How do readers react?

[doravg]

I had to work for 9 hours 2 days in a row, because of my doctor's visit last Friday. Managed to convince my manager to let me work just 8 hours today, and for mr to work off the last 1 hour on Friday. The thing is, that made me realize something:
When I am too tired, I can't write. During those two days I just collapsed in bed after work, and fell asleep moments later.

So, the question is: How do readers react to irregular updates? Because I will need to work overtime again, of that much, I am sure, and I don't think I can write every day because of that. I am not talking about one chapter on Sunday, and then nothing for the reminder of the month. Just, you know, maybe one or three days without an update.

 

[RedHunter2296]

In my personal experience, readers don't care about a fixed schedule, just a continuous one. 280 chapters in about 3 years and not a single week a chapter came out in any pattern, I just wrote them and uploaded them when I wanted to, there were months that I didn't write at all, taking vacations, other times I put out chapters in a row, no one has complained to this day.

Just tell them that you can't put out one chapter a week on a fixed schedule because you have a life of your own. Everyone can understand that, especially in a place with free novels.

The only thing people want is for the author to be transparent with them and let them know what's going on. And then to be sure that the novel they are passionately pursuing continues to be published no matter how long it takes to come out.

Tell them something vague like new chapters every 15 to 20 days. If they complain just tell them they can also pay you to have them sooner.

 

[Katsurandom]

Depends on what you had before. If you used to post daily then someone may start commenting about missing a chapter.

If you posted once each 3 days then someone might post on the fourth day. The thing is...

Real life happens. So really, just say that to them. Shit happens, updates will be unstable for some time.

Now if you had patreon or something like that set up. Then thing changes, you should be upfront and respect if people wants to either unsub or pause. Since they are paying for them content.

 

[AutumnPlunkett]

A lot of readers do enjoy knowing when the next update will be because it gives them something to look forward to. Your comment about writing every day seems to suggest to me you were writing and posting chapters on a daily basis, which I don't recommend in the first place. I say it's best to only post half of what you can consistently write on a weekly basis. Consistent basis does not mean on a good week and does not mean the most you can write. The rest should be a backlog that you can use when you need time off.

 

[doravg]

Depends on what you had before. If you used to post daily then someone may start commenting about missing a chapter.

If you posted once each 3 days then someone might post on the fourth day. The thing is...

Real life happens. So really, just say that to them. Shit happens, updates will be unstable for some time.

Now if you had patreon or something like that set up. Then thing changes, you should be upfront and respect if people wants to either unsub or pause. Since they are paying for them content.

I don't have patreon. I tried setting one up once, but the thing is, that I am not a good enough writer to get subscribers.

As soon as I put my stories behind a pay wall, people stop reading them. I have made my peace with that.

So, from all answers I can understand that as long as I am transparent and say that life got in the way, the readers are won't think I died, if I skip a week or two. Should I put that as a note in the story description or as an author's note?

 

[Daitengu]

As a reader, I'm fine with it as long as there's a heads up. If no heads up I drop a story after a month of no updates. Just too many folks try and ghost for me to wait longer.

If ya give a heads up, I can wait a solid six months to a year. Motorcycle crash, tooth infection, preggers, writer's block, too busy at work, exams, etc. I heard a lot of reasons, and any is better than none.

 

[KingRaisinXIV]

I usually write a lot and schedule em so I don't have to think about it

 

[Arkus86]

As a reader myself, if you give a heads up for the change, there's no issue, as long as you put out something now and then, consistently, even if not regularly.
There are authors who drop a chapter or three in a week, and then go missing for months.
Those are frustrating to read.

 

[Sabruness]

views As a reader:
- never give a strict fixed schedule (like promising a chapter a day or every 2 or 3 days) unless you can guarantee you'll actually be able to meet your promise very regularly. an approximate idea of when the next chapter might come will be enough for most readers, especially if your novel is engrossing enough to them.
- Do communicate with your readers, like if you need to take a break to recharge or if IRL whacks you over the back of the head and requires attention, even if it's just in authors notes at the beginning or end of a chapter.

 

[doravg]

views As a reader:
- never give a strict fixed schedule (like promising a chapter a day or every 2 or 3 days) unless you can guarantee you'll actually be able to meet your promise very regularly. an approximate idea of when the next chapter might come will be enough for most readers, especially if your novel is engrossing enough to them.
- Do communicate with your readers, like if you need to take a break to recharge or if IRL whacks you over the back of the head and requires attention, even if it's just in authors notes at the beginning or end of a chapter.

I can give them no promises. The job has to come first. Since no job = starvation and no internet. Might even mean no roof over my head as well.

But I can try to update at least a couple times per month. The thing is, that my off days from work won't be Saturday and Sunday anymore, and my writing schedule is now out of whack.

 

[wresch]

As a writer, I want to keep my readers reading. I fear if I am not posting, they will lose interest and just move over to any of hundreds of other writers. Wish I could keep them breathlessly waiting for my next chapter, but I am just not that good. So, yes, life intervenes. I have gaps. But I try to keep them short.

 

[TheEldritchGod]

Post every three days instead of every day to give yourself time to get some reserve built up.

 

[prognastat]

As others have mentioned I would set a release schedule just a little lower than what you can maintain weekly and just slowly stock up chapters and schedule them out so that regardless of what happens you have a few chapters on the backlog in case real life comes up.

as for patreon I wouldn’t recommend entirely paywalling your novel I would never go beyond advance chapters on Patreon because your readership will suffer. If you aren’t releasing free stuff you’ll literally experience no reader growth because there is no discovery on Patreon. You rely on other places that you post your content for building a fanbase.