Charles Dickens wrote with the sensibility of a journalist who knew how to hook readers one installment after another. He understood the importance of the basic journalistic who, what, where, when, why.
Ohhhhh my. Your SS found me right before bedtime when my eyes were half-mast and I was just meandering through. This single post had me propping up three more pillows. Apparently, I'm going to be up a good while longer. Love this post! I logged on to book time with you to get your advice about the direction I'm moving in but you're booked until December 7 (go you). My site is still private as I am narrowing my focus and finding my footing. Looking forward to working with you soon.
Hi Sarah. I’m a newbie to your Substack. I love this post. Learning about other writers is so fascinating. I’m also a history buff, so the setting, in which dickens wrote is extremely interesting to me. That’s why I’m a subscriber!
I would love to see some guidelines, recommendations & maybe examples for our weekly posts. How many words? How many weeks in total? Anything that can help with outlining and perhaps the first few posts would be great!
I want to get going and get out of analysis paralysis- so some format to try and work with us better than spinning 😵💫
Ask away! I enjoy it, and it is helpful for others. True, I’m not a Substack expert in this regard. I know that you can automatically add new subscribers to a section, but I don’t think people can only subscribe to a section. I’m going to Substack’s Office Hours today. I’ll ask.
The first one—maybe even do an events ladder for each just for continuity within each storyline for yourself. For the reader, going back and forth in the published version will create tension!
It's a new publication. I use the sub-newsletter within Serialize for the Novel Course, the Basics course--anything in the header.
With Serialize, I wanted a whole other newsletter. When I tried to set it up as a sub-newsletter within my other newsletter (The Mental Health Recovery Model), the sub-newsletter didn't offer all the same features.
If you go with a separate newsletter, you can export and import your mailing list (that may be obvious). I'm also trying to see if I can now put my two newsletters under the same email address. They have to be under separate emails--though you can post both automatically to the same Twitter account.
That sounds so great. It really does. A thought: write through our map each in chronological order first. Doing so may give the storylines more momentum than if you go back and forth while writing.
You may have already done this or you may have a process that works better for you in which case go with that!
"I'm curious what you mean by its parallel act--can you say more?"
When I was going through my ups and downs as a (reluctant) urban shaman, I could see the parallels from the previous decade(s). I grew up in a religious household where my parents didn't only send me to ultra orthodox jewish schools, but they were also "junkies" (on drugs)... so in a way I found myself living the inverse of my childhood - there I was, serving "drugs" under the guise of spirituality.
So my thinking is is to share 1 episode / chapter / post from my Urban Shaman days and the next one from my Childhood as long that they have matching emotional tone-truths.
Not only would it keep it interesting, more importantly it can serve as life lessons for not being able to run away from anything really...
That sounds so great. It really does. A thought: write through our map each in chronological order first. Doing so may give the storylines more momentum than if you go back and forth while writing.
You may have already done this or you may have a process that works better for you in which case go with that!
I offer exactly that in the Event Ladder under Courses. That’s where I take you through all the steps to pre-write your novel or memoir. Check out out!
are you saying to make sure I do the events ladder first before I start writing & publishing the posts so I don't get lost in the process when going back and forth?
Or are you also saying that going back and forth might be too confusing for readers and stick to a chronological order? Thanks again
I love the serialization idea for material I have been “sitting on” for about 5 years now - I get lost when I envision it as a book - I could see it as an excellent TV series 😅
I would like to share one coherent story from 2 parallel timelines
1. In my experience as an “urban shaman” in my 30s
2. Its sister/brother/parallel act from childhood & up
So the idea would be to publish each chapter from one of the timelines and rotate weekly.
My work will be to make the audience wait for the next installment...
I wish that the weekly drip would continue for newcomers as well - as I am most likely to build an audience over time.
Questions:
Should I have a dedicated stack for the publication - or can I use my current one that also talks about my own process and I’m using it as a blog
Anyway super excited and thank you for sharing this article ... I guess the most appealing thing is to be able to publish in a way that would test the story for screen.
