For anyone looking to traditionally publish something they also might want to serialize—I chatted with an Authors Guild lawyer about this and they recommended sharing no more than 10% of the book on platforms like Substack.
I've tried using Wattpad to serialize fiction, and I didn't feel the engagement like I do here. I went and took a contract with Dreame for that book, and should be finishing it this summer and likely won't pick it back up BUT I have almost 700 readers there. Hopefully some will come on over to Substack, or Patreon if I feel like adding my current serial there. I do like their options for merch on Patreon and ease of added content/extras. I'm putting my fiction for free here, but just started a novel planning course for the month of March, hoping to pull in some people that way. I might add a reason for the fiction readers I have here to subscribe in the future, I just haven't yet.
I'm slowly learning how many platforms there are for serialised fiction and its amazing! I have a few WIPs that I dont plan to traditionally publish and am thinking about serialising and I'm super excited by the prospect. Great to hear more about what you are writing.
Would you use Wattpad again if you were starting over? I've been here on Substack for some time, and I'm still struggling to build an audience for my urban fantasy short stories and I've begun wondering whether not to move my novel to Wattpad (as an experiment).
No, I don't think I would. I got good readership while I was getting started and I switched to a platform that was going to pay me for it, which turned out wasn't the greatest deal ever, but I like that I also came to Substack. I'm not much over 100 subscribers here, but I like this place. Being a female on Wattpad might've been the issue, I had a ton of men/boys subscribing and almost all of them trying to talk to me and I just don't do that. Not even for fun. That being said if I chose a pen name, and didn't have my face on there or that I'm a female, it might go better.
The problem I find the most here, is while a lot of us read, we're here to write. Very few people on this platform are here solely for the reading.
Interesting, thanks for answering! I’d probably do that only to build an audience more easily, Substack isn’t really easy in that respect, but then—what would I do with that audience? Would have to ask them to move over here, in the meantime writing there for nothing.
There must be some way to attract an audience over here…
Honestly the only thing I've seen that makes people flock is giving them writing advice, or problem solving for them, helping them DO something. 🤷🏻♀️ The rest, well, a lot of us seem to be doing our writing for the hell of it. Or you find something totally and epicly unique that make people go "oh wow, that's different" and then they'll gather. It's really hard otherwise. I'm still trying to find that thing that brings the reading people in.
While I’m just starting out, I’m finding more success than some of the traditional fiction sites you mentioned. There is so much competition that it’s hard to stand out. I’m still working through paid vs free content though
That's really amazing to hear!! I am thinking of starting a serial on Substack too but also weighing up some of the other sites as well. Would be interested to see how you find it over time.
I've been toying with the idea of serialized fiction for some time now. I think the fiction community, including readers, will only grow here on Substack.
Something worth mentioning too is the entourage effect of serializing fiction. I have a good amount of free content and the bulk of my content is paid. But even though the paid posts have lower engagement, they lead to an increase in eBook sales off platform. Free feel to reach out if you have questions.
I just started writing a serialized story here but wanted to release it all for free. These tips help if I ever want to push for paid subscriptions - even though I'm terrible at that lol. But I was struggling on thinking of what to offer, these are good ideas.
At this point I am more focused on testing this platform out to get engagement and readers over anything else 😅
I may be more niche than serialized fiction, but I think this still applies. "Loosely related fiction" with behind the scenes content potential for sure. Thanks for researching on behalf of people like me 😊
I've decided to publish my second novel on substack this way (for free) just to gain readership. I spent four years on this novel so it was a hard decision (but so is always spending your money on a novel from someone you don't know). I hope I can win favor with my readers and show them they can trust me with their time. It will be a bit of an experiment for me, but I can't lose if I learn. Also, i'm currently writing my third novel and I feel like this one will be much easier to get an agent for, especially if I already have a sound audience.
That's awesome! I'm also a fiction writer here, although I post interconnected flash - I'm trying to build an audience to eventually sell my novel the old fashioned way. I love that you are posting your novel on here and I want to be as brave as you!
