Is Serialized Fiction the Wave of the Future?
Earlier this year I started noticing more and more Kindle ebooks that were more like novellas or even short stories rather than full blown novels. These ebooks were often part of a series and sold for considerably less than a regular book.
Probably the most famous of these is Hugh Howey's Wool series which he didn't even set out to write as a series. Nonetheless it became a phenomenon and has shaken up the publishing world.
And just earlier this month I became aware of two writers who have taken this concept a step further. Sean Platt and David Wright have applied the language and format of some of the best TV shows of the past ten years -- Battlestar Galactica, Breaking Bad -- to their line of serialized novels. Instead of books and chapters, Platt and Wright are writing "seasons" that consist of "episodes." And like the TV shows they are modeled on each episode is action-packed and usually ends with a cliffhanger or reveal of some sort.
Literary fiction this isn't. And that's fine with me as I prefer my reading material to have a lot of plot, which isn't to say character isn't important. It is and I've read plenty of bad serialized fiction that has loads of ludicrous plot with cliched characters. Just like bad TV.
So is this the future? I doubt it will replace traditional novels across the board, but with the rise of eReaders and with the internet shortening attention spans, I think this kind of storytelling is here to stay. Indeed, I think it could become hugely popular and that's mostly a good thing.
Yes, I worry about our shrinking attention spans, but you might as well fight the sunset for all the look you'll have in changing that. I'm just delighted that words have found a way to compete with all of the video now washing over us.
Probably the most famous of these is Hugh Howey's Wool series which he didn't even set out to write as a series. Nonetheless it became a phenomenon and has shaken up the publishing world.
And just earlier this month I became aware of two writers who have taken this concept a step further. Sean Platt and David Wright have applied the language and format of some of the best TV shows of the past ten years -- Battlestar Galactica, Breaking Bad -- to their line of serialized novels. Instead of books and chapters, Platt and Wright are writing "seasons" that consist of "episodes." And like the TV shows they are modeled on each episode is action-packed and usually ends with a cliffhanger or reveal of some sort.
Literary fiction this isn't. And that's fine with me as I prefer my reading material to have a lot of plot, which isn't to say character isn't important. It is and I've read plenty of bad serialized fiction that has loads of ludicrous plot with cliched characters. Just like bad TV.
So is this the future? I doubt it will replace traditional novels across the board, but with the rise of eReaders and with the internet shortening attention spans, I think this kind of storytelling is here to stay. Indeed, I think it could become hugely popular and that's mostly a good thing.
Yes, I worry about our shrinking attention spans, but you might as well fight the sunset for all the look you'll have in changing that. I'm just delighted that words have found a way to compete with all of the video now washing over us.
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