How Do You Test Competing Project Ideas?

[domisotto]

The proof is in the pudding, but short of posting the first few chapters and seeing if there is a real reader interest in a story, how do you test which idea seems more fruitful?

I posted a preview chapter in my current book with the summary, but I didn't get any comments on it so far.

Any other ideas?

[artemficta]

Could try some discord servers maybe I know a lot of the webcomic ones have a story help channel.

[apexdraws]

IMO, go with the one that you like more and think that you'd have more fun working on. Don't worry much about which idea is more fruitful. I think if you pick the story that you're more invested in, then that passion will come through in your work and create a better overall product.

If you like both ideas equally then I would follow artemficta's advice. You could make a thread here as well.

[DiegoPalacios]

An important variable to take into account is the audience you are targeting with your story and where you are testing it.

Some sites may have more teenagers, others more young adults and so on......Also, interests and tastes can make a huge difference.

[domisotto]

I mean it specifically for this site.

[domisotto]

I just really want opinion other than my own. I have never seen topics like this on this forum, so I was wondering if it was done?

[joannekwan]

In the past, a few people have posted polls in threads here on the forum, allowing those who view it to vote for the premise that sounds most interesting to them. Of course the sampling is limited here on the forum as only a fraction of Tapas users even come here and most of the people here are creators. But it's a place to start if you don't have a large following on social media where you could post polls to.

[gmaximin]

An idea: write an anthology, with a different style/idea/angle for each chapter/arc/short, and ask readers the one they prefer. Personally I’d find a common thread between my ideas, make an overarching story distilled around for coherence, and then test each ideas individually in each chapter. Then check stats / feedback per chapter.
Might give you a taste of what’s working/appealing to readers. But again, like @joannekwan mentioned, the sample size might be very limited... you can mix both approaches, then asking in forum to vote for the chapter they preferred... basically like pilot nights on tv...

Edit: just saw your other post... so just forget

[domisotto]

I already adding first chapter and summary previews in my book on the days when there are no regular updates, but I don’t really expect many comments because I am a tiny account

[gmaximin]

But why not make a separate work? Like “night tales”, and you just do shorts, see which one pops... good thing in that approach, is that you can duplicate and test on many platforms & it’s not that engaging for readers. Drawback is that sample is limited.
It can be done in parallel to inserting first chapter in your other book, which only target people that like your style. That’s good, but it doesn’t reach people not reading you, and that will never find these summaries...

[domisotto]

I don’t think anyone reads anthologies... if there is no reads, it will be just super disheartening & having an unread book on the profile is a bad mojo.

[gmaximin]

Then don’t it was just an idea, which could be bad too...

[domisotto]

The poll seems to be working on the forum, so fingers crossed I will get a few votes to help me out