Why You Should Publish in Installments
The idea of publishing in installments is nothing new. In fact, Charles Dickens’ The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club is one of the first serial novels to be published and consumed in smaller bits. In 2011, Hugh Howey published the opening chapters of Wool as ebook novellas and subsequently released a total of five ebooks that make up the novel in its entirety. And, most recently, readers and listeners everywhere have become addicted to Serial, the podcast exploring a real-life 1999 disappearance.
The Benefits of Multiple Editions
What these three success stories share isn’t their subject matter, while they all do have a fair amount of suspense in them, but their choice to publish in installments was almost a determining factor in their success. They were able to engage readers further and keep them on the edges of their seats in anticipating what could and would happen next. They were able to, if they wished, crowdsource for feedback along the way and also interpret how both readers and critics alike were receiving their content. They were also able to build a fan base in a different way. Some fans start at the beginning and become loyal readers. Some drop in for only a short read. Regardless, there are now multiple volumes for readers to get their hands on. And further, it’s a way for authors like you to make more money.
How to Plan for Installment Publishing
1. Look for natural breaks within your story. Ones that both leave the reader in suspense but complete a story thread or idea.
2. Decide on your favorite formats. You can choose to publish all editions in the same format, whether printed books or ebooks, as Hugh Howey did. Or, you can play around with multiple formats, including magazines, trade formats, and larger graphic novel style illustrated books.
3. Consider leaving one edition up to your readers. Okay, not in its entirety. But leave room to incorporate new writing decisions based on your fan base. They will love you for it, and it will further engage all your readers, regardless of who fed back to you.
4. Establish your primary and secondary goals. Do you want to make a splash on social? Do you want to engage a brand-new audience? Do you want to make more money by publishing more editions at a lower cost and, in turn, make more profit from quantity?
5. Decide if you want to give one edition away for free. While your hard work shouldn’t go unrewarded—or unnoticed—there is something to be said for hooking your reader and making it as easy as possible to do so. An ebook edition makes this pretty cost-effective. If free isn’t your bag, consider pricing one edition at cost (and it doesn’t need to be the first edition).
Making the Numbers Work for Multiple Editions
Asking a reader to cough up $40 for an author they’ve never heard of may be asking a little too much. But asking a reader to buy a $4 novella they’re intrigued by, and pay an additional $4 for subsequent editions, is something they can get behind and easily justify. Here are three ways you can publish multiple editions to create engagement and encourage further book sales.
Option 1: Hook ‘em in early
Exactly as it suggests, this involves offering the first edition as a freebie or at a very low price to get as many readers as possible. Subsequent editions are priced higher, and yes, you may experience some readership drop-off. But the readers who stay on board for your series are committed and interested in the content you’re publishing (and those are the readers you actually want.)
Option 2: Incentivize early adopters
Option 3: Reward unwavering loyalty
If your series has a longer shelf life and more than a few editions, consider giving back to readers who are extremely loyal. Their love of your brand, world, and characters go deep. Which is why you want to give them something back. You could write a second ending, publish a short epilogue, or even crowdsource the entire final edition, only making it available to readers who can answer some obscure trivia.
The rules in the publishing world have changed. In fact, there are no longer rules that must be followed. Which is why it’s so exciting to be a writer—and reader— these days. Whether you publish in magazine, trade, or PDF formats, make your installments work for you, your story, and your book plan. You won’t go wrong.
Instead of offering the first edition for free, you can make the second edition very affordable, if not free. This way, you are rewarding the readers who took a chance on your book with the next storyline involving their now-favorite characters. Then, subsequent editions are something they can get behind and easily justify.