Where to publish serials?

[DrSqueaky]

I'm looking for input from editors; where should I publish serials? I ask because the first serial I've written (Gifted Grifter) I published in Novels and Novellas. The thing is, the title was changed from #1 to Ch. 01, which appears to be following a convention for naming in that category. That's actually fine for GG, because it has ended up actually telling one, overarching story, so each installment has really been like a chapter in a novella.

I have two others in the works, though ("Twisted Grifter," a spinoff of the first, and another tentatively titled "Last Man Standing.") These will be true serials; they will share a universe, but stories will be independent, not building on each other, and at this point I have no idea how many there will be in total. It just doesn't seem right to call them chapters when they don't contribute to an overarching whole. Is there somewhere else I should be publishing these?

Dr. Squeaky

 

[snooper]

... I have two others in the works, though ... These will be true serials; they will share a universe, but stories will be independent, not building on each other, ...

My advice would be to give them connecting titles but post them as separate stories in the appropriate categories. For example:

Losing My Virginity: a Jo Soap story (First time)
Big Brother: a Jo Soap story (Incest)
No Means NO: a Jo Soap story (Non-consent/Reluctance)
Flowers - For Me?: a Jo Soap story (Romance)
Yes, I'll Do It For You: a Jo Soap story (Loving Wives)
You Mean There Is A Heaven, And A Hell?: a Jo Soap story (Erotic Horror)

 

[Darkniciad]

My advice would be to give them connecting titles but post them as separate stories in the appropriate categories. For example:

Losing My Virginity: a Jo Soap story (First time)
Big Brother: a Jo Soap story (Incest)
No Means NO: a Jo Soap story (Non-consent/Reluctance)
Flowers - For Me?: a Jo Soap story (Romance)
Yes, I'll Do It For You: a Jo Soap story (Loving Wives)
You Mean There Is A Heaven, And A Hell?: a Jo Soap story (Erotic Horror)

I'd say you have better than average odds of having your title/description cut down during the approval process doing that. I've also noticed a lot more of this of late, so I think they're cracking down a bit. So this might not be a workable solution.

I'm trying to figure out the same thing with my Arts Ardane series. I tried just going with the number, and it was changed to chapter. "Part" doesn't really work either, so I'm still trying to puzzle it out.

 

[sr71plt]

This has been a headscratcher for me too. Do they allow subslugs (putting something like Snooper mentions in parenthesis at the top of the story text)? It seems to me that when I've tried this, the subslug has been deleted by Lit.

With my "Tuscan Twilight" series that I really wanted to run with titles as Snooper indicates, I tried using the story description to get in a connecting title, but that was changed on the first one, so I gave up on that. "Tuscan Twilight" was a particular problem for me because, although each segment was designed to stand alone, it also ran the gammit from Gay Male to Lesbian to Bi to Straight and constituted an integrated work when run in a certain order. That one wound up forced into a one title/chapter numbers format, even though the segments appear in different catagory listings.

I have had other works that related and I've either run them as segments under the same title; given them titles that would put them right next to each other, in proper order, in the story list; or even put an explanation at the end of a series pointing the reader to related stories (for an example, look at the end of my "Wolf Creek Chapter 21"). These have survived the submissions process.

 

[MarshAlien]

I had a seven-part story in which I submitted the first four parts in Sci-Fi/Fantasy (it was a time travel story, although there was no actual time travel once you got past the first part), the next two in Novels and Novellas, and the last one in Romance. They all got approved as submitted. Strange, huh?

 

[LadyCibelle]

This has been a headscratcher for me too. Do they allow subslugs (putting something like Snooper mentions in parenthesis at the top of the story text)? It seems to me that when I've tried this, the subslug has been deleted by Lit.

With my "Tuscan Twilight" series that I really wanted to run with titles as Snooper indicates, I tried using the story description to get in a connecting title, but that was changed on the first one, so I gave up on that. "Tuscan Twilight" was a particular problem for me because, although each segment was designed to stand alone, it also ran the gammit from Gay Male to Lesbian to Bi to Straight and constituted an integrated work when run in a certain order. That one wound up forced into a one title/chapter numbers format, even though the segments appear in different catagory listings.

I have had other works that related and I've either run them as segments under the same title; given them titles that would put them right next to each other, in proper order, in the story list; or even put an explanation at the end of a series pointing the reader to related stories (for an example, look at the end of my "Wolf Creek Chapter 21"). These have survived the submissions process.

Is that where I'm supposed to point out the old 'editor edit thyself' thingie?

It's 'run the gambit' and it's 'category' in case you didn't know.

