About serials

There's no need to actually write THE END on the concluding part of a serial as the LSF software will do that automatically so long as we've been informed that the serial is complete and have marked it as such.

Some of my serials actually fall somewhere between the series/serial distinction. I recently wrote an extra episode to "The Date" after a 2-year hiatus. The fact is, I thought that perhaps it was done, but the young couple have lots of growing up to do and lots of life to experience. That is something that happens over years of time, and I really have no way of knowing when their story is going to be over.

And my preacher character in the "Contrition" series? Yep, he still has a few bottoms to smack.

If that bothers you...sorry! I also have plenty of one-off stories for those of you with shorter attention spans.

Our virtual library is a big place. It has room for all types of stories. Probably more that you will ever be able to read. So just choose what you like and all will be well in our spanko world.

I don't find the distinction between serial and series to be all that clear in my writing. By definition, the parts of a series, while related, are complete in themselves. OK, if an episode of a story builds on happenings from a previous story, can either of them be considered "complete in themselves"?

When I do a multi-part spanking story, I try to include a complete set of motivations and actions (i.e. a spanking) in each installment; but it is usually also true that there is progression from installment to installment in the form of increasing intensity of situations, involvement of new characters, etc. Does the complete nature of each make these a "series", or does the progression actually make them "serial". Beats the heck out of me.

As to the original complaint, I have the same problem as others who have commented, in that if I wait till all episodes are complete, I would post little and at long intervals. I've also noted that when I post multiple episodes at one time, they seem to get less attention and reaction.

I'll remember that funny definition for further use!


Absolutely not! As far as I'm concerned, you can take as far as ten years to finish it (I can't expect to be living ten years hence) provided when you send it, it's finished!


And why not? Plenty of guest rooms upstairs, only used about twice a year

And that's very good news!


For God's sake, who can be bothered? Not me, anyway!


It seems I didn't grasp all the problems; I sure shouldn't have brought that topic up!

I will never begin publication of a serial until I've FINISHED the thing, so if you see part one, rest assured that all the other parts are "in the can" just waiting to be loaded or whatever. I've learned the hard way that if you start something and publish it, and readers clamor for more but you've moved on, you got a problem, buddy. Now, if you've become bored with it, it's a chore. The one exception is, I might write a sequel that I had not thought of at the time, but which seems to be a natural fit.

This is what I did with "Menace from Mongo" (ok sneaky shameless plug) which was a true old school serial complete with cliffhangers. But it was all done before I posted part 1. I just loaded other episodes a few days apart. I took about 10 days to post the whole thing as I recall. This is the model I'll follow in the future.

One reason my output is so slow lately is that I'm working on a novel and I'm determined to finish it before moving on to something else. And then my various businesses get in the way of writing etc....

My problem is not writing sequels, but prequels ! Suddenly I realise how I should have got the story into the situation that I am now writing about, so I write the prequel.

And then, heaven help me, I write prequels to the prequel followed by sequels to the prequels and then stories occurring simultaneously on parallel planes and eras with the same characters to the prequels and sequels.....

And then I land up like I am now, a gibbering mess and asking if anyone can recommend writing/authoring tools so I can explain my way out of this bizarre situation I have landed myself in. Perhaps a trip to the English disciplinary mistress might get me back on the straight and narrow ?

Nothing wrong with a prequel per se, especially if start in medias res. Many authors go back and write prequels. F Paul Wilson is doing that with his Repairman Jack character. One thing I do is write the essential story in a condensed version and then back and fill in details and whatever back story is needed, spruce up action sequences and generally flesh it out. But that way you are working with a form, an outline that serves as your road map.

It is a happy day when the worst thing in our life is the nuisance of an unfinished serial.

Dan - Amen.
Gail - I've been writing stories involving the same cast of characters, that are part of a larger picture, but totally independent from each other. Trying to decide if it would work in the LSF context. That's why I'm thinking of finding a beta, in part, to see if they're viable, or if it only works as something knit together. And, frankly, to see if it's too naked.