[Spinner]

Hey guys, I'm doing a little survey on a few forums to figure out the plausibility of online serials and the possible eventual transition to print. This is related to a project I'm working on at the moment. I've been kicking it around for a while but I think I'm finally going ahead with it.

The current model I have is 750-800 word updates 5 days a week, with each chapter containing 20-25 updates (chapters last about, or more than a month). I have several questions about preferences (just keep it to personal preferences), so here we go:

1. Would you keep coming back for 750-800 words 5 days a week? Is that within your On-screen reading threshold?
2. Would you find it annoying if each update did not have its own dramatic structure (a beginning, a middle and an end?). Would it be better if it did?
3. Would the dramatic structure annoy you in the print version?
4. Which do you prefer, dark backgrounds, or light ones for reading?
5. How do you feel about the concept of online serials in general?
6. Other comments.

Thanks in advance! =)

Ben

[Behave Yourself]

1. Would you keep coming back for 750-800 words 5 days a week? Is that within your On-screen reading threshold?

Yep, definitely. It isn't too hard.

2. Would you find it annoying if each update did not have its own dramatic structure (a beginning, a middle and an end?). Would it be better if it did?

I wouldn't need it to be - updates do not make chapters. I myself do not plan to ever officially make anything a real chapter until after I finish something. Then it all becomes indexed, etc.

3. Would the dramatic structure annoy you in the print version?

Updates as chapters would annoy me like hell in a print version, because they'd be really short. You'd have chapters-within-chapters if each update had a beginning, middle, and end.

4. Which do you prefer, dark backgrounds, or light ones for reading?

I prefer dark backgrounds with white text, it's much easier for me to read that way.

5. How do you feel about the concept of online serials in general?

It's a great concept for a developing writer, but once you're good enough to go pro, I feel like you should. (NOTE: "You" is a general term.)

James

[Go for Gin]

1. Would you keep coming back for 750-800 words 5 days a week? Is that within your On-screen reading threshold?

I think I'd actually prefer reading them thrice a week. That way if you spend a week away from a computer or something, it's easier to catch up.

2. Would you find it annoying if each update did not have its own dramatic structure (a beginning, a middle and an end?). Would it be better if it did?

Uh...really not sure with that one. They should all go somewhere and advance the plot somehow. If they don't, they should give exposition (but only stuff that's very necessary) or provide a breather from a more intense sequence of updates

3. Would the dramatic structure annoy you in the print version?

You mean short updates all with their own beginning/middle/end? Yes. If you sit down to read at a computer, you're not expecting to be there long. If you've got a book, you usually plan to be there a bit. So if you plan on getting it published, make sure updates could easily be melded into chapters.

4. Which do you prefer, dark backgrounds, or light ones for reading?

Dark. Or anything other than white. White tends to really glare after a while, especially if it's a CRT.

5. How do you feel about the concept of online serials in general?

I'm really not sure on that point.

6. Other comments.

None. May edit later if I think of something.

[Invisible Ink]

1. Would you keep coming back for 750-800 words 5 days a week? Is that within your On-screen reading threshold?

I think five days a week would be a little much for me. Three would be a little more comfortable. The word count would be acceptable though.

2. Would you find it annoying if each update did not have its own dramatic structure (a beginning, a middle and an end?). Would it be better if it did?

It would depend on the length of the update. It probably wouldn't annoy me at 750-800 words. What I'm really looking for in an update is something new and interesting to happen, espeically if I don't have to read a huge set-up for it.

3. Would the dramatic structure annoy you in the print version?

I imagine it would bug the crap out of me and it might even ruin the book itself.

4. Which do you prefer, dark backgrounds, or light ones for reading?

Definitely dark. It's way easier on the eyes.

5. How do you feel about the concept of online serials in general?

Personally, my attention span isn't the greatest when it comes to reading online works, but if it really catches my interest, I'll stick it out.

[HJP]

1. Would you keep coming back for 750-800 words 5 days a week? Is that within your On-screen reading threshold?
-Definitely. I might not read each update immediately, but the more to read, the better!

2. Would you find it annoying if each update did not have its own dramatic structure (a beginning, a middle and an end?). Would it be better if it did?
-Yeah, that's a little annoying. It's not that bad, but it makes the whole thing seem a little fragmented and less like a novel to me. Not a huge issue though.

3. Would the dramatic structure annoy you in the print version?
-Yes, for sure.

4. Which do you prefer, dark backgrounds, or light ones for reading?
-The dark backgrounds, white glares and burns your eyes too much.