 

[sr71plt]

Sure, if you are into such petty nit-picking (which, of course you are, since you are into unprovoked personal attacking to make yourself feel superior). But thanks for cleaning it up. As I've said repeatedly, no one is perfect and everyone needs an editor. And I can't spell worth spit. When it matters, I have to look nearly everything up in my trusty Webster's.

(I guess I'll have to make sure I have a few misspellings in every posting so you'll have something to thrill over and to feed your need to feel superior.)

 

[LadyCibelle]

Sure, if you are into such petty nit-picking (which, of course you are, since you are into unprovoked personal attacking to make yourself feel superior). But thanks for cleaning it up. As I've said repeatedly, no one is perfect and everyone needs an editor. And I can't spell worth spit. When it matters, I have to look nearly everything up in my trusty Webster's.

(I guess I'll have to make sure I have a few misspellings in every posting so you'll have something to thrill over and to feed your need to feel superior.)

Oh but am I not doing what you wanted me to do? Moderating the forum and making sure everything stays clean? Maybe you should make up your mind......should I moderate or not?

Or maybe even better, you could enlighten me, oh great one, as to what the "proper" role of a moderator should be.

PS: I don't NEED to feel superior to you....I KNOW I am!!

 

[sr71plt]

Let all the bile out. Just let it flow. It's wonderful to control your buttons like this--to see you taking your little world so seriously.

By the way, do you have anything of actual substance to contribute to this thread? No, didn't think so. Just more personal attacking. Ho hum.

It, of course, is obviously that you haven't the foggiest notion of what a moderator does. Somewhat like your knowledge of real editing, I would surmise.

 

[LadyCibelle]

Let all the bile out. Just let it flow. It's wonderful to control your buttons like this--to see you taking your little world so seriously.

By the way, do you have anything of actual substance to contribute to this thread? No, didn't think so. Just more personal attacking. Ho hum.

It, of course, is obviously that you haven't the foggiest notion of what a moderator does. Somewhat like your knowledge of real editing, I would surmise.

Sure, poor little man. Once again you're demonstrating for everyone to see just how big a misogynistic prick you are. Are you so afraid of women that you have to put them down and belittle their achievement? Truly, I pity you!

 

[sr71plt]

Night, Lady Cibelle. Sweet dreams.

 

[LadyCibelle]

Night, Lady Cibelle. Sweet dreams.

And a coward to boot!!

 

[snooper]

My advice would be to give them connecting titles but post them as separate stories in the appropriate categories. For example:

Losing My Virginity: a Jo Soap story (First time)
Big Brother: a Jo Soap story (Incest)
No Means NO: a Jo Soap story (Non-consent/Reluctance)
Flowers - For Me?: a Jo Soap story (Romance)
Yes, I'll Do It For You: a Jo Soap story (Loving Wives)
You Mean There Is A Heaven, And A Hell?: a Jo Soap story (Erotic Horror)

I'd say you have better than average odds of having your title/description cut down during the approval process doing that. I've also noticed a lot more of this of late, so I think they're cracking down a bit. So this might not be a workable solution.

I'm trying to figure out the same thing with my Arts Ardane series. I tried just going with the number, and it was changed to chapter. "Part" doesn't really work either, so I'm still trying to puzzle it out.

Well, what about:

Jo Soap's Lost Virginity (First time)
Jo Soap's Big Brother (Incest)
Jo Soap's No Means NO (Non-consent/Reluctance)
Flowers - For Jo Soap? (Romance)
Jo Soap's Yes, I'll Do It For You (Loving Wives)
Jo Soap's Heaven, And Hell? (Erotic Horror)

Of course the paranthetic part is NOT part of the title, but indicates the category.

 

[Darkniciad]

Well, what about:

Jo Soap's Lost Virginity (First time)
Jo Soap's Big Brother (Incest)
Jo Soap's No Means NO (Non-consent/Reluctance)
Flowers - For Jo Soap? (Romance)
Jo Soap's Yes, I'll Do It For You (Loving Wives)
Jo Soap's Heaven, And Hell? (Erotic Horror)

Of course the paranthetic part is NOT part of the title, but indicates the category.

Even that might not be enough if your description is longer than three words. I've been chopped a few times and come to the conclusion that if you have a title longer than three words, you have to shrink your description down from a compact car to a hot wheel. If you don't, some -- shall we say "intersting" -- things end up happening to either the title or the description I've seen a lot of reports of slicing and dicing in titles and descriptions lately, so I assume that the relative laxity in this area is under knuckle down.

