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Installments... how short is too short?

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LadyGelassenheit
Rookie Scribe
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Good morning,

i have just recently joined Lush and submitted my first story last week, i had originally written the story in a series of installments but posted them here all in one. i have another set of stories that i wrote that were also originally written as a series and i am thinking of posting them but am not sure if i should break them up by their original installments or group them together.

i apologize if this has already been a discussion topic before, please forgive my ignorance.

Best regards,

LG
Unknown User
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Whatever is logical. There are minimum lengths outside of a couple categories (Poetry and, I think, Flash) so keep an eye on those. At the same time, there's a 10,000 word somewhat flexible maximum so you need to be mindful of that it you start combining installments into a larger story. I've been finding the sweet spot is somewhere around 5000-6000 words but that's largely predicated on my writing style. In the end, it is really a personal decision for you and depends on what makes sense for your story.

The other thing to keep in mind is that you're limited to one story on the front page every 24 hours so if you have a lot of installments, it will have to be spread over a period of several days. Fewer installments will mean you get it all out quicker. That said, you at least have it all finished so your readers won't be left hanging as you finish future installments.

So, if your story plays best in installments and the installments are long enough (i.e. above the minimum) then I'd publish it that way.

My only true multi-part story (as opposed to sequels/prequels where one story ties into another) Model Client got broken into 2 parts because it (a) would have exceeded 10k if I had written it as one and (b) had a logical break point where it made sense to end one story and start another. I didn't start it as a two-parter, though. It just worked out that way.
Unknown User
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Oh, and welcome to Lush. I see you're from Buffalo. I grew up in Kitchener, Ontario and we got our American TV feeds from your hometown (this was pre-satellite so I'm talking broadcast channels like ABC, CBS, PBS, etc.). Only rarely been there but learned a lot about it from the tube.
RumpleForeskin
The Right Rev of Lush
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LG, welcome to Lush. IMO, your story would have probably attracted more views if it had been broken into the original, shorter segments you mentioned. As to an optimum length, I'd go with something around 3000 words. All that depends on many subjective judgements, of course. For me, story segments of less than 2000 words are, with a few notable exceptions, a 'skip to the next story' signal.

With luck, some folks who actually know what they're going on about will also share their thoughts with you. ;)

RUMPLATIONS: AwesomeHonky Tonk and Cyber Bar
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Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwords. -- ROBERT HEINLEIN
Just_A_Guy_You_Know
Certified Mind Reader
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Quote by seeker4
Oh, and welcome to Lush. I see you're from Buffalo. I grew up in Kitchener, Ontario and we got our American TV feeds from your hometown (this was pre-satellite so I'm talking broadcast channels like ABC, CBS, PBS, etc.). Only rarely been there but learned a lot about it from the tube.


Grew up watching stations from Buffalo and Rochester, too. There was one that used to run a bunch of weird offbeat movies late at night that was really cool.

As to the original question - My opinion is that if you can fit it all into 10,000 words, then you should do that. I'd rather read a story all in one place instead of clicking through a bunch of links, and 'did I skip part three? Where the fuck is part three?' etc.

If you are going to write in installments, it's better to think in terms of scenes, rather than length. Each part should be able to stand alone as its own scene. Don't create a bunch of awkward 'cliffhangers' to draw things out. End each scene on a climax (literally and/or narratively) or soon-after - then go on to the next installment.

Post-avant-retro-demelodicized-electro-yodel-core is my jam.

Unknown User
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Quote by Just_A_Guy_You_Know


There was one that used to run a bunch of weird offbeat movies late at night that was really cool.


Sci-fi Saturdays on 29 before it became a Fox affiliate introduced me to a number of life-long passions, including kaiju and B-grade s-f movies from the fifties and sixties.
LadyGelassenheit
Rookie Scribe
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Thank you for the warm welcome and feedback everyone!
RumpleForeskin
The Right Rev of Lush
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LG, this is just a suggestion, you understand, but whatever you decide about a story's length, it would probably be best to warn readers in the beginning, so to speak, that the post is not a complete story and at the end, remind them more is coming. The issue of the best way to let readers know would fill up another thread. However, a quick 'down and dirty' list of suggestions would include an annotation such as 'Chap. one' or 'pt. 1-3'.

But the main thing is all that is your call. Looking forward to reading the next installment of your story.

RUMPLATIONS: AwesomeHonky Tonk and Cyber Bar
Home of the Lush "IN" crowd: indecent, intoxicated, and insolvent
a place to gossip, share news, talk sports, pimp a story, piss & moan, or just grab a drink. Check it out.

Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwords. -- ROBERT HEINLEIN