5. How do you feel about the concept of online serials in general?
-I think it's a good idea for feedback.

[Arthryn]

1. Would you keep coming back for 750-800 words 5 days a week? Is that within your On-screen reading threshold?

Five days a week would be nice, because you get people in a routine and there's always something for them to check out when they do their daily online routine. Personally, I wouldn't get impatient if it was every other or every third day. Also, since it's online, you could probably go as short as 500 words. But I wouldn't ever go over 1000.

2. Would you find it annoying if each update did not have its own dramatic structure (a beginning, a middle and an end?). Would it be better if it did?

As long as it has some sort of arc, like just moving a situation from A to B would be fine, even if it's not necessarily a resolution. I think with just a random portion, it would be frustrating, since having that sense of an arc is nice, and I get a sense of closure and completion just for that chapter.

3. Would the dramatic structure annoy you in the print version?

The short ADD chapters? Actually I think it would work, because it would have frequent stopping points and would be easy to read whilst having other stuff to do.

4. Which do you prefer, dark backgrounds, or light ones for reading?

I think you could go with both. For dark, you'd need a charcoal grey background with a non-white but light text color. For light, you need a neutral, light color that is fairly far from white, and a dark, but not black, text color. Subtle reduction in contrast in both light and dark helps a ton in readability. Also, never ever use hot colors. And even then, you shouldn't really venture that far off the gray scale for the text-content area.

5. How do you feel about the concept of online serials in general?

Seeing as how I'm into web entrepreneurship and have a decent amount of knowledge about the publishing industry, I think it's a pretty interesting concept. The key would be to generate creative revenue streams and marketing/advertising strategies.

6. Other comments.

Nothing that I can think of right now.

[eragon nerd]

Hey sorry for taking so long to answer.

1. Would you keep coming back for 750-800 words 5 days a week? Is that within your On-screen reading threshold?
750-800 words, yes. I definitely wouldn't check 5 days a week however, but because its only 750-800 words a day, catching up or reading 2000 words every three days isn't so bad.

2. Would you find it annoying if each update did not have its own dramatic structure (a beginning, a middle and an end?). Would it be better if it did?
No it would not be annoying. As long as each is concise and held together in its own way its fine. Especially with five updates a week, I'd imagine one or two a week might help keep interest, however.

3. Would the dramatic structure annoy you in the print version?
Not really. I've read novels that have over a hundred chapters for say a 250 page book. Unless the dramatic structure feels artificially imposed I'd imagine it wouldn't stick out.

4. Which do you prefer, dark backgrounds, or light ones for reading?
Dark makes reading difficult, too light and the harshness of an LCD screen causes eyestrain. I'd imagine a light shade of gray would take the glare off and still make black text stand out. You could use further boxing to help even more maybe? Have the page be the light gray shade and then have a darker shade fill any extra space?

5. How do you feel about the concept of online serials in general?
All for it. Free is a key word, however.

6. Other comments.
Have you looked into the ebook market? I'd imagine there are ways to subscribe to content and have it update on your ebook reader. Besides that the site itself probably needs some support or "Bonus Features" such as author commentary, maybe art, a store (If you get serious. Money!), discussion / Q&A (Forums), and other goodies to keep the average person interested.

This post has been edited by eragon nerd: 04 October 2009 - 12:59 AM

[dragonking555]

1.Would you keep coming back for 750-800 words 5 days a week? Is that within your On-screen reading threshold? Sure. Not hard for me, sounds perfectly reasonable

2.Would you find it annoying if each update did not have its own dramatic structure (a beginning, a middle and an end?). Would it be better if it did? What you are talking about sounds like an episodic structure. The kind we see in TV shows and such. Each piece acts as its own story while at the same time contributing to a big picture. Not necessary but it sure sounds cool to me! I think in terms of an online story that would be even more attractive than a novel/ chapter styled writing.

3. Would the dramatic structure annoy you in the print version? Nope. Sound good to me.

4.Which do you prefer, dark backgrounds, or light ones for reading? Does not matter as long as it is simple and does not distract.

5. How do you feel about the concept of online serials in general? I am a film major and the concept of online serial sounds cool, like a book posted at a certain time each week that we look forward to. I think that if done right it is good. I think that the most effective style would be episodic like you mentioned above.

6. Other comments. I like your writing and idea for online series, sounds pretty cool to me. Just make sure that, similar to TV, you can pick it up at any time in the story yet still have enough of a progressive plot that it keeps people coming back to see what happens next. (This is if you plan to go with the continuous dramatic structure that you were talking about.