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#38834 - 11/11/08 08:43 AM

Do you skip or search for multi-chapter stories?

Sextified Online content

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enthusiast

Registered: 08/18/08
Posts: 367

I'm really, really torn on this subject . . . help me!

I have one long story on this site that's getting out of hand!

I still love adding to it and plan on keeping it going until it's finished.

So far it's been well received . . . well enough for me to continue it here anyway . . . instead of it being just a text file on my hard drive!

I've now posted 10 chapters and almost 150,000 words of it.

Stupid . . . I know . . . I usually LOATHE reading long multi-chapter stories!

Why the *&^%*% am I even writing one?

Even though the story is mainly for myself . . . I hope that at least SOME people are enjoying it as well!

The characters I am using still have a long, long way to go! But I'm getting very worried that the sheer number of chapters is already driving away potential first time readers!

I know the only time I try out an opus is if its in the Top Stories list!

On the other hand . . .

I HATE finding an author whose recurring characters I love . . . and then find I have to search through fifty of their stories . . . just to find the six submissions that they are in!

I had planned on going to single story releases at some point, but I keep putting it off for some reason.

But since the first chapter was posted more than 60 days ago . . . it has fallen off that oh-so-important list! Even though I keep adding about two chapters a month!

The "Hall of Fame" list isn't much help to me since the first chapter was in the Bisexual section and the majority of the story is in the straight section.

I wish that each NEW chapter "re-triggered" the date counter on the multi-chapter stories. That way "finished" multi-chapter stories could be split from those still in "progress".

It would also be nice . . . and I know I'm dreaming . . . if the new chapters could appear in the Top Stories section that it was written for.

[ I'm not bitching . . . just wishing . . . there is a tiny almost negligible difference! ]

Seriously, I love this site and have been a Fan Club member for many years so I already truly appreciate just how good it already is!

Soooo . . .

How can I let those readers who really want to read everything in the correct order know the proper sequence? Without creating a twenty chapter monstrosity!

It's bad enough already that my story jumps from category to category the way it does!

Any ideas?

Please Help!

Sextified

[Not Exactly What He had in Mind! Ch. 1-10]

