How to retain reader interest?

[Absolution]

I've been writing on and off for the better part of 8 years under different profiles, and a problem I constantly run into is readers losing interest in a story and tuning out. This kind of issue affected something like 3 out of 5 fictions I wrote, and I still don't know why that is. What's interesting is, the drop offs almost happen on a schedule - around chapters 5 and 30-40.

The few people that commented something before tuning out said they were disappointed with plot development or characters (paraphrasing here because half of it is unintelligible, swearing or people dramatically announcing how they're going to drop the story).

So, I'm asking this from a writer's and reader's perspective - how do you keep the audience you attracted?

( Bonus points for anyone who knows how to properly do good fan service when your fiction has low engagement. Fan service, as in something the dedicated readers like, not panty shots )

 

[Deleted member 54065]

Be consistent. You can't please everyone, but you can make them see you're a reliable author when you update regularly.

Readers love continuation, and they would never pick up works they think won't get too far, see?

 

[Piisfun]

Don't worry about the drop-off in chapters 1 to 5.
Most of that will be readers who tried the story and decided they didn't like it.
The most you can do for that is to release about 10-ish chapters in the first 2 to 3 days, before slowing down to a more reasonable pace, like 1 to 2 per week.

 

[LuoirM]

That's the neat part

 

[ForestDweller]

Hard for me to update regularly, sadly. Just don't have the drive anymore compared to when I first started writing.

Think most of my readers are the types that just leave after getting to the most recent chapter, then coming back once a bunch of new chapters are out.

Honestly, if I still care about building up readerbase, I'd stop writing my current story and switch to a new one. Made too many plot points that the average reader doesn't agree with. And all the negative reviews getting the most upvotes don't help either.

 

[Absolution]

Hard for me to update regularly, sadly. Just don't have the drive anymore compared to when I first started writing.

Think most of my readers are the types that just leave after getting to the most recent chapter, then coming back once a bunch of new chapters are out.

Honestly, if I still care about building up readerbase, I'd stop writing my current story and switch to a new one. Made too many plot points that the average reader doesn't agree with. And all the negative reviews getting the most upvotes don't help either.

Way to take the L gracefully ahahahahahha
When I was just starting out, I think I was still in high school, and I straight up deleted my account after the troll reviews rolled in. You know the kind, with the devious 1 star rating and "this blows" said 10 different ways instead of useful criticism

 

[J_Chemist]

That's the neat part

This.

There's no secret sauce. Write your story and do your thing. Readers will come and Readers will go. Where they go, only Cottoneye Joe knows.

Edit: Ah, I did want to add that what gave me a slight edge was my writing quality and writing consistency. I've had a few readers nudge me when I write a shitty chapter, so I reckon that helps.

 

[Absolution]

This.

There's no secret sauce. Write your story and do your thing. Readers will come and Readers will go. Where they go, only Cottoneye Joe knows.

Edit: Ah, I did want to add that what gave me a slight edge was my writing quality and writing consistency. I've had a few readers nudge me when I write a shitty chapter, so I reckon that helps.

imagine having readers that comment on your work and give *any* input, couldn't be me ?

 

[J_Chemist]

imagine having readers that comment on your work and give *any* input, couldn't be me ?

It doesn't happen that often, honestly. On RR I have some 340 followers or something but there's like... 5 that regularly say anything and the one that calls me out is always doing it from the fucking woodline at 3am. Most of the time it's a "TFTC". Aside from one dude who's grammar checking my entire story for some reason. Bless his heart.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

imagine having readers that comment on your work and give *any* input, couldn't be me ?

Here's the thing...

While I understand some authors wanting to have any--as in ANY--type of interaction in their works, even negative ones, the fact remains that an author need not to pay attention to all feedbacks he/she gets. Reason is, every reader out there has their preferences and bias; what is good in their minds might not be the best direction for your story.

Hence, I recommend you read and pick whatever comment helps you. Everyone starts at the lowest, so is liable to make mistakes. If one would listen to all comments--even the ones who have no other content but to bash you--then you'll definitely get discouraged.

