able to go on for as long as he likes--as many chapters running upwards of 10 or 20 lit pages if he wants.

But for a first time novel, I think I'm giving him sound advise. I think, on a first go with a novel here on Lit, it would be kinder to readers, and better to keep the Lit pages under 6. That way, they can ease into the story and give their committment to it--while he doesn't have to shirk on developing characters or story.

I can see your objection if I were telling him to cut it down to 1 or 2 lit pages, but I don't see that keeping it under 6 Lit pages is too confining. It comes out to a good 50 pages of the story. That's a nice satisfying chunk.

I know the hits, and number, etc. don't matter (or so Carson has said), but I think that getting a wide variety of readers is a good thing. And IMHO, keeping chapters under 6 Lit pages widens the variety of readers--those who like short and those who like long can both go for it. It also avoids readers skimming the text, as many readers do--and as I've certainly found myself doing on the occassions that I do go for a story with 8 or more lit pages.

That's the way I see it. Your milage may vary.

Oh, who the heck knows. I don't have a answer as to why Montana Summer is successful. And, no I don't think keeping something under 6 Lit pages is too confining. Right now for Montana Summer, I try to shoot for 20K words per episode. My other stuff, when I have time, I try to keep at about 10K.

As for Carson, good luck!!

 

[carsonshepherd]

That's the way I see it. Your milage may vary.

This isn't my first novel. It's just the first one I've written without intending it to be posted on Lit. I'm posting it 5 chapters at a time - about 4 Lit pages. Once revisions are done (after I finish revising another novel that's being published soon, originally written for and posted here) then I'll probably start shopping it, and eventually pull it off Lit.
I don't read 8-page Lit stories unless I really, really fall for the story or I'm trying to get in the author's pants.
I don't think darkside was recommending I post 8-page chapters, only that he did and had success with it. Which is cool for him.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

Still haven't gotten published here, so I not trying to be arguementitive; but exactly how long is 1 LIT page? In average kb. It seems (from a writers standpoint) that a chapter ends where it is appropriate for it to end and that has nothing to do with number of pages. I've seen (in the same story no less) chapters that range from a single paragraph to over 50 pages.

Well, I wrote a story on a challenge from a fellow writer that only could be one Lit Page long. Mine was about 3600 words, so depending on the number of paragraphs, I would guess 3500 to 4000 words.

 

[frozen_north]

Good luck Carson. So, can we get an inside track on the story??

 

[CharleyH]

I just got my first revision back on a novel I finished up at 32 chapters, just over 100k words. Has anyone had any experience posting a work of this length on Lit? I'm curious what kind of readership I would get, and if it would be better off in Gay Male catergory or Novels and Novellas.
I'm not definitely posting it, I plan to shop it to some e-publishers, but I'm thinking of having a run at Lit first to see what kind of reaction I get from readers.

I always do a run at Lit first, and I am sorry I cant help any further other than to encourage you, Carson.

 

[3113]

This isn't my first novel. It's just the first one I've written without intending it to be posted on Lit.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. From the look of it, your other "novels" have been fairly short by compare. Five chapters seems pretty mellow when compared to some I've seen that run upwards of 20 chapters.

 

[carsonshepherd]

Sorry for the misunderstanding. From the look of it, your other "novels" have been fairly short by compare. Five chapters seems pretty mellow when compared to some I've seen that run upwards of 20 chapters.

the other novel is not on here anymore. I posted it in 6 chapters, but they were long chapters and it ended up being just at 62k.

Good luck Carson. So, can we get an inside track on the story??

A novelist picks up a guy at a bar, and the next morning while the guy is in his shower, he spots him on the news as a murder suspect on the run.

I always do a run at Lit first, and I am sorry I cant help any further other than to encourage you, Carson

thanks, beautiful.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

Edited for double post...

 

[frozen_north]

Cool, then once I get my story revised, the whole thing should only take maybe 15 or 20 Lit pages.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Well, I wrote a story on a challenge from a fellow writer that only could be one Lit Page long. Mine was about 3600 words, so depending on the number of paragraphs, I would guess 3500 to 4000 words.

I think it's around 3600... 4000 invariably pushes me to page 2... annoying...

 

[frozen_north]

I think it's around 3600... 4000 invariably pushes me to page 2... annoying...

I hadn't realized how large a LIT page was when I made my earlier posts on this. My story is just shy of 37,000 words. (at the moment...)

 

[Guest]

I just got my first revision back on a novel I finished up at 32 chapters, just over 100k words. Has anyone had any experience posting a work of this length on Lit? I'm curious what kind of readership I would get, and if it would be better off in Gay Male catergory or Novels and Novellas.
I'm not definitely posting it, I plan to shop it to some e-publishers, but I'm thinking of having a run at Lit first to see what kind of reaction I get from readers.

My last long story was A Slave of His Desire, a fantasy story that was only 18 chapters long but well over 120,000 words. For a scifi/fantasy story here at Lit, the last chapter is rated at 4.90 with over 230 votes. I think some long stories can do well here, you just have to post it in the right cat. The novel/novella cat doesn't get that many reads. That's why I try to stay away from it no matter how long the storyline turns out to be.

 

[Darkniciad]

There are long story readers out there wandering through Lit. My core tale runs around 7 Lit pages per chapter, halfway through 18 and it will run to 20. I've picked up several comments from my small, but loyal, following that they like the length of the chapters. I hardly have an army of readers, but I have enough to hit ten votes within a day or so of a chapter getting released.

If it's a story you want to tell, I say go for it. If you can work the chapters to 3-4 Lit pages max, that will keep from scaring away people with the long page list. That's what I'm planning to do with Book II of my core tale.

One thing you'll know, those who stay with you through a longer story are truly captured. You'll know you've hit your mark and truly sucked your readers in. Short stories will grab a load of readers, but the challenge is bringing them back for more, over and over again