A question to everyone.

[Nicholas]

I'm sorry, but this will be a bit long winded.

Here's the situation. I'm currently writing a monthly series of stories and the first one was published a couple weeks ago. I'm getting reviews in and it's been quite favorable, the only complaint (more of a comment and less a complaint, based on wording) has been length. Each "episode" is 8000+ words each. I do realize that is short, and has been advertised as a series of short stories.

So, the question is - what would you do? I can either double up my writing and try to keep up the pace while keeping up with life (anyone with a FT job, kids and a house understands why I even bring that up), all the while trying to develop more ideas.

Or I can do what a handful of opinions have told me and keep selling each episode for 99 cents.

[Barbara]

Nicholas wrote: "I'm sorry, but this will be a bit long winded.

Here's the situation. I'm currently writing a monthly series of stories and the first one was published a couple weeks ago. I'm getting reviews in an..."

Keep selling the single episodes and then publish a full collection for those who like longer stories - either when you're done or in bundles of 5 or 10 stories (that's the Dean Wesley Smith approach to short stories, in case you're wondering).
Not sure if this is really a series that should be read in a specific order or just a bunch of stories about the same character (like Dean's Poker Boy). If it's a series that really needs to follow a certain order, again, do the bundles in chronological order and go for "omnibus vol.1" etc. It's what I'm doing with my graphic novel on DriveThruComics. Single issues whenever they become available, and then Omnibus each 5 chapters/issues. Eventually I'll do a "complete edition"! ;-)

[Matt]

If it says clearly "short story" then just go on as you have. Barbara's advice is right about bundling them. Perhaps add a sample onto your blog/website, like a shorter complete piece in the same series, so that readers on the fence about buying a short story can see how good you are and be interested in the ones that are for sale.

YOu could add an illustration to each short story, even if it's just a pencil drawing, for increased value.

You could make each document longer by adding in a previous blog or essay you've written.

You could find a like-minded co-author and bundle one story from each of you and sell for $1.99.

Best wishes,

Matt

[Nicholas]

Thanks folks! The idea of bundling them at a later date was something I had planned to do, although I didn't know anyone else had tried it.

It actually it is a series. I'm issuing them in the order it should be read, which is (mostly) chronological with a few back stories to give more depth to the world.

As far as the bundles, I had planned to base that on the main plot. The main character goes through some major transformations that would be fully realized every 10ish episodes (so you hit that on the dot Barbara).

I have been thinking and writing this in terms of a tv show. So, after so many "episodes" a season is concluded. Since the sub-story arcs are satirical pieces over the state of science fiction genres, I thought this would be the best approach.

Okay, enough babbling. Thanks for the advice, I'm glad to see I was originally on the right path!

[Steven]

I think 99 cents is a good price for an 8000 word short story. For me the price of the story and the quality are big issues. If you are writing 8000 words of fantastic and entertaining reading then you are doing good. Maybe you are writing so good that the people saying it's short are "wishing" more for the same price. I totally understand the full time work and family situation as I have quite a few stories I am working on but the time to work on them is minimal. I say keep up with what you have going and if the readers want more story, you need to charge for the extra. Your time is money but whatever you do keep up the quality cause that is most important.

[Nicholas]

Thanks for the input. So far the ONLY complaint has been length. So I'll keep to my guns and stick to my original plan. Now, its just a matter of marketing this thing! thanks again folks!

[Justin]

Hmm..I like your whole concept of writing a series of stories monthly, I have a whole bunch of poems I could do this with, I actually hold a poem voting contest sometimes it doesn't fare well though. But yeah I would say keep on writing and if you want to charge people change to buy it it's a win win, you get people to read and you make profit off it so yeah keep up the good work!