I know I'm a little late for this, like a year, but I don't think that matters. I'm writing serials with everything I post. I have a serial novel I put out on Wednesday (THE SHIELD OF LOCKSLEY, and now JACK OF DIAMONDS.) But I also have my STORIES, AFTER EIGHT, which I put out on weekends, and they are novellas. Those also have to go out in a serial format.
I've got more Followers, as well as Subscribers, than I could have ever imagined having.
That being said, I cam to Substack 3 1/2 years ago, with the intention of making it a success for me, even though I knew going in that I wouldn't have a lot of Paid Subscribers. (So far, I have 29). It's not enough for me to retire on -- oh yeah, I'm already retired. Anyway, I told myself I stand a chance of making money if I can convert my Followers and Subscribers. I'm always trying something different, and I can walk away from here with a few more ideas. But I think the on-line writing game is the way of the future. They used to serialize before, and maybe we can get something started here?
The problem is getting yourself noticed. All I can suggest is: show up, and be consistent. That's all there is to it. Word of mouth is still the best way of getting noticed. It might take time -- and God only knows how much I'm crawling here -- but you will eventually find an audience.
I'm working with a pair of authors who are considering self-publishing their novel through Amazon/Kindle then serializing it for free on Substack. A link on each post would direct readers to Amazon to purchase a paperback or ebook if they want to get ahead of the Substack serial. Does this sound like a marketing plan? They don't really care about making money. They just want an audience.
I was advised to only publish a certain amount of my novel in serial form on Substack if I wanted to be able to publish on KDP later. So I've put a paywall in currently at the major turning point in the novel. But really, I was only interested in getting a readership and the only reason I'm asking to be paid for the latter half of the book is to keep my option of publishing on KDP and other platforms open.
If it's enrolled in Kindle Select, then the ebook can't be sold elsewhere at all. In that case, it's not a matter of pricing.
Edit: I deleted my previous comment because, now that I've looked into it, it looks like the price matching issue is something Amazon does, not something *you* have to do as the author.
I’m surprised people want so much extra content. What ever happened to the story being enough and yall taking your fan fiction from there? 😩😂 but thank you for putting this all together and doing all this research!!
I've been trying with the idea of serialized fiction for some time now. I think the fiction community, including readers, will only grow here on substack.
Im two months in and about to hit 100 subscribers. So that was my target to take the guilty imposter syndrome step of starting paid subscription. Im going to add episodic commentary, a paid subscription only story and the opportunity to contribute to my story.
I'm not a fiction writer (yet?!) but as a lover of nineteenth-century fiction, I have considered this idea before and wondered what serialization would look like in today's culture. Writing serially looks different than writing a polished novel. I think it's an interesting premise, and I thought this was a fascinating read. Thanks for sharing!
You are so right about the huge difference between a serial and other kinds of fiction. Serial writers are asking readers to make a long term commitment to the story, so you need more incentives to stick around. Viewing a serial in terms of serialized TV or webcomics makes more sense than seeing it as a long short story, so structuring it that way can help to keep readers involved. But the advantage of serials is that they are very conducive to creating community--they let readers live in the story and become very invested in the characters if done right. I didn't intend to create a serial here on Substack -- mine grew out of a short story that held the seeds of an entire fantasy universe, so I'm learning as I go. But I think that if you are a serious writer wanting to build that kind of loyal fanbase, Substack may offer more than sites like Wattpad or Royal Road, which skew very young and are packed with novice writers who love fanfiction and werewolf sex.
For anyone looking to traditionally publish something they also might want to serialize—I chatted with an Authors Guild lawyer about this and they recommended sharing no more than 10% of the book on platforms like Substack.
Also turn off the AI training setting 😉
Why is that exactly?
Good tip to turn of the AI training setting.
I'm curious how I could serialize and only share 10% of the book. Is that absolutely necessary to keep the trad publishing option open?
