Thanks! I'm glad it was helpful. I think some authors are doing okay with their serial fiction on Substack. It's hard to find and build an audience for it, but we're doing the best we can. :)
Thank you for all this wonderfully useful information. I absolutely loved this post, especially since I have been thinking of writing a serial novel myself.
Thanks! I'm glad you found it useful. I think serial novels have a lot of potential, even if sometimes the platforms leave a little to be desired. The real trick, I think, is finding the right place for your story.
Aah. Having been rambling on about serialised fiction for the last half-decade, it's so exciting to see it gaining such traction lately. I have a guide to writing serialised fiction which might be of use to interested writers: https://www.wattpad.com/story/86532927-how-to-write-serialised-fiction (you can get a PDF by subscribing to my own newsletter)
I should probably update that guide, as it's several years old now and a bit Wattpad-centric. There's a lot of process tips in it, though, so hopefully still useful.
It's interesting how some forms - comics, radio, TV - have continued embracing serialisation for decades without every really stopping, while others have abandoned it almost entirely (literature). It's also been interesting to see popular cinema increasingly going down the serialised route over the last couple of decades (Harry Potter, Star Wars, and especially Marvel etc).
Oh wow, that's great! Thanks for sharing your link. It is interesting how serialized literature hasn't been able to maintain the same momentum as other types of storytelling, though perhaps we see it in a different form - could those novelists who turn out a series (a trilogy or ongoing series of, say, mystery novels, be seen as a form of serial fiction? If so, it is definitely alive and well if in a slightly altered form.
What an informative, entertaining, and well-written article, Jackie. I am sure many readers and writers will find all the links very useful and interesting. And I want to give you a huge super thank you for listing Space Traveler Fargone!
The only company I hadn’t heard of was Curious Fictions, which now I have to dissect UX wise before they shut down.
My fam and I lived in Round Rock for a year in 2017, and took art classes at Laguna Gloria. We miss P.Terry’s, Torchy’s, Gourdough, Magnolia Cafe, and more :)
Thanks! And yeah, I lived in Austin a long time. I don't miss the crowds or the traffic, but I do miss some of my friends and I definitely miss my Torchy's and Magnolia! :(
Finally got around to reading this! Very interesting.
Regarding your comment about "whether or not an existing novel can—or should—be adapted to a serial format" I think it's all about language. I mean, if I said "I'll be posting the chapters of my novel online," I doubt anyone would bat an eyelash. However, if I said, "I'm going to serialize my novel," that might raise a few eyebrows.
It's funny, because the end result would be identical. But serials come with certain rules, so certain things would be expected of it.
Simple solution: don't use the word 'serial' if you're going to publish your novel online and that it doesn't have that serial feel to it ;)
That's a great point. The issue, however. has been hotly debated in various Kindle Vella Facebook groups. Since Vella is for serial fiction, people who said they will be uploading their completed novels there were getting a lot of grief because that's not what a serial is.
In my mind, you can have the soap operas with the constant cliffhangers, or you can have a nice novel that is written well so that you want to read the next chapter without one. Personally, I don't mind regular novels on Vella. But this is a question that continues to be debated and there are lots of people who say, if you don't follow the serial fiction rules you can't succeed on a serial platform.
Thanks! I'm glad it was helpful. I think some authors are doing okay with their serial fiction on Substack. It's hard to find and build an audience for it, but we're doing the best we can. :)
Thank you for all this wonderfully useful information. I absolutely loved this post, especially since I have been thinking of writing a serial novel myself.
Thanks! I'm glad you found it useful. I think serial novels have a lot of potential, even if sometimes the platforms leave a little to be desired. The real trick, I think, is finding the right place for your story.
Aah. Having been rambling on about serialised fiction for the last half-decade, it's so exciting to see it gaining such traction lately. I have a guide to writing serialised fiction which might be of use to interested writers: https://www.wattpad.com/story/86532927-how-to-write-serialised-fiction (you can get a PDF by subscribing to my own newsletter)
I should probably update that guide, as it's several years old now and a bit Wattpad-centric. There's a lot of process tips in it, though, so hopefully still useful.
It's interesting how some forms - comics, radio, TV - have continued embracing serialisation for decades without every really stopping, while others have abandoned it almost entirely (literature). It's also been interesting to see popular cinema increasingly going down the serialised route over the last couple of decades (Harry Potter, Star Wars, and especially Marvel etc).
Exciting times!
Oh wow, that's great! Thanks for sharing your link. It is interesting how serialized literature hasn't been able to maintain the same momentum as other types of storytelling, though perhaps we see it in a different form - could those novelists who turn out a series (a trilogy or ongoing series of, say, mystery novels, be seen as a form of serial fiction? If so, it is definitely alive and well if in a slightly altered form.
What an informative, entertaining, and well-written article, Jackie. I am sure many readers and writers will find all the links very useful and interesting. And I want to give you a huge super thank you for listing Space Traveler Fargone!
Thanks so much for your support - and thanks for sharing it! And good luck with your own stories!
Great overview and history!
The only company I hadn’t heard of was Curious Fictions, which now I have to dissect UX wise before they shut down.
My fam and I lived in Round Rock for a year in 2017, and took art classes at Laguna Gloria. We miss P.Terry’s, Torchy’s, Gourdough, Magnolia Cafe, and more :)
Thanks! And yeah, I lived in Austin a long time. I don't miss the crowds or the traffic, but I do miss some of my friends and I definitely miss my Torchy's and Magnolia! :(
This is a great article, Jackie - it's an exciting time to be writing serial fiction!
Agreed, and thanks!
Finally got around to reading this! Very interesting.
Regarding your comment about "whether or not an existing novel can—or should—be adapted to a serial format" I think it's all about language. I mean, if I said "I'll be posting the chapters of my novel online," I doubt anyone would bat an eyelash. However, if I said, "I'm going to serialize my novel," that might raise a few eyebrows.
It's funny, because the end result would be identical. But serials come with certain rules, so certain things would be expected of it.
Simple solution: don't use the word 'serial' if you're going to publish your novel online and that it doesn't have that serial feel to it ;)
That's a great point. The issue, however. has been hotly debated in various Kindle Vella Facebook groups. Since Vella is for serial fiction, people who said they will be uploading their completed novels there were getting a lot of grief because that's not what a serial is.
In my mind, you can have the soap operas with the constant cliffhangers, or you can have a nice novel that is written well so that you want to read the next chapter without one. Personally, I don't mind regular novels on Vella. But this is a question that continues to be debated and there are lots of people who say, if you don't follow the serial fiction rules you can't succeed on a serial platform.
Only time will tell, I suppose?
Thank you so much for this deliciously informative newsletter. This post on serial novel writing is really helpful.
I’m glad you like it! Be sure to let me know if there’s anything you’d like me to write about in the future. 🙂