The problem with long form serials

When catching up feels like homework

Last week I published chapter 51 of Tales from the Triverse, the weekly serial I’m putting out through this newsletter. It’s free to read, I’m pretty pleased with how it’s turning out so far and I’ve had good feedback from readers.

Convincing new readers to commit to the series is a challenge, though. I mean, fifty-one chapters? That’s a lot of reading! Here’s what I would like potential new readers to think:

Oh wow, I get over 50 chapters to read entirely for free, in my own time? And then a new, free chapter each week? And I get to see a novel form before my eyes in real time? Sign me up!

Here’s what I suspect actually goes through people’s heads:

This Triverse book sounds interesting, but I really don’t have time to read 51 chapters of a free internet novel by some random guy. And I don’t want to start reading at chapter 51, because nothing will make any sense. Oh well.

This is the big conundrum for anyone serialising long form content online. At the beginning of a project, there’s the excitement of getting on board with something new and being there from the start. But the longer the project continues, the bigger the barrier to entry. The more the back catalogue starts to feel like homework.