To self-contain or not to self-contain

[Joe]

I would think that it would be very difficult to write self-contained stories that are linked to many other episodes. You're a better person than I am if you can pull this off. Also, if you want the reader to return for the next episode, you need a hook. I try to end each episode with one of the main characters in peril.

[S.L.]

I think that the nice part about web serials is that, unless the author is deleting installments or episodes, it's very easy to go back and start at the beginning of a story if you happen to jump into the middle of something that interests you.

So I'd say not to worry about self-contained so much and just tell the story the way it wants to be told.

[Capriox]

The vast majority of web serials I read are essential serialized novels (i.e. the "Mark Twain newspaper" method) where each post is a scene or chapter in a much longer, often novel-length story. I've seen a handful that write them like Lost, where there's a "season" or "series" of 10-20 episodes per overaching plot, and then further seasons featuring the some or all the same cast, etc.

The only time I've seen a lot of standalone posts/episodes is when people are writing microfic either within a set universe and/or to prompts. Lyn Thorne Alder does this a lot to great effect. Her microfic stuff can be found on LJ (http://aldersprig.livejournal.com/) and Dreamwidth (http://aldersprig.dreamwidth.org/) if you want to see examples of that.

[Claudia]

Who cares what everyone else is doing? I agree with Sara - tell the story as it wants to be told, to the best of your ability.

No one is making anything up here from scratch. Everything we're doing now has been done before in other ways and in other times. Do you best, stay with your story, and everything will work out.

One more thing - go for it. Writing a serial is truly READY - FIRE - AIM.

Just do it! Maybe you'll regret it, but so what? You probably regret those pants you wore in Junior High too. Even Dickens regretted some of his early work. We all do. (And we all regret that you wore those pants in Junior High. ;)

Go. For. It! And send us a link so we can cheer you on.

Good luck!

Claudia Hall Christian

[Kurt]

Hey Dan,

To reference your original question:

I think that's a great idea, whether you're writing a serial or not. Even with a traditional book, it makes sense to me that each chapter should have a complete narrative arc of its own. Obviously, each standalone segment will be less complete without the greater characterization that's apparent in the larger work, but nonetheless, if you can pull it off, I think you're a cut above.

-Kurt
www.CapitalOffenseBook.com