Chapter release schedule: Do you follow one?

ConTroll

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Hello everyone,

Very new fictional writer here. I was curious if any of you have put yourselves under a strict release schedule. For example: I will publish 1 chapter a week and release it every Sunday at 12:00 PM.

I have read that a strict release schedule is essential for growing a following, specifically with content creators that use video as a medium (youtube / twitch streamers). I was wondering if the same applies with web novels and other works of fiction people publish online.

So, what I'd like to know from my fellow authors is simple:

Question 1: Do you follow a strict release schedule?
Question 2: Do you think following a schedule helps or hurts your story?

Since I brought the topic up, I'll answer first:

1) I currently do not have a release schedule, but I do set goals. I might experiment with setting up a strict release schedule later down the road.
2) My gut feeling on following a schedule is mixed. Part of me wants one, just so that I stop procrastinating, but the rest of me feels like being tied to a schedule might mess with my own writing process. Perhaps, even taint the type of quality I want from the story I am telling. I am the type of person that needs whatever I have written to sit for a while before coming back to it to look for errors -- looking back at my own story with fresh eyes, and more importantly, as a reader / consumer, has always done wonders for my editing. In short, I believe it might hurt the quality of the story I am telling.

So, how about the rest of you?
 
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binarysoap

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You might want to change the color of that text, because in the default mode, it's basically invisible.
 

RedPanda

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I always announce the release rate for the following week, on the last chapter of the previous week.
 

Yorda

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Great Information For Building Up A Following by Ace_Arriande on Scribblehub
This is some good information from Ace_Arriande. They do a fairly good job at explaining why frequent/regular releases helps you build up a following.


Question 1: Do you follow a strict release schedule?
I don't, but I wish I could. Instead of a release schedule I try to release chapters during the same weekdays. So it's a bit more regular. And I have a set of logs where I constantly post updates for anyone to look at if they are interested. It helps me stay focused and continue making progress. It's a way to keep myself accountable.

My Story Logs Example

Question 2: Do you think following a schedule helps or hurts your story?
I believe strongly that regular/frequent releases definitely help build up a following because of the advertising time you get from Novelupdates and Scribblehubs latest releases section.

"helps or hurts your story?" If you mean, "does a schedule help build up a following and get readers?", then yes! I don't have a schedule because I frankly can't stick to one. My story is enough of a priority that I try all the time to write more and motivate myself, but I have many other priorities that prevent me from being able to confidently produce a chapter every week.

I'm seriously writing my story. The story is for me and I posted it on the site for other people to enjoy. It would be cool if I built up a large following, but I don't want to forget the main point of why I'm writing it in the first place. I'm not catering to other people to build up a following. I'm writing this story as much as I can to produce and complete the best story that I can, for me.
 

FriendlyDragon

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I follow a relatively strict release schedule. Sometimes I delay chapters because IRL things but for the most part I stick with it. Schedules are good, in my opinion. Ignoring the exposure aspect and views, it just is a great way to get you to write. Many aspiring writers have the problem of just not writing. With a schedule, you have something that motivates you to write more other than your readers. Maybe you think it'll hurt your story, but your schedule can be just a chapter or two a week and if you are consistently writing, you should have a buffer of sorts that you can fall on if you're behind. Schedules are great!
 

queenofthefuzzybugs

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Question 1: Do you follow a strict release schedule?

It's all about chapter buffering. The bigger your chapter buffering, the easier it is to keep a schedule. When I've got a good amount chapters prewritten, I can easily keep to a strict schedule, when I don't I have to modify the schedule on the fly. I try to let my readers know. I release every week, and if I'm going to skip a week for some reason, I let my readers know then too. (Though I've actually skipped weeks accidently, I just forgot my scheduled chapters ran out, lol.)

I think like a reader when it comes to updating chapters. More is good, but not at the expense of seeing the story finished. I'd rather fewer updates and eventually see the story to the end, than pressure the author for MOR NOOOOW!!! and have them burn out and get no ending at all.

I also HATE when authors cut regular chapters into mini-chapters to release every day or every other day. I'd rather slower releases and get a big hearty chapter than more releases and, like, 4 paragraphs of content.