I’m not sure. Cheryl Strayed’s Tiny Beautiful Things started out as an advice column, so I definitely don’t have the full story!
I've tried using Wattpad to serialize fiction, and I didn't feel the engagement like I do here. I went and took a contract with Dreame for that book, and should be finishing it this summer and likely won't pick it back up BUT I have almost 700 readers there. Hopefully some will come on over to Substack, or Patreon if I feel like adding my current serial there. I do like their options for merch on Patreon and ease of added content/extras. I'm putting my fiction for free here, but just started a novel planning course for the month of March, hoping to pull in some people that way. I might add a reason for the fiction readers I have here to subscribe in the future, I just haven't yet.
I'm slowly learning how many platforms there are for serialised fiction and its amazing! I have a few WIPs that I dont plan to traditionally publish and am thinking about serialising and I'm super excited by the prospect. Great to hear more about what you are writing.
Would you use Wattpad again if you were starting over? I've been here on Substack for some time, and I'm still struggling to build an audience for my urban fantasy short stories and I've begun wondering whether not to move my novel to Wattpad (as an experiment).
No, I don't think I would. I got good readership while I was getting started and I switched to a platform that was going to pay me for it, which turned out wasn't the greatest deal ever, but I like that I also came to Substack. I'm not much over 100 subscribers here, but I like this place. Being a female on Wattpad might've been the issue, I had a ton of men/boys subscribing and almost all of them trying to talk to me and I just don't do that. Not even for fun. That being said if I chose a pen name, and didn't have my face on there or that I'm a female, it might go better.
The problem I find the most here, is while a lot of us read, we're here to write. Very few people on this platform are here solely for the reading.
Interesting, thanks for answering! I’d probably do that only to build an audience more easily, Substack isn’t really easy in that respect, but then—what would I do with that audience? Would have to ask them to move over here, in the meantime writing there for nothing.
There must be some way to attract an audience over here…
Honestly the only thing I've seen that makes people flock is giving them writing advice, or problem solving for them, helping them DO something. 🤷🏻♀️ The rest, well, a lot of us seem to be doing our writing for the hell of it. Or you find something totally and epicly unique that make people go "oh wow, that's different" and then they'll gather. It's really hard otherwise. I'm still trying to find that thing that brings the reading people in.
While I’m just starting out, I’m finding more success than some of the traditional fiction sites you mentioned. There is so much competition that it’s hard to stand out. I’m still working through paid vs free content though
That's really amazing to hear!! I am thinking of starting a serial on Substack too but also weighing up some of the other sites as well. Would be interested to see how you find it over time.
I've been toying with the idea of serialized fiction for some time now. I think the fiction community, including readers, will only grow here on Substack.
Completely agree! I’m excited for it ☺️
Something worth mentioning too is the entourage effect of serializing fiction. I have a good amount of free content and the bulk of my content is paid. But even though the paid posts have lower engagement, they lead to an increase in eBook sales off platform. Free feel to reach out if you have questions.
I just started writing a serialized story here but wanted to release it all for free. These tips help if I ever want to push for paid subscriptions - even though I'm terrible at that lol. But I was struggling on thinking of what to offer, these are good ideas.
I'm so glad you found them useful :)
At this point I am more focused on testing this platform out to get engagement and readers over anything else 😅
I may be more niche than serialized fiction, but I think this still applies. "Loosely related fiction" with behind the scenes content potential for sure. Thanks for researching on behalf of people like me 😊
I've decided to publish my second novel on substack this way (for free) just to gain readership. I spent four years on this novel so it was a hard decision (but so is always spending your money on a novel from someone you don't know). I hope I can win favor with my readers and show them they can trust me with their time. It will be a bit of an experiment for me, but I can't lose if I learn. Also, i'm currently writing my third novel and I feel like this one will be much easier to get an agent for, especially if I already have a sound audience.