Thank you so much for putting this together and I’m looking forward to reading your next “healed” book!
Love this post, Dickens was a genius. I'm also excited to see where you take this stack. May I suggest you make use of navigation prompts, ie what should the reader do on your stack after reading this post. For example, in the serialisation of Writ Large on conked.io I include links to the last and next post and to the beginning of the novel
Any book set in Ames, and I'm in. Great opening: Let me just start off by saying that everything I’m about to tell you is true. And you acknowledge that we're never going to believe a narrator who says that. Glad you're writing another one. I hope you've taken the time to celebrate that you're about to FINISH A BOOK! And start another. Incredible. So many people dream of doing that and so few people do it. Congrats!
I wish I would've found this page sooner, but no matter. I've been serializing my book A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO TIME TRAVEL (https://benwoestenburg.substack.com/p/a-beginners-guide-to-time-travel) You can look at it here if you want. It's almost finished (as is) because it's a 1st draft. But I plan to put another up after this. So I'm glad to be here.
Ohhhhh my. Your SS found me right before bedtime when my eyes were half-mast and I was just meandering through. This single post had me propping up three more pillows. Apparently, I'm going to be up a good while longer. Love this post! I logged on to book time with you to get your advice about the direction I'm moving in but you're booked until December 7 (go you). My site is still private as I am narrowing my focus and finding my footing. Looking forward to working with you soon.
Sorry not to have seen this. We’re all set, yes?
All set! See you in the morning!
Hi Sarah. I’m a newbie to your Substack. I love this post. Learning about other writers is so fascinating. I’m also a history buff, so the setting, in which dickens wrote is extremely interesting to me. That’s why I’m a subscriber!
Wonderful!
Loved this insight and opening about Charles Dickens, great work !
Thank you!
I have a question for you: What would you most like to see a post about? Again, others likely feel the same.
I would love to see some guidelines, recommendations & maybe examples for our weekly posts. How many words? How many weeks in total? Anything that can help with outlining and perhaps the first few posts would be great!
I want to get going and get out of analysis paralysis- so some format to try and work with us better than spinning 😵💫
Thanks again
Check out all the post under Serialization! All your questions answered and more!
Ask away! I enjoy it, and it is helpful for others. True, I’m not a Substack expert in this regard. I know that you can automatically add new subscribers to a section, but I don’t think people can only subscribe to a section. I’m going to Substack’s Office Hours today. I’ll ask.
Oh cool thank you! I see those emails - not sure what that is! Glad to be a team.
The first one—maybe even do an events ladder for each just for continuity within each storyline for yourself. For the reader, going back and forth in the published version will create tension!
Great. Thank you.
Regarding your earlier answers about new publication vs new “section/newsletter” within the primary one -
Is serialize a new publication or a section within your primary publication, and what made you decide to go that way?
Thanks again for all your help
It's a new publication. I use the sub-newsletter within Serialize for the Novel Course, the Basics course--anything in the header.
With Serialize, I wanted a whole other newsletter. When I tried to set it up as a sub-newsletter within my other newsletter (The Mental Health Recovery Model), the sub-newsletter didn't offer all the same features.
If you go with a separate newsletter, you can export and import your mailing list (that may be obvious). I'm also trying to see if I can now put my two newsletters under the same email address. They have to be under separate emails--though you can post both automatically to the same Twitter account.
I hope I communicated this clearly!
Yes! Thank you.
I am going to keep asking questions just in case you don't mind it plus it might be valuable for others.
Are you saying that under
Serialize -
each section is a new newsletter? people can sign up for those separately?
https://serialize.substack.com/s/a-better-writing-process
https://serialize.substack.com/s/best-punctuation-course-ever
https://serialize.substack.com/s/memoir-coursea5c
and so on?
I don't assume you're a substack expert but I can assume you don't mind answering these questions...
Thanks again.