I'll probably PM Laurel and see if I can't get an indulgence to edit the previous releases to just use the numbers when my next Arts Ardane comes back from editing. Chapter, Part, Book, Episode... None really fit, and the stories have just enough chronological connections that they need to be read in order. Trying to do that with more than two or three stories ( and the series will run for at least half a dozen ) is just too much to deal with in author's notes.

I'm already running into that with my VR : DQ series as LesLumens, because my "leaps" don't follow the chronological order of the games, but rather my storyline. Every chapter has to start off with "You need to read this one first, then this one, then this one..." Pain in the butt for me and readers

The ideal solution would be to allow us to edit the appearance order of our stories on our submission page. We could group things then and simply point to that in our author's notes. One line, done. The additional field in the member's table and code processed when viewing the submissions page might be too much processing time when multiplied by the vast Lit membership, however. I suppose it couldn't hurt to suggest it :: shrug ::

 

[sr71plt]

Well, what about:

Jo Soap's Lost Virginity (First time)
Jo Soap's Big Brother (Incest)
Jo Soap's No Means NO (Non-consent/Reluctance)
Flowers - For Jo Soap? (Romance)
Jo Soap's Yes, I'll Do It For You (Loving Wives)
Jo Soap's Heaven, And Hell? (Erotic Horror)

Of course the paranthetic part is NOT part of the title, but indicates the category.

At least couple of those titles look short enough to work--the use of punctuation might cause them to be shortened. I've had up to six words in a title pass through. You might just try it and see.

 

[snooper]

... they need to be read in order. Trying to do that with more than two or three stories ( and the series will run for at least half a dozen ) is just too much to deal with in author's notes. ...

Try three word titles in alphabetic order, with an author's note saying "read these in alphabetical order" - admittedly that limits you to 26 stories, some with very curious titles.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

Yeah!

Somehow I'm feeling as if I'm watching the "other" gang retreating and I'm filled with a false sense of false bravado...

On second thought (with, hopefully, LadyC on his side...)

"Yeah, run, fuckers!"

 

[LadyCibelle]

Somehow I'm feeling as if I'm watching the "other" gang retreating and I'm filled with a false sense of false bravado...

On second thought (with, hopefully, LadyC on his side...)

"Yeah, run, fuckers!"

AS, Of course I'm on your side. You're part of my 'gang' and unless you stabbed me in the back.....I look out for my 'gang'.

 

[sr71plt]

But what do either one of you think about composing titles for serials?

 

[TxRad]

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3

Seems to work for most people.....

 

[sr71plt]

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3

Seems to work for most people.....

Those titles are available here as exclusives at Lit., so I guess "most people" are posting somewhere else, just as some people don't read the threads before posting. But I got a good laugh out of that. Thanks.

 

[Darkniciad]

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3

Seems to work for most people.....

Self contained stories with a beginning and ending that are tied together only by the characters and a timeline are what I'm talking about. They don't really build off each other, except on tiny levels that only matter when taken as a whole. You can read any of the stories by themselves without reading those previous or following, and you'll only miss a very broad overall theme. They're history tales for my big storyline. They're not continuations, so chapter just doesn't fit the bill.

 

[snooper]

... They're history tales for my big storyline. ...

That makes the alphabet easier:

Alice In Storyline
Ben In Storyline
Catherine In Storyline
Donald In Storyline
...

(If only Charles Dodgson had moved on past A ...)

OR if the characters are all the same ones, use actions:

Acting In Storyline
Bedtime In Storyline
Cocksucking In Storyline
D***ing In Storyline
...

(OK I couldn't think of a D, but F will be easy!)

 

[Darkniciad]

That makes the alphabet easier:

Alice In Storyline
Ben In Storyline
Catherine In Storyline
Donald In Storyline
...

(If only Charles Dodgson had moved on past A ...)

OR if the characters are all the same ones, use actions:

Acting In Storyline
Bedtime In Storyline
Cocksucking In Storyline
D***ing In Storyline
...

(OK I couldn't think of a D, but F will be easy!)

For the moment, that would even work, as the titles of the series are already alphabetical by pure happenstance. That would force me to lose The Arts Ardane, however. I'm really fond of the series title, and it sums everything up perfectly. I just can't see losing it.

 

[TxRad]

Those titles are available here as exclusives at Lit., so I guess "most people" are posting somewhere else, just as some people don't read the threads before posting. But I got a good laugh out of that. Thanks.

And you wonder why you have a hard time getting along with others.

If the story is stand alone, name it and go on, otherwise lit is going to tag a ch # on it. Use one key word in the title to tie it all together.

I understood what you meant Dark but i wasn't sure why it was so important.