I had completed my first three novels before entering the world of the serial novel.
Classically
trained in literature I had read Charles Dickens’s The
Pickwick Papers, Wilkie
Collins’s The
Moonstone, Mark
Twain’s Huckle-berry
Finn, as well as many
other novels considered classic which began their life as serial
novels, a fact that made little impression on me at the time. To me,
serial novels were those light mysteries or equally light romances in
the back of magazines I’d read growing up.
I
rediscovered serial novels on the internet quite by accident. In the
middle of researching facts for my third novel, I stumbled across a
fanfiction site. Before then, I had never heard of fanfiction nor had
any idea such sites existed. Curious, I delved right in, and before
long, I had posted my own fanfiction episodes along with everyone
else.
Why
would a novelist, used to creating her own worlds, want to write
fanfiction? First, I wanted to see what it was like. Once I did, and
the comments started coming in, I was hooked. Second, I discovered,
as I discuss in the book, that writing episodes online is a type of
performance art. Writing before a built-in audience is exciting and
satisfying.
I
learned how to structure my episodes with a beginning punch to draw
in my audience, and how to leave them wanting more, which is one of
the primary goals in serial fiction. The downside of writing fanfic
is that you are writing in someone else’s world, using characters
and settings you do not own.
I
decided it was time for a change and submitted an idea for a serial
novel to several newspapers and magazines. One of the newspapers
hired me to write a novel divided into weekly episodes. The novella
was such a success the paper hired me to write three more. Following
that, a newsprint magazine hired me to run the same four novellas.
Earlier
this year I started writing The
Hidden, a serial novel
sold in episodes through Amazon. I have completed the first novella
and am pleased with the response I’ve received.
So,
why did I write this book?
Serial
novels have recently experienced a comeback and more and more writers
are experimenting with the format. This is good, but what I have
discovered is that many writers wanting to write serial fiction have
little understanding of the basic elements involved and how serial
fiction differs from writing a completed novel. I was appalled to
discover an author advertising that he would “cut up your novel to
use as a serial.”
Serial
fiction is not “cut up novels,” and episodes are not chapters.
Also, different types of serial fiction require different criteria. I
try to cover all of this in this book so that even the experienced
writer might find something new and of value.
I should mention that besides giving valuable information on writing serial fiction, the e-book contains a bonus section devoted to MARKETING. This section contains over 500 clickable links for facebook sites and websites which post e-books.The section also contains twitter sites willing to post your books.
How to Write Serial Fiction goes through clearly and succinctly everything you need to publish your serial fiction on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other outlets. There is a wealth of information in this book and I wish it had been around when I first self-published my book series. There are a number of intricate steps to serial writing, and C. R. Myers takes you through everything you need to know to help your first serial be a resounding success.
—Michael Ward
Self-published author with 50 titles on Amazon and Barnes and Noble
Amazon’s Michael Ward Page http:// www.amazon.com/-/ e/ B007A550QM
How to Write Serial Fiction...is awesome. I really like it because the instructions are clear and concise. The only thing I'd change is the title. I'd call it, The Dummies Guide to Writing Serial Fiction.
—Catherine Sellers
http:// www.catherinesellers.com
Writing serial fiction is not as easy as it sounds. It's not just writing a book and breaking it up by chapters. From hooking the reader with each episode , story arc , and consistent characterization to keeping the reader coming back for more, this is the resource I wish I'd had when I started writing serial fiction.
—Jean Lauzier
http:// www.jeanlauzier.com
This is such great information. You get a step-by-step guideline on how to write a serial novel. Cat makes it look easy, and maybe if I had had the information in this book when I was writing The Cabin it would have made it easier. Thanks for all your work.
—Evelyn M. Byrne
http:// www.evelynmbyrne.com
