I love this post! I myself haven't written a live serial yet, but I have been writing fiction for a decade, and I'm still trying to get better at foreshadowing!
Since I started serializing, I haven't really thought about where the story is going. By that, I mean I'm a pantser type of writer. I'm also one of those "in the middle" type of writers. I like to have a store of chapters in reserve as I post, so that I can edit as I go along, foreshadowing and making sure that Chekov's gun is primed and loaded. I'm working on the last part of my book right now, but my writing is worlds away from the way you do it. I keep notes in a note book, and quickly discard them as I move the story along. I just seem to remember shit. I'll be writing something, and then remember something from earlier, and bring that up, so that what I wrote earlier looks like foreshadowing, and that I planned it all out, but I didn't. It's just something I remembered. It seems to work for me, because, even though I don't have a lot of PAID subscribers following me, those I do have are liking it. And not knowing 'exactly' where the story is going, keeps me on my toes. Because if I get bored with the story, damn straight the reader will as well. But foreshadowing as an afterthought is like catching balls out of the air that are falling, while I don't even know they're up there in the first place -- it's just a matter of catching them so they don't hit me.
The more I learn about your serialization process the braver and more exhilarating it sounds. My publisher once told me that he thinks every novelist should have a go at writing weekly comics because it instills some great storytelling disciplines - including the ability to think several steps ahead. I think probably the same is true of real-time serialization. I'd certainly love to give it a try at some point, if I can muster the courage! Keep up the great work, Simon, and thanks for the mention of my newsletter, too - I'm very lucky to have you as a Substack ally!
A while back, I listened to an experienced comic book writer talking about his process, and what he said lines up with what you're saying. (Not Gaiman; another one.)
My memory may be off a bit, but he was basically saying that he'd write one issue at a time, and sometimes he'd throw in some plot point or bit of foreshadowing -- such as some unidentified mystery man standing in the shadows -- but he wouldn't yet know what it was all about or what it would lead to specifically. Eventually, he'd go back and reread the past several issues and remember, "Oh, yeah, that needs to pay off. Maybe *that* can tie into *this.*"
Marginally related, but I listen to a lot of radio serials from the '40s or so, and it's so impressive how they can pace it to have some kind of cliffhanger every 15 minutes. Life was never so exciting.
One thing about the "balls you drop," is, in a novel, movie, TV show, comic, etc, despite well meaning writing advice about "everything being in service of plot or character," is the universe just doesn't work like that. As a mundane modern example, maybe the protagonist gets a coffee almost every day at around the same time. Logically the barrista will be the same person, often. They learn each other's names and say, "Hi" to each other. But this barrista might never, ever, ever become important to a plot. They don't have to. Much of our lives have random, inconsequential encounters. If nothing ever happens with the barrista (maybe the protagonist has semi regular meetings with someone else at the coffee shop as they swap information, and the barrista is just "color"), fine. It's not a dropped ball. If the barrista suddenly enters the plot, the writer will look oh-so-clever for having set them up long ago.
To use Babylon 5 as an example, I doubt JMS had a little mini arc from s3 "Severed Dreams" and s4 "Endgame" planned out in his master notes - but, when the opportunity arose to do something interesting with a background character, it worked better because this character had floated around for a couple of seasons. The example character wasn't the only one fulfilling that background function, and, for the "mini arc" it could have been a pair of one off characters given the same scenes - but it did work better from deciding to give those bits to an actor we'd seen before. Still, there were other actors/characters doing the same thing. Any of them could have gotten the little spark of development, and that would have worked.
Guess that's snatching a random ball?
Geez, that was wordier than intended. Probably from hinting around spoilers.
Some more great advice here, Simon. I like the ball analogy. Another one might be if the story is like a lake and every character or object is a type of fish or other creature you put in this lake which you can then later fish for. What you catch might then depend on what kind of rod or net you're using to fish with.
(PS I also have a set of Rory's Story Cubes on my desk for warm-up writing!)
I like this way of thinking of it, of balls thrown and either dropped or caught.
In my own serial fiction, I realize that I've thrown balls without realizing it at the time. I look back at the first few episodes and see, "ooh, I should bring that idea back in soon," or, "this randomly added line now has real IMPLICATIONS."
I get IDEAS for future episodes or plotlines from rereading previous episodes NOW THAT I've written more episodes. I see things in a slightly updated context. This is part of the creative progress for me. :)
The serial I’m writing is off of a complete novel but by serializing, I’ve also changed a lot of the story, even though it’s the same premise.
Having an excel spreadsheet helps me. I know the thought of that makes people cringe but it helps me to make notes of those balls that are being tossed and reminds me that they have to land somewhere. Also, because over time it’s easy to slip and make plot errors, which I did the other day and had to write my way out of it in the next release. I blame this on my failure to log certain info into the spreadsheet. lol.