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#38845 - 11/11/08 09:45 PM Re: Do you skip or search for multi-chapter stories? [Re: Sextified]
JayLynn JayLynn addict Registered: 10/05/08 Posts: 444 Loc: Maryland	I am having almost the exact same issue though I don't have as many chapters yet. My issue stems from the fact that a few of my stories were series from back in 2005 so as I continue them no one would be able to see the beginning unless they were part of the fan club. _________________________ ...love is for the birds, sex is for the bees... JayLynn
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#38856 - 11/12/08 05:10 AM Re: Do you skip or search for multi-chapter storie [Re: JayLynn]
Sextified Sextified enthusiast Registered: 08/18/08 Posts: 367	I've searched and searched for someone local to be my editor and I thought I finally found her! Amazing girl. Perfect attitude and VERY imaginative. She's already helped a bunch adding some finer points us poor males forget about! She liked the one chapter that was available so much she wanted to see more! Since she couldn't see those older chapters as a guest . . . I paid for her membership so she could get caught up! Real life . . . in the form of a &^$% drunk driver totaling her car for her . . . has kept her from starting yet. Any female editors out there willing to do one read thru . . . make comments . . . and then a quick final "idiot writer" proof before posting? Lol! Seriously, the ONLY backup plan I have to stopping before I hit Chapter 20 is to have separate stories and add an "Issue No." to the title. Bob and Mary Jane go hunting! [13A] Mary takes on more than she can handle! [14A] Bob gets the tables turned on him! [15A] etc., etc., That solves all of the problems with the Top List, the correct category, keeping the order straight and hopefully scaring off people like me that hate multi parters! The only risk . . . and it scares me . . . is that I will fail to connect with the readers so badly with a single chapter that it WON'T make it into the archives! If I screw up THAT badly at least I'll get a chance to rewrite and repost it? Please help with any suggestions you might have! Thanks! Sextified
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#38900 - 11/14/08 12:38 PM Re: Do you skip or search for multi-chapter storie [Re: Sextified]
Jake Jake addict Registered: 02/27/01 Posts: 592 Loc: Northeastern US	I'll admit I am not a big reader of stories that go for more than a few chapters. Part of the problem is I find people keep writing and writing well after the idea has run out of steam. Characters get into stranger and more contrived situations until anything I liked about the story is screwed up. Stories that trail on forever seem to me to be the work of someone without a true ending in mind. It's a problem that soap opera writers run into as well, I think. If you're going to write a multi chapter story I think you should have the whole thing figured out before you even start writing. Not to say the story won't take a few twists or turns you weren't expecting. That happens to me all the time. But you should know where you're going and how you're going to get there. I don't just post my novel length stories any longer. I actually sell them through Renaissance eBooks (free plug for me, look for Jake Marlow on their site), but I would suggest you maybe you should write the entire work before you start posting it. One of the benefits of that is that you can post chapters in a timely fashion, because I know from experience that it really pisses people off when they have to wait and wait for a new chapter. CharmBrights, not a woman, is a very good editor. The gender of your editor shouldn't matter if all you're looking for is a good one. _________________________ Website: Jake's Wonderland Twitter: JakeMarlowWrtr
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#38932 - 11/16/08 02:11 PM Re: Do you skip or search for multi-chapter storie [Re: Sextified]
JayLynn JayLynn addict Registered: 10/05/08 Posts: 444 Loc: Maryland	One of my favorite authors here... I think I just realized it when I took a good look at his profile.... anyway... I think you would be good to email him about the series thing. ALL of his submissions are series. My favorite is John Billionaire which has about 7 separate chapters and then a continuation story call A Billionaires Life which has about another 7 chapters. I get caught up in every chapter just like I get caught up in every one of yours. So yeah you should check him out or at least email him about this since he seems to be a pro at it. His name is bluedragon. _________________________ ...love is for the birds, sex is for the bees... JayLynn
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#39158 - 11/25/08 03:48 AM Re: Do you skip or search for multi-chapter storie [Re: JayLynn]
Wilkie Wilkie member Registered: 11/24/08 Posts: 193 Loc: California	You know I am having a similar problem. When it comes to reading I usually avoid multipart stories. I might take on one that is 3 chapters but beyond that I usually pass. The funny thing is when it comes to writing I have written several multi part stories. Once I get started it becomes a saga and I have trouble stopping the flow of ideas. I could just write a story board and force myselt to stick to the main premise but hell I cant even bring myself to properly edit the finished content let alone work on development. I have also noted that some of my mutlipart stories get higher scores and higher read counts. Hell I dont have any good answers either. __________________________________ I am the Master of my Castle. Just let me ask my wife first _________________________ Wilkie ______________________________ I am the Master of my Castle. Just let me ask my wife first.
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#39211 - 11/27/08 08:27 AM Re: Do you skip or search for multi-chapter storie [Re: Wilkie]
AntEater AntEater Pooh-Bah Registered: 02/06/08 Posts: 1899 Loc: UK	Originally Posted By: Wilkie I have also noted that some of my mutlipart stories get higher scores and higher read counts. Hell I dont have any good answers either. I think that often the votes improve as you go through multipart story. Those that don't like it slag it off on part 1 and then skip part 2. Very few people would be vindictive enough to go to each part of a story and give it a kicking. On the other hand, people hope like the story keep reading and are more likely to give higher scores. Unless the story does go down hill, become samey or turn in a direction the original reads weren't interested in going. _________________________ Anteater, or thanks to CG "Monsieur Manger de Tante" $\:D$
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#39275 - 12/01/08 06:28 PM Re: Do you skip or search for multi-chapter storie [Re: AntEater]
Wilkie Wilkie member Registered: 11/24/08 Posts: 193 Loc: California	AntEater your wisdom dazzles me. As explained the phenomenon of better scores for multipart stories makes complete sense. I still prefer reading shorter stories personally but I should capitulate to those readers that actually ask for sequals.By definition they are already interested in the basic premise __________________ I am the King of my Castle. Just let me ask my wife first. _________________________ Wilkie ______________________________ I am the Master of my Castle. Just let me ask my wife first.
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#39317 - 12/04/08 04:23 AM Re: Do you skip or search for multi-chapter storie [Re: Wilkie]
Shuggie Shuggie addict Registered: 02/06/08 Posts: 476	I personally feel there is no difference between reading a story here and reading it in paper back form. i have picked up a few books and put them down after the first couple of chapters, because being blunt, IMO, they were crap. Other books, i sat until the early hours of the morning then felt like shit for the rest of the following day because i couldn't put the book down. Sadly one notable difference here is that the definition of erotic is not the same for everyone. I wrote a story that i genuinely enjoyed writing, but the intimacy only started to happen in the second chapter. from previous experience, i knew that i would get some pretty terrible votes because as one reader told me "nobody wants this long winded crap....we want to read about the sex!" As an author sometimes we have to make it crystal clear that our stories don't fall into the standard that some are looking for, and the earlier you do it, the better. But if a reader truly enjoys your work, they will follow it through to the end, that being said, plotting out your story and making sure that there is enough to keep the reader interested is a must. once we post it, it is the readers opinion that counts, we've all written stories that we thought should have been a success only to find out that our taste is different from others. unfortunately that it the nature of the beast..... _________________________ I live my life between my legs..it just a shame that most women don't want to join me there.
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#39322 - 12/04/08 11:24 AM Re: Do you skip or search for multi-chapter storie [Re: Shuggie]
Wilkie Wilkie member Registered: 11/24/08 Posts: 193 Loc: California	Agreed in concept. I too love to read novels. I would guess that many of the better writers here are avid readers as well. The difference is why they are reading. To be real honest when I sit down to read a story or two on Eroticstories.com I do so with my pants unbuttoned. If I am reading for pleasure and story line it is in book form not on the computer. I do value a good story. It's just my focus is different when reading here. sometimes the old guy cant wait for three chapters to get to the wet gooie stuff. Wilkie ____________________________ I am the King of my Castle. I jast have to ask my wife first. _________________________ Wilkie ______________________________ I am the Master of my Castle. Just let me ask my wife first.
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