Starting on this path
How to read this serial novel draft, Chapter by Chapter
I casually planned to write a short Behind-the-Scenes Extra today, the Wednesday before my novel draft begins to release. I wasn’t going to stress over it if it didn’t happen, or that’s what I told myself, anyway.
Now that I’ve started on this path, let’s see where it leads . . .
This is what you can expect
If you’re already a subscriber, on Friday, August 30, at 7 AM PST, you’re going to get the first chapter post, which is the Prologue, in your email inbox. Shortly after that, the START READING HERE post/tab on my website will be updated to include a link to the new chapter: 0 - Prologue.
It’s going to be important that you are familiar with the START READING HERE page/button/post/tab, because it will bring you to the Table of Contents or Index for the entire novel. A new link will be added every Saturday for each subsequent chapter shortly after it is released into subscribers’ inboxes. It’s important to know this, because if you miss a chapter or wish to return to a chapter for any reason, you can always find it there.
Things That Can’t Be Broken will have four parts or seasons. It’s possible that there will be a short break between parts/seasons during which I will share some Behind-the-Scenes Extras, but since this is my first serial novel draft release, I’m going to leave that to be determined for now.
Thank you again for your trust as I lead your mind into the unknown.
The first part/season will last fourteen weeks. I expect the following three parts/seasons to last twelve weeks each. I may add a chapter at any time as I go, depending on how I feel the story needs to flex. I’ve mentioned that I’ve written about 50,000 words, which could be considered half a novel. That doesn’t mean I’ve written all the chapters up to a certain point. There are holes where I know what needs to happen, but I don’t necessarily know how it will happen. That’s where the flexibility must come in.
The other thing I’ve noticed already, is that the chapters I thought were basically done have required adjustment, some more than others, either because events I now know will happen later could use some foreshadowing, or because I’ve learned some new skills to improve the writing. I’m always learning, and this story will continue to flex until I get it all down.
What I won’t be doing is going back to any chapter I’ve already released to make changes. What you read the first time will not change. There will be no editing until after the final chapter is posted. This is likely to drive me mad. I know there will be things I want to change, but it is part of the promise I had to make to myself when I decided to release the novel draft to you readers Chapter by Chapter.
This is all so new. Things That Can’t Be Broken is not a mystery, and yet so much is mysterious to me about this serial draft release. I don’t know how much you readers will affect this story. I encourage your comments, but if you give me advice, I cannot guarantee I will follow it. If you ask me questions, I may or may not give answers, but I look forward to seeing what you have to say.
Most of what will happen in this novel has already happened in my mind. I’m only recording it for you. I have to apologize. Some parts make me cry every time I read them. Some parts make me angry. But I think you’ll find plenty to smile about, too.
Thank you again for your trust as I lead your mind into the unknown. I’m here with you, and I promise it’s only dark sometimes.
So excited !!!