Preferred way to do a part 2

[KersenBloemNL]

Let's say you finished the first major story arc of your webnovel (part 1) and you want to start uploading the second part. How would you go about it?

I'm thinking of just uploading it under the current story, but with a clear marked part 2 prefix, while also updating the synopsis describing what part 2 has in store (while slapping a spoiler warning on there)

But i'm curious as to how y'all would do it? Would you upload it as a seperate series, or do something else.

 

[Hans.Trondheim]

I separated my arcs here in ScribbleHub and explained the continuity through "Related stories" feature and on the synopses. You can check it via my signature (turn your phone to landscape mode for it to appear, or use your PC).

In HoneyFeed, I uploaded my work by books, which eventually reached 20 individual volumes. The continuity is shown through the titles, like, "The Human Saint is Bored, Vol. 1" and so on. I did so because Honeyfeed only allows four images max, including covers, and I got lots of illustrations per volume (like Cover, Back Cover, Character Intros, and 4 in-chapter illustrations). Here's my author page in HF:

Also, if I upload all my arcs in one story, I would have to change the covers everytime I reached a new arc, not to mention, 400+ long ass chapters. Good thing Syosetu doesn't have novel covers, so I managed to upload all chapters in one story...I just showed the volume count on the titles so my Japanese readers can know where they are in the novel. Here is my story's page in Syosetu:

Edit: I'm about to reach 21 books, since I rewrote the ending of my 5th arc.

 

[John_Owl]

I'd say it depends. if it picks up from where part 1 leaves off, I'd post it to the same novel. If there's a timeskip, a POV change, etc, then make it a sequel novel. Like I did with Lay the Dragon and DragonBound.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Let's say you finished the first major story arc of your webnovel (part 1) and you want to start uploading the second part. How would you go about it?

I'm thinking of just uploading it under the current story, but with a clear marked part 2 prefix, while also updating the synopsis describing what part 2 has in store (while slapping a spoiler warning on there)

But i'm curious as to how y'all would do it? Would you upload it as a seperate series, or do something else.

Well, as soon as I get two more chapters written, I'll be posting book two in the series nobody wanted in the first place (Jack Diamond, Monster Hunter) as a separate file, but there is supposedly a way to link stories - haven't really looked for it so not sure where it is yet.

On Royal Road, I have a story where each arc is "self contained" and has chapters numbered One-One, One-Two, One-Three etc. for the first arc, Two-One, Two-Two, etc. for the second and so forth.

Also plan to have a second (and maybe third - or maybe it will only be two volumes) book for Between Worlds; as it will be a major shift from the first one (over a decade later), it will be a second (and maybe third) book, linked to each other (but that won't happen until sometime next year)

 

[JHarp]

I might be different to a few people but generally; at least while I'm reading, multiple independent volumes is off-putting slightly to me. It requires the author properly linking, ordering things, it can clog up whatever reading list I put 10+ different 'novels' in, since they aren't all the same entity.
A new thing to add to my reading list, at least in my head, implies it could be stand alone, unless you intentionally mark volume 2 well as 'read the first volume' you have to start over with a lot of your expectations expecting new audiences who join at that point. The system showing your novel is also likely to lose traction for the first novel, I also would assume statistics start working against you as you then split any extra views/readers you might have had, into a new category.

Separating them might help for art and a whole list of things, and if done well it can help, especially when theres larger gaps between each main volume and a list of other things, but I can't help but wonder if it impacts the overall traction of the novel series.
Following the rule of web design, the more a person has to click to get where they want, the less clickthrough you will get. If a person has to click volume 8 and then locate volume 1, and then click on read among other actions, it could potentially be off-putting or otherwise detrimental to longevity but I'd love to know if theres data from an author who has done both.

Theres also a long conversation about potential fatigue if a new novel can pop up from nowhere, you are adding the expectation to readers to keep up to date, while many might have filed away the finished volume and never see the new post to check out the next volume, especially if they deal with a lot of things in their reading list. For the most part I wouldn't expect every reader to constantly check through their 'completed' list to see a new update about some new volume you have suddenly decided to write, and if the story leads straight into the next chapter, I'd question why it needed to be so separate then in the first place.

 

[KersenBloemNL]

Big snip

Yeah, this is why I'm thinking of just uploading it on the main story and marking it as part 2 with a seperate synopsis right under the first.

Just like john_owl said, if it was a bigger timeskip or a pov change, i'd also prefer to make a new series, but that's not the case here.

Super insightful stuff from all of you, thank you!!

 

[Hans.Trondheim]

Separating them might help for art and a whole list of things, and if done well it can help, especially when theres larger gaps between each main volume and a list of other things, but I can't help but wonder if it impacts the overall traction of the novel series.
Following the rule of web design, the more a person has to click to get where they want, the less clickthrough you will get. If a person has to click volume 8 and then locate volume 1, and then click on read among other actions, it could potentially be off-putting or otherwise detrimental to longevity but I'd love to know if theres data from an author who has done both.

Yeah, I did get questions why I uploaded my stuff by volumes instead of one big novel series in HoneyFeed.

Well, I already did it, and it will be more annoying for readers to reupload those (with me receiving accusations like I'm desperate for attention and similar stuff), so I just went with that kind of setting till the end. ???‍

 

[Spacerunner357]

Let's say you finished the first major story arc of your webnovel (part 1) and you want to start uploading the second part. How would you go about it?

I'm thinking of just uploading it under the current story, but with a clear marked part 2 prefix, while also updating the synopsis describing what part 2 has in store (while slapping a spoiler warning on there)

But i'm curious as to how y'all would do it? Would you upload it as a seperate series, or do something else.

Hio~~ I would make A Update Chapter with a link two it, i would make it seperate stories so it can be shown up as a new story and It's more like a book. Also I try to upload my Stories on at least Three Websitesss, I know of Four Right now ,~ maybe more:).!
Hope this Helpssa!

 

[Corty]

That's all from me:

 

[Kenjona]

I have seen both; a continuation of the new arc in the same "story" and as separate new novels. Either works as long as you can delineate them for others in away your readers would not get confused.

For Continuation"
Pros: Your readers never have to leave your storyline until it is ended and new ones can simply binge to their hearts content until they catch up.
Cons: If you are publishing books, you may need to snip story arcs due to publishers requirements. Now you have missing chapters and new readers may be put off by the missing chapters.

For Separate "books" online.
Pros: If your publishing your novels and need to snip, you can do so once the book is ended, without having pages 3-288 missing and people thinking they are missing to much. Starting a new novel you get to do things fresh for the new reader as long as you can keep it short enough for the long term reader.
Cons: You need to keep track of 2+ separate books for your novel and readers will catch and remember your plot holes changes in style and everything. Because there are tens to Hundreds of us to one of you.
Readers can lose interest in the book and just not move on to the next novel, which they may just have continued reading out of shear inertia (I have been guilty of this) if it just continued in the same "book" and they did not have to bookmark another link.

 

[Kamelingil]

Authors normally title their chapter as "Vol.1 Ch 1" But for me, I only put the chapter number and title, only mark the different arc at the start of the chapter