We had so much to discuss about Serial fiction as it pertains to doing it on Substack. But we all know, as OG users and beginners, that the tools are not all that make a serial successful. I’m sure this discussion is just a small part of a larger one that can be had on a regular basis but let this be a starting off point for anyone looking to understand serials, the types that can be shared, and how to do it.
Nested somewhere in the discussion was this idea around PROJECT X! I wanted to see how both S.E. and Simon would approach starting a serial today, having the knowledge and the tools they now have at their disposal, especially as OG’s who’ve been using Substack for many years now. There is much that can be learned by listening to the VOD above, but I wanted to condense PROJECT X for those of us who appreciate the written word just as much as the audio and visual.
Let’s Serialize Project X
This is not a real serial but the process is one that can be used if you’re just starting out or looking to make the serial you already have shine that much brighter!
THE WRITING & SOFTWARE
Every great serial has to start somewhere. Find the software you like best, get to learn all you need to know about it, and then get started writing!
I do not recommend using Substack as the one and only place where you do your writing!
What does the serial fiction writing community use? Google Docs, Scrivener, and Word.
Whichever you choose will be the right one.
START WITH A BUFFER
This may not work for you but having a buffer of chapters/episodes before you start sharing your serial to your subscribers can really be helpful. Whether it’s four or ten chapters is up to you. But whatever buffer you choose, make sure you keep it. This is not a time for rest and relaxation. The idea is that you keep on writing chapters as you’re releasing them! I realize it’s easier said than done, but give it a try!
THE SUBSTACK SET-UP
There are some tools and features unique to Substack that you could (and should) be taking advantage of when preparing to put out your serial!
Sections - creating a Section (can be found in your Dashboard Settings) is a peace of mind layer while you write, especially for your readers. Sometime you can’t be bothered to edit a dedicated Page with the latest chapter. Having a Section means you don’t have to. Just assign your chapter to that Section and that’s it. Of course, you should make sure to link to your dedicated Section so future and current readers can easily see the list of all your chapters.
Tags - this likely isn’t what you think it is. This is not meant to be hashtags and they are definitely not searchable either. The real gem of Tags is simply giving you another way to collect and group Posts if you maybe don’t want to use Sections or simply want another layer of grouping within Sections. I have two examples for you:
Say you have an over-arching series that will have several books contained within. A great way to combine Sections and Tags is to create a Section that is the Series name and then a Tag that is the name of each book. So that you can easily link to the Series with the Section Link and the books contained within that Section can also be linked separately. And for easy navigation you can link to your Tag in your Menu bar so that whatever book you are working on currently can be front and center and easy to find.
One way I’ve chosen to utilize Tags is to have a “Free-to-Read” area within my Substack where newcomers can easily find the fiction I’ve chosen to keep free as a sampling of my work. Instead of having to try and find the Free amongst the Paid, I’ve tried to make that as easy as possible by labeling all my free fiction and then linking to it in the Menu of my Substack for even easier navigation.
VOD CORRECTION - I mentioned a wish list I’d love is if Substack would let us keep seeing the Menu bar throughout instead of just on our Home page. Turns out we can see our Menu bar everywhere already, except when we click into a Post. In that instance our only option is to return Home or to the Section for that Post.
Read Aloud - one great feature that some are choosing to utilize is reading our work aloud and recording it. Why not? Of course, this feature is not for everyone, but if you can and are able to provide an accompanying audio version of each chapter alongside your written word, that has the potential of introducing your work to a whole new audience who love listening to stories be read to them.
Go Live! - we didn’t touch on this at all during the VOD, but another feature you can take advantage of is the ability, no matter where you are, to just pull out your phone and read your work Live to an audience who can get notified to join at the drop of a hat. Of course, making an announcement beforehand is preferable and you can use your phone or even your computer if you want!
ORGANIZATION IS IMPORTANT
And we’re not just talking about organization in your writing program of choice. This is about organization once you’ve started sharing chapters.
For Project X, Sections and Tags will be utilized to keep together the book in order of release. But a dedicated Page might also need to be created within Substack where information about Project X can be shared and updated regularly. Things like the synopsis. Maybe character information. World information. A central place where I can send newcomers to find out all they need to know about Project X, including a link to the Section that will include all of the chapters released already or that will be released. A manual listing of the chapters with a short synopsis of each can also be included on this Page.
The key is to make finding, learning about, and then ultimately reading the serial as easy as possible for current readers and new readers alike.
A WISH LIST
There are some things that serial writers would love to see come to Substack that would make continuing (and starting) to write a serial here that much easier and better. Will these features come “just for us” likely not. But if Substack feels these features would benefit everyone then…you never know…
Navigation - How many of us are having to remember to include a link to the previous and next chapter somewhere within our chapter emails? Yeah, it’s a hassle. Especially, if you’re like so many of us, who share so much more than just our serial chapters. You can’t rely on their Previous link because it will take the reader to the last email you sent and that may not necessarily be the previous chapter. A way to maybe even keep Previous and Next to within the Section would be an improvement because then we could rely on the buttons that Substack provide at the bottom of a Post.
Subscriptions - I’m calling this request subscriptions because I’m not really sure how else to describe it. But it would be nice if I could subscribe to a person’s serial or even just to their Section so when I click on that Section in my Subscription area either on the mobile app or on the website it will take me to wherever I left off within the chapters of that Section. Sort of like reading an ebook. When you close out and go back it takes you to where you left off. How nice would that be if Sections were grouped and utilized even more?
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
It can seem overwhelming when faced with so many options and features and tools. But at the end of the day, remember that it’s about the work and less about the flashy things you use to share that work.
Consistency above all else is key to not only growing an audience but keeping the one you’ve got! If you can only put out a chapter every two weeks, then keep that consistency throughout. If you can only manage 1,000 words per chapter, then keep that consistency throughout. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you what word count is too much or too little. Don’t worry about email providers who will or won’t cut off your email if it’s too long.
One rule of thumb I use whenever I send out any email is to put a note at the very top that explains the email may be cut off and I will provide a clickable link of the post they are reading. Also remember, if they click the title within the email it will take them to the web version of that post as well! It’s difficult to gauge properly when an email will be cut off because, as an example, I always get a warning that the Top in Fiction Weekly emails will be cut off and they are usually under 500 words. Why? Because of the number of links I put in those emails. It’s not just the word count that can cut off an email, it’s the size as well when it comes to links and images. Ignore that warning. JUST WRITE DAMN IT!
Lastly, PROJECT X (or your project) is meant to be fun. This shouldn’t be a chore or a job that you grow to resent over time. Keep it fun. Write it however you want. Share it however you want. That is what you have control over and that is what you should focus on. The readers will come in time. You have no control over them so don’t stress so much over them.
Here at Top in Fiction we look forward to your serials, seeing what you come up with, and how you use the tools (or don’t use the tools) at your disposal!
Thank you Ben Wakeman, Sean Thomas McDonnell, Shaina Read, Bridget Riley, DB Green, and many others for tuning into my live video with Simon K Jones and S.E. Reid! Join me for my next live video in the app.