Good luck to you!
thank you 🙏
That's awesome! I'm also a fiction writer here, although I post interconnected flash - I'm trying to build an audience to eventually sell my novel the old fashioned way. I love that you are posting your novel on here and I want to be as brave as you!
Interesting! Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure :)
I know I'm a little late for this, like a year, but I don't think that matters. I'm writing serials with everything I post. I have a serial novel I put out on Wednesday (THE SHIELD OF LOCKSLEY, and now JACK OF DIAMONDS.) But I also have my STORIES, AFTER EIGHT, which I put out on weekends, and they are novellas. Those also have to go out in a serial format.
I've got more Followers, as well as Subscribers, than I could have ever imagined having.
That being said, I cam to Substack 3 1/2 years ago, with the intention of making it a success for me, even though I knew going in that I wouldn't have a lot of Paid Subscribers. (So far, I have 29). It's not enough for me to retire on -- oh yeah, I'm already retired. Anyway, I told myself I stand a chance of making money if I can convert my Followers and Subscribers. I'm always trying something different, and I can walk away from here with a few more ideas. But I think the on-line writing game is the way of the future. They used to serialize before, and maybe we can get something started here?
The problem is getting yourself noticed. All I can suggest is: show up, and be consistent. That's all there is to it. Word of mouth is still the best way of getting noticed. It might take time -- and God only knows how much I'm crawling here -- but you will eventually find an audience.
So glad I came across your comment, so inspiring, thank you
I'm working with a pair of authors who are considering self-publishing their novel through Amazon/Kindle then serializing it for free on Substack. A link on each post would direct readers to Amazon to purchase a paperback or ebook if they want to get ahead of the Substack serial. Does this sound like a marketing plan? They don't really care about making money. They just want an audience.
I was advised to only publish a certain amount of my novel in serial form on Substack if I wanted to be able to publish on KDP later. So I've put a paywall in currently at the major turning point in the novel. But really, I was only interested in getting a readership and the only reason I'm asking to be paid for the latter half of the book is to keep my option of publishing on KDP and other platforms open.
Kate, it would only be a violation of terms if the book is enrolled in Kindle Select.
DJ
If it's enrolled in Kindle Select, then the ebook can't be sold elsewhere at all. In that case, it's not a matter of pricing.
Edit: I deleted my previous comment because, now that I've looked into it, it looks like the price matching issue is something Amazon does, not something *you* have to do as the author.
I’m surprised people want so much extra content. What ever happened to the story being enough and yall taking your fan fiction from there? 😩😂 but thank you for putting this all together and doing all this research!!
I've been trying with the idea of serialized fiction for some time now. I think the fiction community, including readers, will only grow here on substack.
Heather, we live in hope :-)
Im two months in and about to hit 100 subscribers. So that was my target to take the guilty imposter syndrome step of starting paid subscription. Im going to add episodic commentary, a paid subscription only story and the opportunity to contribute to my story.
We'll see how it goes........
And 7 months later. Just cracked 200 subscribers and the paid version died a painful death
I'm not a fiction writer (yet?!) but as a lover of nineteenth-century fiction, I have considered this idea before and wondered what serialization would look like in today's culture. Writing serially looks different than writing a polished novel. I think it's an interesting premise, and I thought this was a fascinating read. Thanks for sharing!
You are so right about the huge difference between a serial and other kinds of fiction. Serial writers are asking readers to make a long term commitment to the story, so you need more incentives to stick around. Viewing a serial in terms of serialized TV or webcomics makes more sense than seeing it as a long short story, so structuring it that way can help to keep readers involved. But the advantage of serials is that they are very conducive to creating community--they let readers live in the story and become very invested in the characters if done right. I didn't intend to create a serial here on Substack -- mine grew out of a short story that held the seeds of an entire fantasy universe, so I'm learning as I go. But I think that if you are a serious writer wanting to build that kind of loyal fanbase, Substack may offer more than sites like Wattpad or Royal Road, which skew very young and are packed with novice writers who love fanfiction and werewolf sex.