New features for non-series authors too?

[MelissaBaby]

Had the kind of "encouragement" you're proposing been the rule when I came to this site, neither of those long stories would ever have been written; without the first of those, I probably wouldn't have written most of the shorts either.

I do not agree that this would've been a benefit to me. I put enough value on my stories that I also don't agree that missing out on those stories would have benefited the site.

I posted 36 chapters of Mary and Alvin, one a month, for a period of three years. And I worked on it nearly every day. I worked on it while I was on my friggin' honeymoon.

If there had been any rule about finishing deadlines or restrictions of any kind on posting chapter by chapter, I never would have written it. And, likely, never would have written anything I've written since.

 

[RejectReality]

I personally subscribe to the finish it before posting it rule now, but that's only because I have a story hanging out there that's unfinished. It's bittersweet to step back into that world with that specific character. Bringing her back to life makes me smile, but also reminds me that it's not real. I still work on it, but it takes me forever to finish new chapters.

I recommend finishing the story before posting every time it comes up for that reason, and for the other positive benefits it brings with regards to reader interaction/satisfaction, but I won't begrudge anyone who chooses to post as they finish each chapter.

 

[Duleigh]

The cover art for the series is tiny, you can't put much text into it, the ads are bigger.

 

[yukonnights]

I personally subscribe to the finish it before posting it rule now, but that's only because I have a story hanging out there that's unfinished. It's bittersweet to step back into that world with that specific character. Bringing her back to life makes me smile, but also reminds me that it's not real. I still work on it, but it takes me forever to finish new chapters.

I recommend finishing the story before posting every time it comes up for that reason, and for the other positive benefits it brings with regards to reader interaction/satisfaction, but I won't begrudge anyone who chooses to post as they finish each chapter.

This is my approach too. When I have a story I think is worth pursuing, I finish it — let it sit awhile — read it through one last time — submit all "chapters" / "parts" on the same day. The only reason I do a multi-part submission is to make a longer story more accessible to those who can't sit for hours reading a long story. Since writing is just a sporadic hobby for me, I wouldn't enjoy having an unfinished story hanging over me nagging at me to add the next part — it would most likely never get wrapped up. But that's just my way and obviously others have their ways.

 

[RejectReality]

This is my approach too. When I have a story I think is worth pursuing, I finish it — let it sit awhile — read it through one last time — submit all "chapters" / "parts" on the same day. The only reason I do a multi-part submission is to make a longer story more accessible to those who can't sit for hours reading a long story. Since writing is just a sporadic hobby for me, I wouldn't enjoy having an unfinished story hanging over me nagging at me to add the next part — it would most likely never get wrapped up. But that's just my way and obviously others have their ways.

The one caution I would offer is to submit each as the previous part is approved. While it may not be much of a concern if you're not writing on the edges, a chapter could get rejected and Laurel might miss that there were multiple parts submitted. If she approves the next one, you've got a missing chapter.

Depending upon the category, daily postings ( which is how Laurel typically spaces bulk submissions like this ) can actually be detrimental to engagement as well. Multiple chapters showing up on the various hub lists doesn't improve engagement, while a couple of days space stretches how long your story is front and center to the category's readership. If it's a category where the new list completely cycles every day, it's not quite as big of a deal, but the talked about/top author listings still benefit from a couple of days worth of space because you stay on them and spike toward the top with each release.

Plus, there's just being kind to Laurel by not blowing up the queue and putting extra work on her plate. Even if it's only two or three parts, she has to review and process all of them instead of a single submission.

 

[Agiel]

If possible, I believe the best way to do a series is to write all chapters before submitting the story and have each chapter published a few days apart. If each chapter is a couple of pages then that shouldn’t be a problem unless it’s going to run to fifty chapters. Which would be unusual.

But what you might want isn’t always possible.

If there are a significant numbers of chapters, each of several pages, then you can’t expect the writer to complete the work before submitting. But you can expect the time between the chapters to be reasonable. Perhaps it would help if, at the end of each chapter, the writer gave some indication of the next chapter. “Chapter 33 coming soon. Jack and Jill go looking for a hill to climb.”

When the second method is used you have to allow for the writer dying let alone losing interest for whatever reason.

 

[yukonnights]

The one caution I would offer is to submit each as the previous part is approved. While it may not be much of a concern if you're not writing on the edges, a chapter could get rejected and Laurel might miss that there were multiple parts submitted. If she approves the next one, you've got a missing chapter.

Depending upon the category, daily postings ( which is how Laurel typically spaces bulk submissions like this ) can actually be detrimental to engagement as well. Multiple chapters showing up on the various hub lists doesn't improve engagement, while a couple of days space stretches how long your story is front and center to the category's readership. If it's a category where the new list completely cycles every day, it's not quite as big of a deal, but the talked about/top author listings still benefit from a couple of days worth of space because you stay on them and spike toward the top with each release.

Plus, there's just being kind to Laurel by not blowing up the queue and putting extra work on her plate. Even if it's only two or three parts, she has to review and process all of them instead of a single submission.

Thanks for the input, it makes sense. My main point was the emphasis on my need to get the entire story of "chapters/parts" completed and polished — I could never do a months or years long effort. I am impressed by those who can be that disciplined though. But, I've not ever considered the possiblity of the point you raised. I usually write an Introduction which indicates that all chapters / parts are completed just to assuage reader's hesitation to jump into the unknown. (I don't think I'm writting on the edges but your suggestion still makes sense — it gives a few days to attract more readers.)