 

[greyblob]

there's plenty of reasons but all are subjective to the material and the reader. i got a novel I'm following for close to a year that I might drop very soon. from my pov the author has missed countless opportunities for character development. he just keeps stalling.

i don't care much about the plot. some people are the opposite. ideally you want both plot and characters to develop at the same time. it's a delicate balance.

link the novels you say were dropped. someone could read them and give their feedback

 

[Maldrasen]

So it sounds like, 5 chapters is the point where people have decided that they like to book enough to read it, but then people are getting board somewhere in the 30s. Perhaps your novel needs to pick up the pace? This would be a good place to introduce mystery and intrigue, but to me 'fan service' implies filler. One reason I might stop reading a novel is chapter after chapter of nothing important happening.

Of course this is my perspective as a reader. As a writer I have no idea how to get an audience. :)

 

[Paul__Michaels]

Plus it's hard to assess your work. If the only novel we can see only has 3 chapters.

 

[RepresentingSilence]

I always find these threads kinda sad like do y'all have any idea what the writing world was like just 20 or heck just 10 years ago?

You had to write a entire novel start to finish with the only feedback coming from those you trusted with early drafts and then in order to get actual "readers" you had to go to a publisher and PAY THEM money just to read your novel and decide if they liked it enough to publish it (hoping they don't just steal the idea and have a ghost writer rip it off for way cheaper) and THEN you wouldn't get hardly ANY feedback from the average reader AKA actual fans and instead you'd be stuck with only "professional reviewers" and they are often terribly ignorant and arrogant narcissists who think their opinions are the only ones that matter and unfortunately in the "industry" they often do

So to the authors who see this please just write YOUR story don't concern yourself with readers, feedback, or reviews, just write, edit, post, write, edit, post, write, edit, post, until that finale chapter

 

[RepresentingCaution]

Copulation, of course!

 

[melchi]

I dropped a novel today because the had the main character get waterboarding just to see if he would spill the beans. The kid is 14.

I would say don't write stuff that involves abuse of a minor is a good start.

 

[LunaSoltaer]

I dropped a novel today because the had the main character get waterboarding just to see if he would spill the beans. The kid is 14.

I would say don't write stuff that involves abuse of a minor is a good start.

was the protagonist 14 or did they waterboard a 14yo? I ask out of a very very morbid curiosity, and a tinge of shock.

 

[melchi]

The protag got water boarded who was a 14 year old boy.

 

[Stealthy_Enigma]

I've been writing on and off for the better part of 8 years under different profiles, and a problem I constantly run into is readers losing interest in a story and tuning out. This kind of issue affected something like 3 out of 5 fictions I wrote, and I still don't know why that is. What's interesting is, the drop offs almost happen on a schedule - around chapters 5 and 30-40.

The few people that commented something before tuning out said they were disappointed with plot development or characters (paraphrasing here because half of it is unintelligible, swearing or people dramatically announcing how they're going to drop the story).

So, I'm asking this from a writer's and reader's perspective - how do you keep the audience you attracted?

( Bonus points for anyone who knows how to properly do good fan service when your fiction has low engagement. Fan service, as in something the dedicated readers like, not panty shots )

It is not necessary, but art is great!!!?

I can not draw to save my life (and I also don't have enough money to spend on commissions) , so I use an A.I. to develop photos for my story.

 

[ForestDweller]

I always find these threads kinda sad like do y'all have any idea what the writing world was like just 20 or heck just 10 years ago?

You had to write a entire novel start to finish with the only feedback coming from those you trusted with early drafts and then in order to get actual "readers" you had to go to a publisher and PAY THEM money just to read your novel and decide if they liked it enough to publish it (hoping they don't just steal the idea and have a ghost writer rip it off for way cheaper) and THEN you wouldn't get hardly ANY feedback from the average reader AKA actual fans and instead you'd be stuck with only "professional reviewers" and they are often terribly ignorant and arrogant narcissists who think their opinions are the only ones that matter and unfortunately in the "industry" they often do

So to the authors who see this please just write YOUR story don't concern yourself with readers, feedback, or reviews, just write, edit, post, write, edit, post, write, edit, post, until that finale chapter

We're hobbyists. I'm not writing to make a living.