Thus, because I hate it as a reader, I don't do so as a writer. I don't care if I lose views or whatever. I won't do something I hate as a reader just to make my story more popular.

Question 2: Do you think following a schedule helps or hurts your story?

Helps of course? The only advantage of no scheduling is that your readers have no expectations of you and, thus, you can't disappoint them. But generally, schedules give readers confidence in the author. This translates as more commenting and voting, recommending the story to friends and more views.

I, as a reader, wouldn't bother with a story that doesn't show some kind of regular releases because I wouldn't have confidence in the writer actually finishing the story. No matter how interesting it is at the beginning, if I'm never going to see how it ends, why bother? So, to me, seeing regular updates makes me think, "I can stick with this and see it to the end!"

Lastly, done properly, release schedules HELP YOU AS A WRITER. It's a kind of self-imposed deadline that lights a fire under your rear to get you writing. Sometimes the only reason I write is because I've got to keep at least somewhat to my schedule, otherwise my readers might get their pitchforks out and hunt me down, lol. This helps me write through the "boring parts" (connecting the dots of plot points) of my story and get to the bits I like the best.

This is coming from someone who's been writing one story for over 8 months and has over 100 chapters. I'm not mega popular or anything, but I feel like I've got quality readership and that's enough for me. :)
 
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Yorda

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Lastly, done properly, release schedules HELP YOU AS A WRITER. It's a kind of self-imposed deadline that lights a fire under your rear to get you writing. Sometimes the only reason I write is because I've got to keep at least somewhat to my schedule, otherwise my readers might get their pitchforks out and hunt me down, lol. This helps me write through the "boring parts" (connecting the dots of plot points) of my story and get to the bits I like the best.

This. :blob_reach:
 

ArcadiaBlade

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Wait, we have a strict release scedule?

*Checks last updated chapter i posted*

May 23....and its a one-shot....

Uhh....yeah. i have a strict 7 month release scedule. I'm a usually hard-working writer thats busy in RL so i definetly have a release scedule.
 

ConTroll

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You might want to change the color of that text, because in the default mode, it's basically invisible.
My mistake for that, I use darkmode when I browse the net, so I don't normally see the changes in text colors

As for everyone suggestions and answers. Thank you! I'll see about going on a strict 2 week release schedule.
 
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BenJepheneT

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To be frank, a release schedule to procastination is like an Electric Type to a Water Type.

Also I'm bookmarking this

Question 1: Do you follow a strict release schedule?

It's all about chapter buffering. The bigger your chapter buffering, the easier it is to keep a schedule. When I've got a good amount chapters prewritten, I can easily keep to a strict schedule, when I don't I have to modify the schedule on the fly. I try to let my readers know. I release every week, and if I'm going to skip a week for some reason, I let my readers know then too. (Though I've actually skipped weeks accidently, I just forgot my scheduled chapters ran out, lol.)

I think like a reader when it comes to updating chapters. More is good, but not at the expense of seeing the story finished. I'd rather fewer updates and eventually see the story to the end, than pressure the author for MOR NOOOOW!!! and have them burn out and get no ending at all.

I also HATE when authors cut regular chapters into mini-chapters to release every day or every other day. I'd rather slower releases and get a big hearty chapter than more releases and, like, 4 paragraphs of content.

Thus, because I hate it as a reader, I don't do so as a writer. I don't care if I lose views or whatever. I won't do something I hate as a reader just to make my story more popular.

Question 2: Do you think following a schedule helps or hurts your story?

Helps of course? The only advantage of no scheduling is that your readers have no expectations of you and, thus, you can't disappoint them. But generally, schedules give readers confidence in the author. This translates as more commenting and voting, recommending the story to friends and more views.

I, as a reader, wouldn't bother with a story that doesn't show some kind of regular releases because I wouldn't have confidence in the writer actually finishing the story. No matter how interesting it is at the beginning, if I'm never going to see how it ends, why bother? So, to me, seeing regular updates makes me think, "I can stick with this and see it to the end!"