This is super helpful -- thank you! I'm currently readying my novel for serializing starting (one hopes) in January. It's gone thru many (many) drafts, but currently I've taken it apart again. I know how it starts, how it ends, and most of the key scenes along the way. But I already know I need a few additional scenes, and to substantially the ones I'm keeping. It's exciting to think of hitting GO without a fully polished draft. It's so appealing to let the process and readers suggest changes to the path. The analogy with TV makes total sense to me. And -- bonus! -- it helps to justify my shameful TV habit.
I totally get the need for foreshadowing and how it can become a complete mess if writing a serial as you go. So many little things can not have enough of a thread or you hint at something and the reader never gets the payoff expected. This happens with novel writing that you can fix before eyes see it and we the author to close to the project will miss something, usually somethings. The brain so loves automatically filling in backstory that isn't actually written.
I am planning on another serial, but the idea is going to come out of something I already wrote though it definitely needs some editing and changes. It will be semi on the fly that way, but I'll enjoy the fun feedback along the way. I'm only part plotter and definitely love discovery writing, so we'll see what actually comes out in 2025 after I have book 3 all setup for the launch sequence.
I've really got to catch Babylon 5, as you've mentioned it more than once. I am so in awe that you can write as you go. Though I am a 'panther' in writing terms, not a 'plotter' I still think it's amazing you can just, get on with it! Thanks for this post, lots to chew on for me.
You've made some interesting points. My mind also prefers to figure it out as I go along to a point. My family history series beginning in 1869 in Prussia, I have an existing ladder to climb, a framework, because I know what's eventually going to happen to all these people by the paper trail of records that was left behind. I create as I go along and there have been a couple of times i went back and made an edit or added something needed. i don't have qualms about this, actually. Any new reader will read a slightly updated version and if a book is in the offing...there it is. My other series 'The Adventures of Thistle Pippin,' there's only a few chapters in one fairy tale before she slips into a different fairy tale. i leave so many balls up in the air that i can go in any direction. I had not considered that that's what i was doing...but there it is. Balls in the air.
I love this post! I myself haven't written a live serial yet, but I have been writing fiction for a decade, and I'm still trying to get better at foreshadowing!
Thanks, Godwin! I like your use of ‘yet’, there. :)
Since I started serializing, I haven't really thought about where the story is going. By that, I mean I'm a pantser type of writer. I'm also one of those "in the middle" type of writers. I like to have a store of chapters in reserve as I post, so that I can edit as I go along, foreshadowing and making sure that Chekov's gun is primed and loaded. I'm working on the last part of my book right now, but my writing is worlds away from the way you do it. I keep notes in a note book, and quickly discard them as I move the story along. I just seem to remember shit. I'll be writing something, and then remember something from earlier, and bring that up, so that what I wrote earlier looks like foreshadowing, and that I planned it all out, but I didn't. It's just something I remembered. It seems to work for me, because, even though I don't have a lot of PAID subscribers following me, those I do have are liking it. And not knowing 'exactly' where the story is going, keeps me on my toes. Because if I get bored with the story, damn straight the reader will as well. But foreshadowing as an afterthought is like catching balls out of the air that are falling, while I don't even know they're up there in the first place -- it's just a matter of catching them so they don't hit me.
The more I learn about your serialization process the braver and more exhilarating it sounds. My publisher once told me that he thinks every novelist should have a go at writing weekly comics because it instills some great storytelling disciplines - including the ability to think several steps ahead. I think probably the same is true of real-time serialization. I'd certainly love to give it a try at some point, if I can muster the courage! Keep up the great work, Simon, and thanks for the mention of my newsletter, too - I'm very lucky to have you as a Substack ally!
A while back, I listened to an experienced comic book writer talking about his process, and what he said lines up with what you're saying. (Not Gaiman; another one.)
My memory may be off a bit, but he was basically saying that he'd write one issue at a time, and sometimes he'd throw in some plot point or bit of foreshadowing -- such as some unidentified mystery man standing in the shadows -- but he wouldn't yet know what it was all about or what it would lead to specifically. Eventually, he'd go back and reread the past several issues and remember, "Oh, yeah, that needs to pay off. Maybe *that* can tie into *this.*"
He pulled off many adept juggling acts this way.
Marginally related, but I listen to a lot of radio serials from the '40s or so, and it's so impressive how they can pace it to have some kind of cliffhanger every 15 minutes. Life was never so exciting.
Yeah, some of those older serials went hard on the cliffhangers! A bit like the classic Batman TV series from the 60s.
