STORY VERSUS SERIES

I much prefer both writing and reading good serials. Perhaps because I'm a bit of an old windbag with too much time on my hands.
My technique is just to write until nothing more comes, and then end it and after that comes the awful task of editing into chapters. I hate that. Perhaps why I put it off so much, and go off on another story.
The other thing I do is to start a long story at the beginning and while skimming through find bits to add, delete or improve. Although this hopefully improves the story, I didn't used to do it and it really extends the gestation time!
This can mean that I have as many as four or five chugging along in the background, and often a long slow freight is shoved into the siding to let an express through. (Yes I do know that in the US freight usually has right of way.) Quite often they can run out of steam/fuel and need rescuing.
As to unfinished serials I've been promising to finish Zireska for years, and I know exactly what the story line will be, but other ideas keep on popping up.
I quite like the competitions as it makes me write to a single story though.
I don't denigrate good short stories as this is a separate skill, and as long as it is well written and has a reasonable story line, not just "Whack, Ouch, Thankyou Sir or Maam), they can be extremely enjoyable.


However as the ruddy faced, overweight French Port drinker said, "Chacun a son gout."

I haven't had time to write for a few years, but when I did my preference was to write with my cast of characters in mind. I wrote a lengthy serial and posted it on Classics between 2004-2007, but I'm guilty of not having finished one of the stories. Since some of the stories were 25 parts and well over 400 pages, I always posted as I went. I really enjoyed the ensuing dialogue and banter with readers, so waiting until a 'novel' was finished wouldn't have been as much fun for me. At last count I had written over 1800 pages about my two main characters and their families and friends.

A two or three part story is a bit different; that's short enough to finish reasonably quickly.

I enjoy both serials and stand alone stories. There are a few authors that I really enjoy (Alex B, John Benson) who do single stories, but they almost feel like serials because of their style.

Some day I'll get around to posting my Seasons serial here, but I want to make some changes as I go. That alone has stopped me from starting to submit the stories; I have to have time to edit first.

I would like to present a dissenting view. In general, I tend to read single stories rather than serials, partly for practical reasons (I don't have that much time to spend here, and I dislike reading for longer periods from a screen), but also because I find that a serial has to be really good to keep my interest through many episodes. Although I share Flopsy's view that writing long pieces of fiction requires other skills than shorter stories, I feel that most authors here don't really put a lot of emphasis on organization, coherence, and character development - they write for fun and they write when they have the time and the inspiration, and as a result the serials are not usually structural masterpieces. I must admit that the only serial I have ever written is a rather ramshackle construction, written in discontinuous bursts of inspiration, and abandoned with a rather surprising (at least to me) final installment when I was sick and tired of it.

I would like to add that there is also an art to writing shorter stories - to capture characters and atmosphere in just a few words.

I'm glad to see both Februs and Flopsy urging authors not to allow the number of comments to become the determining factor in what or how they write. The thing to keep in mind about series comments is that readers may either save comments for the last chapter or feel that they have said everything they have to say about the series in response to an early chapter. If the Library does indeed feature an increasing number of series rather than standalone stories, then you would expect the comment-per-post ratio to shift and give the appearance of fewer comments. In fact, each story may be drawing the same, or even more, comments, but in the case of series, the story may be spread over several posts.

Personally, if I like a set of characters, a situation or a concept, I never want it to end. In fact, Februs' taxonomy might be extended to allow for one other category: the ongoing series. In most cases, such as Seegee's Spank Shop, an ongoing series will be a series of related stories that can each stand alone, though they may reference one another. But each episode doesn't have to be complete in itself. A serial like a soap opera can offer cliffhangers ad infinitum.

Thanks Alef, for putting your head above the parapet. I am in your camp. The skill sets required for short stories and serials are different. For the single story you need to be concise in the character and plot development and for a serial you need to have a sound structure which has solid internal logic.

By and large I think the quality of the single stories on the site is better than that of the serials, despite the inherent lack of time for character and plot development, probably for the reasons Alef suggests.

I do try, when reading a serial to read all the way through and comment throughout but sometimes I find myself trapped in a long long tale which shows signs of just being a vehicle for getting the protagonist spanked as frequently as possible ( whyever would one do that in a spanking story?) rather than having any pretence towards them having an over-arching arc (Yuk). Then I feel rather like Lady Macbeth and think I owe the author some loyalty despite not really enjoying it.
With a single story you're in and out in a session, and if you don't like it you only have to say so kindly once.

Some authors though, do have the equipment to write an engaging saga, and if I might plug a couple of my favourites...
A Victorian Adventure by TheEnglishMaster, Alkira by ruegirl, and Kira by John Benson come to mind, one historical, one sci-fi and one fantasy.

Do most people comment on a story they didn't enjoy? I usually just quietly close the window and don't say anything.

I do, because I have a ridiculous obsession with statistics and want the overall comments numbers to increase: for me they're the measure of the communality of the Library. And if I've got as far as reading something to the end, even if I didn't rate it much, I'll be polite about it (our school motto was "Manners Makyth Man"!).


That's very discreet of you. I didn't know these windows could be closed quietly. Presumably when you have enjoyed something, you jab your finger loudly on your mouse/touchpad after commenting?

Whoops! I meant Macbeth, not his wife. (He says "I am in blood stepped in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o-er")


When I close a story my computer announces in a loud electronic voice "SPANKING STORY WINDOW CLOSING! SPANKING STORY WINDOW CLOSING!" with accompanying beeps. This is quite embarrassing when my Dear Vanilla is around.