I think that Substack might want to consider the centuries-old tradition of holding a physical book in one’s hands & having a personal library. You have solved one part of the current publishing situation, but wouldn’t it be nice to also have the means to have stories, essays, and books in print format?
Yes! I love this. That’s why I’ll be offering a hardcover edition of my novel for higher level supporters. I know a few other Substack writers offer that as well (like sashachapin.substack.com)
But you've taken the cost of reading a book up to $50! Or worse, $120. That's where I start scratching my head. I have a novel in the near-querying phase, too, I'm also overhauling my entire presence to "My Name - Author." I'm also starting at zero when it comes to my list, but mercy me, I'm doing so many different setups at once, it's as hard as writing/revising the book. I can understand this as a way to make a good haul in one season, and I applaud your success, I'd really like to see more evidence about the $120 v $50 bit for a novel, one they admittedly may never see on a lessening shelf at B&N, granted. Maybe I missed something above. I'm not trying to cause a fuss and disagree, just seeking to better understand. --Donny
Oh yes, I completely agree. Why would someone pay $5/month for four chapters, when they could pay $2.99 for a whole book on Amazon? The answer is: 1) Because some readers want to support their favorite authors, and 2) Because readers get more than just chapters. It's more like being part of a book club community with the author herself!
In my case, I plan to offer readers access to my private discord community, shout outs in the acknowledgements section of my book, the ability to write the foreword to my book, and even the ability to attend the wrap party for my book in-person at the end. And then yes, when the serialization period is over, it will go up on Wattpad/Kindle etc., where it will be much less expensive. If someone discovers my book there and wants to read my next one, they can wait a year to get it on Kindle, or they can start reading it "now" while its serializing.
I think it sounds strange to some people, but you have to consider that there are people on this planet who spend hundreds of thousands of dollars buying "weapons" in an online virtual game. So if there are people out there who will support their favorite video game, there are definitely people out there who will support their favorite author. :)
Please don't view me as a hostile witness. I'm not arguing with you. My book is about four teen boys who build a treehouse off their Air Force base in Upper Michigan next to the secret hideaway of a Soviet spy in 1977. I am looking at interactive maps on my personal site, which I'm presently also building, and affiliate links to nostalgic items from the time period. The FB group of people from the old base are close to 7K, and USAFBrats is close to 60K, if I recall. So yeah, I get what you're doing. Just looking for evidence as well re the right path to take. You're clearly on the path less travelled. This is certainly an idea that makes sense. After all, membership has privileges, per AmEx....
The trouble with libraries is that they buy ten copies of an eBook (as if it were a print book) and then they loan it out to thousands of people. Those people then have to "wait in line" to get one of those few copies and in this transaction, the author earns about $10. In my opinion, the library should work more like Spotify: where there are an unlimited amount of copies readers can use, and the author gets paid a small royalty fee every time someone streams it (in this case, reads a page). This is kind of how Kindle Unlimited works, but it would be even better if implemented by the library!
I've been blogging and self-publishing non-fiction online for about 20 years through different platforms but I'm just now working on my first fiction novel, so take all of this with a grain of salt!
Depending upon your genre, there could be lots of "bonus" things you could offer to your paid subscribers that could be fun to create and fun for them to read. For example, I'm writing a sci-fi novel set on Earth in the distant future (though that's not exactly clear at first) and I have ideas for several novels in this setting. So I've created an entire world, extensive back story/history/evolution, "awakened abilities," basic religion, maps, main character histories, etc. Off the top of my head, I could offer subscriber bonus content such as:
* Character profiles and/or histories
* Awakened abilities - descriptions, known limitations, categories, status, etc.
* Short stories about main characters
* Short stories about interesting supporting characters
* History of places (Strongholds, the Five-City Alliance, etc)
* Alternate perspectives - take an important or exciting scene and rewrite it from a different character's point of view
* Codex writings - "excerpts" from their religious text
* Journal entries from a minor character
With my novel and its "world," I would also like to do a podcast - maybe biweekly - that's a traveling bard telling tales to audiences. The tales could be fun, embellished, and wouldn't need to fit exactly with the details in the novel because, well, it's just a bard who's entertaining an audience!
Obviously, all of this takes time and would need to be appropriate for the audience, but it could be lots of fun. In the right genres, it could also provide details of your "world" for folks who might be interested in writing "fan fiction." Heck, you could even encourage fan fiction and offer subscribers the opportunity to publish the best fan fiction on your Substack.
Anyway, good luck Elle and thanks for everything you're doing!
Hi Elle. Love your efforts here. You have helped enforce my "gut" decision to write, illustrate and narrate on Substack more than worthy of my time. Would love to connect with yourself and any other newer writers to combine forces, etc. Thanks!
Hi all, just launched my free fiction newsletter, short stories published bi-weekly! Welcome any and all engagement, would love to get to know some of you fiction writers too. I got a designer on board with my project and built a nice brand, but I'm just focused on getting the stories up and out there at the moment :)
I have read carefully what Elle writes on serializing fictional novel
Elle is very clear and helpful in this sense, I hope my comments on the Melting will be appreciated, and what I am just writing , then published in newsletters will be felt as experience of many women s lives, or simply a true STORY where everyone can identify in a way or another..
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I think that Substack might want to consider the centuries-old tradition of holding a physical book in one’s hands & having a personal library. You have solved one part of the current publishing situation, but wouldn’t it be nice to also have the means to have stories, essays, and books in print format?
Yes! I love this. That’s why I’ll be offering a hardcover edition of my novel for higher level supporters. I know a few other Substack writers offer that as well (like sashachapin.substack.com)
These are brilliant. It's fascinating to hear about other people's work. Keep them coming.