Lastly, done properly, release schedules HELP YOU AS A WRITER. It's a kind of self-imposed deadline that lights a fire under your rear to get you writing. Sometimes the only reason I write is because I've got to keep at least somewhat to my schedule, otherwise my readers might get their pitchforks out and hunt me down, lol. This helps me write through the "boring parts" (connecting the dots of plot points) of my story and get to the bits I like the best.

This is coming from someone who's been writing one story for over 8 months and has over 100 chapters. I'm not mega popular or anything, but I feel like I've got quality leadership and that's enough for me. :)
 

Jakotheshadows

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I just started writing my first novel the past week but I realized pretty quickly that while it's fine to set putting out new chapters as a goal with regards to timeframe, if you try to stick to it as a schedule you may find yourself compromising the quality of your work. I just told my readers that I'd be taking a couple of days off to write ahead so that I could stock up and stay ahead of my schedule.
 

crimson_carnation

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Question 1: Do you follow a strict release schedule?

Right now, no. But I finished my main story, and I stuck to a very strict schedule while writing it until it ended. Now that it's over, I'm taking my time with the extras, but I still have a particular word count I strive to reach each day. The thought of reaching it motivates me and keeps me writing~

Question 2: Do you think following a schedule helps or hurts your story?

As the others have said, having a release schedule lets the readers know when to expect updates and fosters a sense of constancy that they can trust. But if you find it restricting as I did in the beginning, then I suggest stockpiling enough chapters to give you freedom before announcing a release schedule. It gives you some leeway to ponder on the story without worry while letting you keep to the release schedule. Of course, the schedule should also be something that you are sure you can keep up until the end of your story, or it will turn into a bigger burden.
 

Rinne

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Question 1: Do you follow a strict release schedule?
I do. I write one chapter per week and upload it on Sundays. Mostly to stay motivated, but also to have some kind of assurance for my readers. Readers are actually quite sensitive to these things. My upload time is usually a few hours before the daily reset, so I figured once to try a few different, earlier times, to catch people from other timezones. Time to rake in those daily views and so. The result? The views stayed nearly the same. Many of my readers apparently know the regular upload time and take a look then. The only thing I achieved was spreading the views over the day instead of getting them all within a few hours.
Question 2: Do you think following a schedule helps or hurts your story?
Definitely helps. If you do it out of a hobby and don't care for views and such things, then it's fine to ignore any kind of schedule, but if you want views, a regular schedule helps a ton. Like others said, reassurance that you continue the story and building up the related trust helps a lot. Especially when a vast amount of authors do go on an indefinite hiatus or have unreliable upload times. Nearly half of all stories on SH are in hiatus alone.
(According to the series finder, 155 completed, 667 in hiatus and 815 on-going)

I can't really say something in regards to a loss of quality. Most of my chapters go through at least two edits before I post them on SH. Once before I post them on Patreon and once before they become public on SH. The quality can differ quite a lot between the respective edits.
Edits help to achieve a semblance of a quality standard, in my opinion. If you got someone else to help you edit, that's even better. Two pairs of eyes see more than one pair.

My only recommendation is, to choose a loose schedule that you can comfortably keep up. RL can screw a tight schedule really easily. Even more so if you are doing other things, like working or being a student. Buffer chapters also help with this. A loose schedule also helps to build up the buffer chapters in the first place. Otherwise, you might come into the uncomfortable situation that you used them all up and need new ones.
 

LWFlouisa

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This depends, for my oldest work I'm editing but they're mostly finished, I release it all at once. I'm aware this can artificially effect the trending tag, and I honestly hate that.

But generally I prefer to release them in a serial fashion, as I write them.

I prefer to keep a schedule, although I can't always keep that schedule do to living with my parents now.
 

ConTroll

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I just started writing my first novel the past week but I realized pretty quickly that while it's fine to set putting out new chapters as a goal with regards to timeframe, if you try to stick to it as a schedule you may find yourself compromising the quality of your work. I just told my readers that I'd be taking a couple of days off to write ahead so that I could stock up and stay ahead of my schedule.

Yes, this is what I am afraid of. But, I believe communicating to your followership, just as you did, can help mitigate that.
 
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