One thing about the "balls you drop," is, in a novel, movie, TV show, comic, etc, despite well meaning writing advice about "everything being in service of plot or character," is the universe just doesn't work like that. As a mundane modern example, maybe the protagonist gets a coffee almost every day at around the same time. Logically the barrista will be the same person, often. They learn each other's names and say, "Hi" to each other. But this barrista might never, ever, ever become important to a plot. They don't have to. Much of our lives have random, inconsequential encounters. If nothing ever happens with the barrista (maybe the protagonist has semi regular meetings with someone else at the coffee shop as they swap information, and the barrista is just "color"), fine. It's not a dropped ball. If the barrista suddenly enters the plot, the writer will look oh-so-clever for having set them up long ago.
To use Babylon 5 as an example, I doubt JMS had a little mini arc from s3 "Severed Dreams" and s4 "Endgame" planned out in his master notes - but, when the opportunity arose to do something interesting with a background character, it worked better because this character had floated around for a couple of seasons. The example character wasn't the only one fulfilling that background function, and, for the "mini arc" it could have been a pair of one off characters given the same scenes - but it did work better from deciding to give those bits to an actor we'd seen before. Still, there were other actors/characters doing the same thing. Any of them could have gotten the little spark of development, and that would have worked.
Guess that's snatching a random ball?
Geez, that was wordier than intended. Probably from hinting around spoilers.
Some more great advice here, Simon. I like the ball analogy. Another one might be if the story is like a lake and every character or object is a type of fish or other creature you put in this lake which you can then later fish for. What you catch might then depend on what kind of rod or net you're using to fish with.
(PS I also have a set of Rory's Story Cubes on my desk for warm-up writing!)
I like this way of thinking of it, of balls thrown and either dropped or caught.
In my own serial fiction, I realize that I've thrown balls without realizing it at the time. I look back at the first few episodes and see, "ooh, I should bring that idea back in soon," or, "this randomly added line now has real IMPLICATIONS."
I get IDEAS for future episodes or plotlines from rereading previous episodes NOW THAT I've written more episodes. I see things in a slightly updated context. This is part of the creative progress for me. :)
The serial I’m writing is off of a complete novel but by serializing, I’ve also changed a lot of the story, even though it’s the same premise.
Having an excel spreadsheet helps me. I know the thought of that makes people cringe but it helps me to make notes of those balls that are being tossed and reminds me that they have to land somewhere. Also, because over time it’s easy to slip and make plot errors, which I did the other day and had to write my way out of it in the next release. I blame this on my failure to log certain info into the spreadsheet. lol.
This is super helpful -- thank you! I'm currently readying my novel for serializing starting (one hopes) in January. It's gone thru many (many) drafts, but currently I've taken it apart again. I know how it starts, how it ends, and most of the key scenes along the way. But I already know I need a few additional scenes, and to substantially the ones I'm keeping. It's exciting to think of hitting GO without a fully polished draft. It's so appealing to let the process and readers suggest changes to the path. The analogy with TV makes total sense to me. And -- bonus! -- it helps to justify my shameful TV habit.
I totally get the need for foreshadowing and how it can become a complete mess if writing a serial as you go. So many little things can not have enough of a thread or you hint at something and the reader never gets the payoff expected. This happens with novel writing that you can fix before eyes see it and we the author to close to the project will miss something, usually somethings. The brain so loves automatically filling in backstory that isn't actually written.
I am planning on another serial, but the idea is going to come out of something I already wrote though it definitely needs some editing and changes. It will be semi on the fly that way, but I'll enjoy the fun feedback along the way. I'm only part plotter and definitely love discovery writing, so we'll see what actually comes out in 2025 after I have book 3 all setup for the launch sequence.
I've really got to catch Babylon 5, as you've mentioned it more than once. I am so in awe that you can write as you go. Though I am a 'panther' in writing terms, not a 'plotter' I still think it's amazing you can just, get on with it! Thanks for this post, lots to chew on for me.
I think I'd rather write first and serialize later...
To each his own!
Yes, that's me, too.
You've made some interesting points. My mind also prefers to figure it out as I go along to a point. My family history series beginning in 1869 in Prussia, I have an existing ladder to climb, a framework, because I know what's eventually going to happen to all these people by the paper trail of records that was left behind. I create as I go along and there have been a couple of times i went back and made an edit or added something needed. i don't have qualms about this, actually. Any new reader will read a slightly updated version and if a book is in the offing...there it is. My other series 'The Adventures of Thistle Pippin,' there's only a few chapters in one fairy tale before she slips into a different fairy tale. i leave so many balls up in the air that i can go in any direction. I had not considered that that's what i was doing...but there it is. Balls in the air.