But you've taken the cost of reading a book up to $50! Or worse, $120. That's where I start scratching my head. I have a novel in the near-querying phase, too, I'm also overhauling my entire presence to "My Name - Author." I'm also starting at zero when it comes to my list, but mercy me, I'm doing so many different setups at once, it's as hard as writing/revising the book. I can understand this as a way to make a good haul in one season, and I applaud your success, I'd really like to see more evidence about the $120 v $50 bit for a novel, one they admittedly may never see on a lessening shelf at B&N, granted. Maybe I missed something above. I'm not trying to cause a fuss and disagree, just seeking to better understand. --Donny
Oh yes, I completely agree. Why would someone pay $5/month for four chapters, when they could pay $2.99 for a whole book on Amazon? The answer is: 1) Because some readers want to support their favorite authors, and 2) Because readers get more than just chapters. It's more like being part of a book club community with the author herself!
In my case, I plan to offer readers access to my private discord community, shout outs in the acknowledgements section of my book, the ability to write the foreword to my book, and even the ability to attend the wrap party for my book in-person at the end. And then yes, when the serialization period is over, it will go up on Wattpad/Kindle etc., where it will be much less expensive. If someone discovers my book there and wants to read my next one, they can wait a year to get it on Kindle, or they can start reading it "now" while its serializing.
I think it sounds strange to some people, but you have to consider that there are people on this planet who spend hundreds of thousands of dollars buying "weapons" in an online virtual game. So if there are people out there who will support their favorite video game, there are definitely people out there who will support their favorite author. :)
Please don't view me as a hostile witness. I'm not arguing with you. My book is about four teen boys who build a treehouse off their Air Force base in Upper Michigan next to the secret hideaway of a Soviet spy in 1977. I am looking at interactive maps on my personal site, which I'm presently also building, and affiliate links to nostalgic items from the time period. The FB group of people from the old base are close to 7K, and USAFBrats is close to 60K, if I recall. So yeah, I get what you're doing. Just looking for evidence as well re the right path to take. You're clearly on the path less travelled. This is certainly an idea that makes sense. After all, membership has privileges, per AmEx....
Oh I absolutely understand!! And congrats on your book!!!!!
I can really see your point. It's an important one. It makes me think of my libraries were ever set up in the first place.
The trouble with libraries is that they buy ten copies of an eBook (as if it were a print book) and then they loan it out to thousands of people. Those people then have to "wait in line" to get one of those few copies and in this transaction, the author earns about $10. In my opinion, the library should work more like Spotify: where there are an unlimited amount of copies readers can use, and the author gets paid a small royalty fee every time someone streams it (in this case, reads a page). This is kind of how Kindle Unlimited works, but it would be even better if implemented by the library!
This was a great workshop, kudos to Elle and the Substack team for organising. I was pleased to be featured in the section about sections 😊
Well you've got a good setup! Worth modeling after!
Love Elle and her writing, so happy to see her spotlighted on Substack :)
I've been blogging and self-publishing non-fiction online for about 20 years through different platforms but I'm just now working on my first fiction novel, so take all of this with a grain of salt!
Depending upon your genre, there could be lots of "bonus" things you could offer to your paid subscribers that could be fun to create and fun for them to read. For example, I'm writing a sci-fi novel set on Earth in the distant future (though that's not exactly clear at first) and I have ideas for several novels in this setting. So I've created an entire world, extensive back story/history/evolution, "awakened abilities," basic religion, maps, main character histories, etc. Off the top of my head, I could offer subscriber bonus content such as:
* Character profiles and/or histories
* Awakened abilities - descriptions, known limitations, categories, status, etc.
* Short stories about main characters
* Short stories about interesting supporting characters
* History of places (Strongholds, the Five-City Alliance, etc)
* Alternate perspectives - take an important or exciting scene and rewrite it from a different character's point of view
* Codex writings - "excerpts" from their religious text
* Journal entries from a minor character
With my novel and its "world," I would also like to do a podcast - maybe biweekly - that's a traveling bard telling tales to audiences. The tales could be fun, embellished, and wouldn't need to fit exactly with the details in the novel because, well, it's just a bard who's entertaining an audience!
Obviously, all of this takes time and would need to be appropriate for the audience, but it could be lots of fun. In the right genres, it could also provide details of your "world" for folks who might be interested in writing "fan fiction." Heck, you could even encourage fan fiction and offer subscribers the opportunity to publish the best fan fiction on your Substack.
Anyway, good luck Elle and thanks for everything you're doing!
Thank you. Most important stuff. Wish you all the success and monetary funds from it. Break a Leg! (so to speak).
Thank you!
Your welcome. Looking forward to seeing your successes.
Thank you, Elle!!
Hi Elle. Love your efforts here. You have helped enforce my "gut" decision to write, illustrate and narrate on Substack more than worthy of my time. Would love to connect with yourself and any other newer writers to combine forces, etc. Thanks!
Hi all, just launched my free fiction newsletter, short stories published bi-weekly! Welcome any and all engagement, would love to get to know some of you fiction writers too. I got a designer on board with my project and built a nice brand, but I'm just focused on getting the stories up and out there at the moment :)
Love the tips! Fantastic for all kinds of substack writers!
Interesting
I have read carefully what Elle writes on serializing fictional novel
Elle is very clear and helpful in this sense, I hope my comments on the Melting will be appreciated, and what I am just writing , then published in newsletters will be felt as experience of many women s lives, or simply a true STORY where everyone can identify in a way or another..
let s see..I 'm writing now ...........
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