That sounds so great. It really does. A thought: write through our map each in chronological order first. Doing so may give the storylines more momentum than if you go back and forth while writing.
You may have already done this or you may have a process that works better for you in which case go with that!
Hi there!
First, "my experience as an 'urban shaman' in my 30s" has me hooked. I'm curious what you mean by its parallel act--can you say more?
Great question:
Should I have a dedicated stack for the publication - or can I use my current one that also talks about my own process and I’m using it as a blog?
Definitely a dedicated area. Two options:
1) You can create a newsletter within your current newsletter
Directions here: https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360060687771-How-can-I-create-multiple-newsletters-or-podcasts-under-one-publication-
2) Create a whole other Substack account under a separate email.
The first option allows you to email your whole list without having to export and import it. The second option is also a bit of a pain.
I'm going to post on hooking new readers as you serialize! Coming soon...
You're so welcome. I love doing this and having you here.
Onward!
"I'm curious what you mean by its parallel act--can you say more?"
When I was going through my ups and downs as a (reluctant) urban shaman, I could see the parallels from the previous decade(s). I grew up in a religious household where my parents didn't only send me to ultra orthodox jewish schools, but they were also "junkies" (on drugs)... so in a way I found myself living the inverse of my childhood - there I was, serving "drugs" under the guise of spirituality.
So my thinking is is to share 1 episode / chapter / post from my Urban Shaman days and the next one from my Childhood as long that they have matching emotional tone-truths.
Not only would it keep it interesting, more importantly it can serve as life lessons for not being able to run away from anything really...
That sounds so great. It really does. A thought: write through our map each in chronological order first. Doing so may give the storylines more momentum than if you go back and forth while writing.
You may have already done this or you may have a process that works better for you in which case go with that!
I offer exactly that in the Event Ladder under Courses. That’s where I take you through all the steps to pre-write your novel or memoir. Check out out!
are you saying to make sure I do the events ladder first before I start writing & publishing the posts so I don't get lost in the process when going back and forth?
Or are you also saying that going back and forth might be too confusing for readers and stick to a chronological order? Thanks again
Thank you for sharing this!
I love the serialization idea for material I have been “sitting on” for about 5 years now - I get lost when I envision it as a book - I could see it as an excellent TV series 😅
I would like to share one coherent story from 2 parallel timelines
1. In my experience as an “urban shaman” in my 30s
2. Its sister/brother/parallel act from childhood & up
So the idea would be to publish each chapter from one of the timelines and rotate weekly.
My work will be to make the audience wait for the next installment...
I wish that the weekly drip would continue for newcomers as well - as I am most likely to build an audience over time.
Questions:
Should I have a dedicated stack for the publication - or can I use my current one that also talks about my own process and I’m using it as a blog
Anyway super excited and thank you for sharing this article ... I guess the most appealing thing is to be able to publish in a way that would test the story for screen.
Thank you so much for putting this together and I’m looking forward to reading your next “healed” book!
Love, O
Love this post, Dickens was a genius. I'm also excited to see where you take this stack. May I suggest you make use of navigation prompts, ie what should the reader do on your stack after reading this post. For example, in the serialisation of Writ Large on conked.io I include links to the last and next post and to the beginning of the novel
Excellent--thank you for the suggestion. I definitely will do that. Your Substack is great. And I'm glad you liked the post.
Any book set in Ames, and I'm in. Great opening: Let me just start off by saying that everything I’m about to tell you is true. And you acknowledge that we're never going to believe a narrator who says that. Glad you're writing another one. I hope you've taken the time to celebrate that you're about to FINISH A BOOK! And start another. Incredible. So many people dream of doing that and so few people do it. Congrats!
I wish I would've found this page sooner, but no matter. I've been serializing my book A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO TIME TRAVEL (https://benwoestenburg.substack.com/p/a-beginners-guide-to-time-travel) You can look at it here if you want. It's almost finished (as is) because it's a 1st draft. But I plan to put another up after this. So I'm glad to be here.