Haiden Hibbert
If you’ve been interested in a writing career for any amount of time, you’ve probably heard (or experienced first-hand!) just how challenging the publishing industry can be. Fortunately, traditional publishing is not necessary for writers to make money anymore, and alternative methods like selling serial fiction online might be a better—and more lucrative—option for you.
Serial fiction is essentially writing and publishing your novel or story in installments over time, instead of all at once. Readers can subscribe to gain access to each new chapter or portion of the story. This format has become increasingly popular, as it allows writers to build suspense, engage with readers, and even earn money from their writing.
In this post, we’ll walk through five easy steps on how/where to publish your serial fiction using MemberSpace. Let’s get started!
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Step 1: Set up your author website
If you’re wondering where to publish serial fiction, you’ve probably seen some of the third-party platforms that allow you to do so. However, using your own website ensures you control what happens to your writing and how much you want to charge for it. Don’t worry – it’s quick and easy to set up.
First, you’ll need a simple one-page website to serve as your home base for publishing. This site should include a description of your book, information about you as the author, and eventually links to each chapter. You can easily create a beautiful website in minutes using a drag-and-drop site builder like Squarespace.
Once your site is up and running, you’ll have a professional platform to start publishing your serial fiction.
Step 2: Create a dedicated page for each new chapter
On your website, create a new page for each chapter or installment of your story. That way, you’ll be able to publish and gate access to them one by one.
You can draft all your installments upfront or write and add new pages week by week. Just make sure the pages have a clear naming structure, like www.yourwebsite.com/chapter1, www.yourwebsite.com/chapter2 and so on.
Step 3: Restrict access to chapter pages
This is where MemberSpace comes in – it’s a tool made specifically for creatives to easily accept payments and gate website content. You can use it to easily restrict access to certain pages on your site, like your serial fiction chapters.
Simply grab the URL for each chapter page and add it to MemberSpace. This will require readers to create an account and pay in order to view that content.
You can also create multiple tiers, so free members might get access to just one chapter while paid subscribers can read them all. This brings us to…
Step 4: Drip out chapters with MemberSpace
Once your chapters are uploaded and restricted, use MemberSpace to create your subscription tiers.
There are two ways you can approach this:
- A payment plan, where readers get access to new chapters overtime. You would set the plan to expire after the reader has received all chapters.
- Lifetime access, where readers get to keep access to your stories forever after they have received all your chapters.
✨ Writing Tip: If you’re writing as you go, try a monthly subscription. Add chapters in real-time for a “living novel” feel. Then start the next book!
Step 5: Notify your readers when a new chapter launches
To keep your readers engaged and excited about your book, make sure to notify them every time they get access to a new chapter. You can easily automate this process by connecting your email marketing tool with MemberSpace via Zapier. Then, once someone signs up, they’ll get an email about the first chapter, another one after seven days (or however many you decide) for the second chapter, and so on.
How to Write Serial Fiction
Writing serial fiction is a fun way to share your story with readers in short, exciting parts. Here are some tips and best practices to consider as you write your chapters.
Outline your chapters
Before you start writing, take some time to plan out the big picture of your story. Break it down into smaller parts that you can release one at a time. Each part should have its own little story within the bigger one to keep your readers engaged before they get access to the next installment.
Have fun with cliffhangers
The fun of serial fiction is leaving readers hanging at the end of each chapter (because they have to wait before you release the next one!). To keep your readers excited for the next part, leave them with a question or a surprise that will make them excited to find out what happens next.
Keep things consistent
Make sure your characters, story, and writing style stay the same throughout the series. This helps your readers stay engaged and makes the story feel smooth, even though it’s released in parts.
Get feedback from your readers
One of the best parts of serial fiction is getting to talk to your readers as you go. Ask for their thoughts, chat about theories, and build a community around your story. This helps you create loyal fans and can give you great ideas for future parts of your story.
Why write serial fiction?
If you’re thinking about writing serial fiction, you might wonder what makes it different from traditional publishing. Here are some of the biggest perks for authors:
Publish faster
With serial fiction, you can start sharing your work with readers right away, without waiting until the whole book is finished. This lets you build excitement and start growing your fan base from the very beginning.
Lots of flexibility
If you have your story pre-written, you can choose to release chapters on a schedule that works best for you and your readers. This could be daily, weekly, or even monthly. Having a consistent release schedule helps build anticipation and keeps readers engaged.
Have more freedom
Writing serial fiction gives you the flexibility to change your story based on what your readers think and explore new ideas as they come up. This can lead to a story that’s more exciting and engaging overall.
Earn more money
By releasing your story in parts and selling subscriptions or individual chapters, you can bring in a regular income from your writing. This can be really helpful for newer writers looking to build their audience and make a name for themselves.
Opportunity for revisions
Even if you have your story written in advance, releasing it as serial fiction gives you the chance to make revisions based on reader feedback. You can use comments and reactions to identify areas that may need clarification or improvement, ensuring that the final product is as strong as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions about serial fiction
What is serial fiction writing?
Serial fiction is a form of storytelling where a larger narrative is broken down into smaller, episodic installments released over time.
How do you make money with serial fiction?
You can monetize your serial fiction by selling subscriptions using a tool like MemberSpace to manage access and payments.
Where can I publish serial fiction?
While there are third-party platforms available, the best option is to publish on your own author website. This gives you full control over your content and pricing.
How do I write serial fiction?
To write serial fiction, start by planning your overall story arc and breaking it into chapters or installments. Focus on writing interesting cliffhangers, maintaining consistency, and engaging with your audience throughout the process.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever wanted to publish your stories directly for readers without dealing with traditional book publishing, serial fiction could be perfect for you.
With just a basic website and MemberSpace to handle subscriptions and access to your chapters, it has never been more straightforward to release your novel or story piece-by-piece.
MemberSpace makes it easy to:
- Create subscriber-only access to your chapters
- Automatically release new chapters over time
- Get paid by readers right on your site
Regularly releasing new chapters, emailing readers, and promoting your website will quickly build dedicated fans of your unfolding tale. To get started, try MemberSpace free today!
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