Backlogs or Not? And How Many Chapters?

[BenJepheneT]

I was trying to be silly, apologies if it came off wrong. I don't know if I'll ever feel like anything but a novice.

If anything I was attempting(poorly) to make subtle commentary on how fickle I feel like things can be, seeing the differences between stories, the number of chapters, words, readers, views, and trending.

Good luck with your rewrite! I'm rooting for you!
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Oh fuck sorry if I seemed agitated. I was thinking that I came off like I was playing along with the joke.

I really need to lighten my tone here

 

[Cossimeri]

I had a backlog of about 5 chapters when I started, but over time that dried up and now I'm publishing chapters as I write them. Luckily for me I never really announced a set release schedule, so I'm never in danger of missing a specific update. I figure as long as I'm publishing something at least every 3 days I'll stay in the clear.

It would be nice though... to get to sit on a chapter for a bit before it publishes. There have already been times where I thought "dang... I can't believe I wrote myself into this."

 

[Necariin]

I try to keep my backlog at 20 chapters ahead. I would prefer even more than that, honestly.
Like everyone has said, it's essential for planning and maintaining a consistent release schedule. Helps with stress too.

 

[Eleven_M.A.]

Ideally, I'd write whole books/volumes first

I do that and it turns uploading your chapters into a soulless chore

(I don't recommend this approach if you ever want to get anything finished.)

I do recommend this approach if you care for short-term rewards, though

 

[Queenfisher]

Thanks for sharing, everyone! I don't think I can answer individually since I'll be here all day, TT__TT and I need my stupid chapters to write or I will slip in my backlog even further

Though I noticed that those who maintain backlogs go around two groups (?): a buffer in case something nasty happens in RL and one can't write for a while, or those who need them to avoid plot inconsistencies. The first group intrigues me because literally the only reason I backlog is for plot.

I also wonder if there's a difference depending on the genre of the story. Maybe I'd not feel the need for a massive backlog if I wrote something that doesn't require a lot of checking for plot holes? (SOL, or episodics). Need to think about it and choose the genre better next time...

And I actually thought the majority of people would have backlogs around here because (survivor's bias, I know) -- so many books I notice update regularly, so I thought it implies that everyone has huuuge backlogs. But even some of you who update regularly don't have backlogs, so this is just --

Spoiler: People living on the EDGE

I dream of the day I can make a backlog of chapters.

Now I have about five chapters, but anxiety is already creeping up since the chapters take too long to be written I just hope I'll be able to finish without having to extend the schedule...

Same! I had one, once. It was a wonderful chapter, I was very happy to have written it.

im still a novice in this shit so i don't have a backlog. i do try to post consistently (monthly release) though.

My backlog is finished.
I thought I would be able to stack more chaps by lowering release speed, but it just made me more lazy...

I started with a chapter buffer of about 10 chapters (so about 30k words), and I release weekly. The buffer slowly slipped away, and now I have no buffer at all. I've thought about taking a hiatus to build up a buffer again, but a hiatus is also frowned upon, so guess I'm screwed no matter what.

Most of the time on other sites I just upload chapters as I write them >.> (I don't recommend this approach if you ever want to get anything finished.)

haha yes definitely have backlogs yes haha very responsible ha

I had a backlog of about 5 chapters when I started, but over time that dried up and now I'm publishing chapters as I write them.

I kinda admire all of you but also --

NO.
Your writing lifestyle is so hardcore for someone like me +_+. I'd go crazy.

*pat-pats every single one of you*

Definitely. There always will be a time when you just physically can't do shit with the merciless time.

At least 10 chapters ahead for me. Currently, 10 for BIAW (was 11 for 3 months until that thing above happened) and 7 for TWS (it's a fresh series).

Oh, I noticed your consistent releases on SHF (hard to miss them ^^). Just curious -- how many chapters did you have for each at the moment of publishing the first?

On my nice days, this is absolutely what I think as well. On my snarkier days, I instead think that if I'm working on my stories seven days a week, sometimes more than 8 hours a day (you know, between writing new chapters for all the projects, revising an old project, editing other projects, translating, making the covers, and doing specials there's a lot of time spent on them) while still having to make some time to work in my other job, then people can deal with the fact that a chapter comes a day later every now and then.

Agree. I am very serious about my book but it's a hobby, after all. I can't afford to miss my RL for a hobby... The backlog is there because I had free time to make it. If I didn't, then... oh well, guess I'd have to wait till some more free time comes again So far I have: 1) support that keeps me from depression and stopping, 2) ~luck that nothing really snapped me back into RL with unforeseen circumstances.

I actually seldom have bigger plotholes in my stories though. If I do, it's not something that could have been prevented by a bigger stockpile because it's something that happens over several volumes when I change my mind on something in between

I wish it was like this for me, but with a mystery with a set murderer at the end and a certain number of Chekhov's guns and Red Herrings necessary to be planted at specific points AND in two timelines that correlate and parallel each other -- the whole book's story will collapse if I don't monitor my plot holes well enough. Backlog allows me to coordinate stuff better (because I can miss some things at the 1st draft). But with each new published chapter, my restrictions of what I can change become more and more rigid, further stressing me out, lol. Yeeeeah, I also live on the edge, I guess ^^.

I wrote a lot of chapters before eventually discovering SH, and now, I got several backlogs while I'm writing volume 6. I don't know though...for some reason, someone (a friend) told me that my 2nd arc had a huge cast it's hard to keep up with the characters...

Now I'm kind of afraid to continue...

o_o What are you afraid of? Are there other people reading it and not finding any problem with it? If so, then one person can be mistaken (unless his point makes sense to you and you see a way to fix it, don't stress over it too much. We can't see what we can't see no matter how we try).

Also, you can make the Glossary and refer to it in your book sometimes. I know that a book with a lot of frigging characters can get convoluted as hell, but that's why I keep both the character lists in my Glossary AND the short summary of some chapters just to remind readers who binge what happened where and why . Otherwise they'd probably forget at least some plot points...

 

[Frostbird]

I have a week's worth of backlog chapters, but I basically post a chapter daily (2 chapters every 2 days), so I'm kept pretty busy sometimes
I have my first volume's outline already finished, so there isn't much room for plot holes. But, I'll probably take a week hiatus or at least slow my release rate for the week, when I finish the first volume, just to stack up on some chapters and get everything settled in for the 2nd volume.

 

[Freesia.Cutepearl]

I used to. In the before time.

For roughly one week each month I start gushing blood and experience literally cripplingly painful abdominal cramping and hormonal emotional states that leave me unable to do much of anything except cry and emotionally eat. I usually tried to keep backlogs for those periods*. Not to mention I'm prone to getting sick, life constantly crops up with problems that require my full attention, and then there's just the mental funks and writing blocks everyone tends to struggle with. It's just good to have breathing room and backup for emergencies.

*Pun intended.

*hugs*

 

[midnightrainbow]

I have about 30 chapter's worth of backlog. A problem I'm facing is the need to update/edit based on feedback from readers.

 

[EternalSunset0]

I write my story an arc at a time. That way, I can then go back and start rereading everything as a whole and see which parts I could revise or change before putting anything online.

I can then show it to my beta reader friend as a whole book so he can tell me if there are things that don't make sense or what. Plus, he can give feedback on suggested tweaks to some character arcs or the overarching plot across the arcs.

I only start uploading when the whole volume/arc has been finished then take another 4 or so months off to start writing the next one, kinda like LN publishing schedules in Japan.

 

[Minx]

Used to just write and publish, the result sucks.

That's why I'm planning to backlogs my new novel, just so that I don't mess up my release rate.