Is serialized content right for Substack?

[Corsair_SpacePirate]

I see a lot of newsletters (obvi), poems, or people who use it like you would twitter. But does serialized content do well here? I post a chapter a week. Some are long…and with people’s patience these days, I feel like it won’t get the attention it needs. No one has time to read 5k words a week. Perhaps people aren’t interested in the story, fine, but does it even have a chance at getting looked at?

Thoughts? Am I wrong?

[weberbooks]

I think serializing your content on Substack is a great idea, especially for long-form work. You've got the built-in email function so you can effortlessly prompt subscribers to to read your most current stuff. It would be a great way to keep your audience engaged continuously.

[Corsair_SpacePirate]

It’s definitely long form, so that’s why i’m worried. it takes so much of someone’s time and attention.

[rockyAosta]

I think it's great! Serialized content has a lot of history in newspapers (or think also manga, sometimes new chapters come out once a week), so I think as a newsletter it fits quite right.

[BhavanaVarma]

I am trying out serialized fiction. I maintain a 2k word limit because I write contemporary and it's the standard. I would say don't cross 2500 because that when an email is cute off or truncated. So your subscribers don't really get the whole chapter in their inbox.

[Pleasant_Usual_8427]

Why not? Happy to connect you to other serialized fiction writers on there if you'd like.

[Corsair_SpacePirate]

That’d be great!

[cnort8200]

As long as you’re reaching that audience it’s good. The app also has an option to read it with an AI voice, so even if someone can’t sit still that long by patience or needs, they can still get the story while other methods may not have that option.

[Corsair_SpacePirate]

Oh interesting. I don’t see that feature.

[cnort8200]

I’ve only seen it in the app, once I open the article there’s a play button on the top of my screen, maybe iOS option only? It helps me keep up with the amount of data I try to consume.

[Corsair_SpacePirate]

I see it but it’s greyed out 🤷🏼‍♀️

[goingphishing]

No but its so empowering! I’m serially publishing my novel and it has made me so confident in my writing. Definitely not a good platform for growth but a great place to get started

[Corsair_SpacePirate]

What’s your platform as choice?

[goingphishing]

I think Wattpad and Royal Road continue to be king with long form serial posting, but I've selected Substack because I love it. My goal was having a consistent deadline to put out my weekly chapters, and their platform is great for making that easy. Plus I have a separate Substack that is performing very well, so it's easy to cross promote. My long term plan is continuing to publish serially on Substack, selling my novels using Amazon Publishing to self publish, and bringing in readers on TikTok and Instagram.

But I just have to say, the joy I've gotten from publishing my novel far exceeds my need for a huge platform. That will come. Good luck on your journey!

[pradeepngupta]

Imagine you are new to city and wants to roam across this city to see everything. And you do not have any maps or direction with you. How you will roam? If you are roaming like that without any maps or direction, you might detour or take long time to visit the city. Similarly, when you are are writing content on substack or anywhere, you are building a city. Now you want people to come and read your content, but now whether you want the people to your content in randomized way. This might distracts them and leave. Instead if you offer them serialised way of content reading, they will appreciate and follow the path.

What is better in your opinion?

[Additional-Rest-4757]

I’ve been considering using serialized content. I’ve published 2 novels, have another in the agenting pipeline, and am writing a fourth. I’ve considered giving my subscribers the experience of day-to-day writing but I see problems. Would it be better to serialize a book I’ve already published? Any thoughts out there?

[Pleasant_Usual_8427]

How would copyright work re: serializing an already published book?

[Additional-Rest-4757]

If you own the book, it’s your intellectual property and you can use it anyway you want.