Question...Are Series With 5 Parts Or More Worth It?

HEAR, HEAR!

I prefer long and detailed stories or novellas: Tolstoj, Dostojewski, Mitchell, The EnglishMaster, Flopsy, Rollin, Miss Lizzy, DJB: All great and worth to read.

It's amazing that so many people seem to think a serial and a series are the same thing! A serial is a story split into parts. A series is a collection of related self-contained stories. There's also an ordered series which is a series intended to be read in a certain order.

I like a serial, assuming the characters are engaging and the writing is good, but don't seem to read them as much because of the time commitment. It's so much easier and quicker to read a shorter story. When they are posted over a period of time, I tend to lose track of the plot and have to go back, so I prefer to read them after they are finished, or at least when several installments are ready. That is where the reading list has come in handy.

A series of related stories with stand-alone plots is my favorite. When the characters are truly memorable, they seem like old friends who have come back to call. And, when I have forgotten them, the story is still enjoyable on its own or read out of order.

I haven't tried writing a long serial, but would love to attempt it at some point. If I do, I think it will have to be primarily for the joy of writing it. I have noticed in the comments on my stories and others, that there seem to be a lot of requests for series. I am sure some are sincere (I have said the same thing and meant it), but I think that sometimes it is just a way of giving a compliment.

I have just finished writing my first serial (ca. 20k words in 9 parts) and I think I would have to think seriously before attempting a second one. I posted the chapters as they were written, naively thinking the readers would be on tenterhooks wondering what would happen next (which, as the author, was a feeling I sometimes shared!). All that happened was I lost more and more readers as the serial progressed. My impression is that (a) most readers prefer shorter stories and (b) if reading a serial they would prefer it to be complete before they begin so that they do not have to keep looking out for the next part or remember where the story had got to. In fact, as the author replying to late comments on some of the earlier parts, even I could not remember where the story had got to at that point. The drip feed approach must also be tiresome for the validater (in my case Dave) who has to keep reading. So if you are reading Dave thanks - I am sure you will be relieved to know I have stopped.

I like the idea that either Flopsy or Febs came up with in regards to the Ordered Series. The stories are fairly different even though the characters may be the same. I believe my longest series was Involuntary Manslaughter & Wrongful Death with 16 parts. Others are 7 to 10 or around there.

I agree with Flopsy. Ones that go on and on need a break-off a one point in time.

I think if you are going to do it, the only way is, one, have it finished before you start posting. Second, if it is no more than 5 parts, post all at once. If more than 5, post with no more than a day or two between parts and post several at once. This means to always have something in the loading queue. I used this approach a couple of years ago with MENACE FROM MONGO. I'd load 3 chapters or so and as soon as they appeared, loaded a few more. It worked pretty well. There were cliff-hangers at ends of chapters and it was like an old Saturday morning serial anyway, so some folks came along for the ride and were with me the whole way. Your results may vary, but this is a way to do it.

If a serial is posted over a long time by another author, I find by simply reviewing my comment made on the last part, is enough to let me fully enjoy the new part. I would guess that is a great advantage to commenting on almost 100% of what I read.

As Rollin states, cliff hangers are great, as long as the other parts are posted shortly, otherwise I think it loses its effectiveness.

If a serial has stories that can stand alone, then having more then 10 parts can be OK, however I wonder how many new viewers will actually open a part 10 or 20 if they do not know the stories can stand by themselves?

Overall serials are in my opinion the hardest ones to write. I do not think I will stop writing them entirely, but I will likely keep any future ones under 4. Thanks for all the opinions people, I knew before I asked that likely there are as many answers to the question as there are people to answer it.

I've only come up with a couple of stories which has been expandable into a mini-serial, however I have brought back popular characters who can feature in new and unrelated episodes. Actually readers urge me to do this more often but if the story has a strong resolution, like people finding their life partner or their true orientation, I don't really see it can go much further.

Maybe Tolken should have amended the Lord Of The Rings:

"Actually Frodo,,the ring somehow popped out of a side vent of the volcano, so I'm afraid you'll have to go back to Mordor and do it all over again!"

Seems good to me...it was a great series.