You're likely to have polite feedback as readers/fans of your output already. Whether though you'd get anything you'd realistically find of value out of this, that's up for debate!
Whatever you've written on Substack already from me at least gets a "Like" because it's always worth my time to read something. So for a book chapter, if I fed back and said "Rob, I enjoyed that chapter, the character is developing nicely and the plot's intriguing", how does that really help further?
Obviously we could point out typos which sometimes sneak in on occasions, but I for one don't feel I would be in a better position to influence anything when my book output is zero vs your 13 and a half, and we here at least enjoy your content already.
My only trepidation is if you slightly lose your own vision in trying to please the readers. One of the flaws of American TV is (or was, certainly) the way they air episodes while the series is still being produced. There have been many examples where they keep changing it to please the feedback and the show loses itself as a result.
I'm sure your readers are savvy and the feedback wouldn't be as much of an issue, but I do belive a novel should be your own vision, pure and unadulterated.
You're mussings being the sole reason I installed the Substack app, would be very intrigued by a serialised novella, I say go for it, what have you got to loose?
Bye the way - it appears Camera has been auto corrected to 'Cameran' in a couple of places, a I spotted a rogue 'taker' instead of 'take'
I'd definitely be interested in reading that. Can you keep up Dickens' weekly pace though or would new chapters be released at a more laid-back rate, as and when you'd finished writing them? Would you make it a subscription perk? Dickens published his stories in magazines that cost tuppence a week - about 67p in today's money, apparently - and you had the rest of the magazine to read as well. Outstanding value for money by today's standards ;)
As a everything electric/fully charged fan I wasn't aware of your books... So glad to hear that I have 13 new books to read.
I prefer whole books. But many of the authors I love wrote this way in the past. Might suit the audiences of today too... But maybe some marketing should be done, and a small paywall too... I would love to see a group of authors release a "newspaper" on Substack or similar for a small fee. You could have news, art and commentary and maybe sport from a group of writers for 1 fee.
I love the idea of doing a variation on the Dickens concept. And I'm glad to hear some novelists are getting traction/fans here, but I suspect one's mileage can vary substantially.
I've been serializing my fiction (already published over the years, but not selling in numbers through retailers, anymore) for quite a while: https://debbimack.substack.com/
I'm probably not engaging enough, marketing enough, analyzing numbers enough ... and, frankly, I'm busy with other creative pursuits. Podcasting, screenwriting, and now directing a short film. And undergoing continuing rehab for a movement disorder caused by a stroke I had 20 years ago.
Respectfully submitted,
Debbi Mack, New York Times bestselling author (Hilarious, right? I think it's fricking hysterical!)
Several writers have had some success serialising novels here. Eleanor Anstruther, Emma Darwin and Luke Jennings are recent examples. It works reasonably well, I think, though Substack has received feedback in the last few months on improvements that would be necessary to make this work better for authors. Elle Griffin has some valuable ideas, for example.
I think it's a great idea. I recently rebranded my Substack from a "newsletter" to "The book of the Barracks, serialised in infinite weekly parts", very much with the ghost of Dickens in mind. I'm not sure if my readers and subscribers feel any differently about it, but it certainly helped me better conceptualise what I am doing. After two years!
As someone who has only written short stories and got stuck writing a novel, it might appeal to me too. I think I overcomplicated my novel with flashbacks and making sure timelines were correct. This approach might force a more simple, sequential narrative. I'd be interested in seeing it
You're likely to have polite feedback as readers/fans of your output already. Whether though you'd get anything you'd realistically find of value out of this, that's up for debate!
Whatever you've written on Substack already from me at least gets a "Like" because it's always worth my time to read something. So for a book chapter, if I fed back and said "Rob, I enjoyed that chapter, the character is developing nicely and the plot's intriguing", how does that really help further?
Obviously we could point out typos which sometimes sneak in on occasions, but I for one don't feel I would be in a better position to influence anything when my book output is zero vs your 13 and a half, and we here at least enjoy your content already.
My only trepidation is if you slightly lose your own vision in trying to please the readers. One of the flaws of American TV is (or was, certainly) the way they air episodes while the series is still being produced. There have been many examples where they keep changing it to please the feedback and the show loses itself as a result.
I'm sure your readers are savvy and the feedback wouldn't be as much of an issue, but I do belive a novel should be your own vision, pure and unadulterated.
It would certainly be a way of getting the chapters proof read for free.
You're mussings being the sole reason I installed the Substack app, would be very intrigued by a serialised novella, I say go for it, what have you got to loose?
Bye the way - it appears Camera has been auto corrected to 'Cameran' in a couple of places, a I spotted a rogue 'taker' instead of 'take'
I'd definitely be interested in reading that. Can you keep up Dickens' weekly pace though or would new chapters be released at a more laid-back rate, as and when you'd finished writing them? Would you make it a subscription perk? Dickens published his stories in magazines that cost tuppence a week - about 67p in today's money, apparently - and you had the rest of the magazine to read as well. Outstanding value for money by today's standards ;)
As a everything electric/fully charged fan I wasn't aware of your books... So glad to hear that I have 13 new books to read.
I prefer whole books. But many of the authors I love wrote this way in the past. Might suit the audiences of today too... But maybe some marketing should be done, and a small paywall too... I would love to see a group of authors release a "newspaper" on Substack or similar for a small fee. You could have news, art and commentary and maybe sport from a group of writers for 1 fee.
I love the idea of doing a variation on the Dickens concept. And I'm glad to hear some novelists are getting traction/fans here, but I suspect one's mileage can vary substantially.
I've been serializing my fiction (already published over the years, but not selling in numbers through retailers, anymore) for quite a while: https://debbimack.substack.com/
I'm probably not engaging enough, marketing enough, analyzing numbers enough ... and, frankly, I'm busy with other creative pursuits. Podcasting, screenwriting, and now directing a short film. And undergoing continuing rehab for a movement disorder caused by a stroke I had 20 years ago.
Respectfully submitted,
Debbi Mack, New York Times bestselling author (Hilarious, right? I think it's fricking hysterical!)
Great idea
Several writers have had some success serialising novels here. Eleanor Anstruther, Emma Darwin and Luke Jennings are recent examples. It works reasonably well, I think, though Substack has received feedback in the last few months on improvements that would be necessary to make this work better for authors. Elle Griffin has some valuable ideas, for example.
If it's good enough for Dickens, why not!
It's a great idea! As long as you can keep up with the schedule, I say do it!
Yep, a chapter at a time,
I think it's a great idea. I recently rebranded my Substack from a "newsletter" to "The book of the Barracks, serialised in infinite weekly parts", very much with the ghost of Dickens in mind. I'm not sure if my readers and subscribers feel any differently about it, but it certainly helped me better conceptualise what I am doing. After two years!
Those who never try can never fail, but they can also never ever succeed! What have you got to lose?
As someone who has only written short stories and got stuck writing a novel, it might appeal to me too. I think I overcomplicated my novel with flashbacks and making sure timelines were correct. This approach might force a more simple, sequential narrative. I'd be interested in seeing it
Do it. If successful then publish.
This *is* publishing :)