1 / 14
Apr 15

I have a novel that I post every weekend, but I don't know if that's the most effective way to reach more people.

I believe there are huge differences in making a novel and a comic, even in the schedule.

The ideal frequency that I think I should post is 4 times a week. The downside is that the chapters would be shorter, and I'm sure many readers would be disappointed, or lose the desire to read the story. However, the reach would be greater, as I would have a greater chance of being recommended.

In the end, I think there are many variables and strategies that help boost your story.

  • created

    Apr 15
  • last reply

    Apr 15
  • 13

    replies

  • 430

    views

  • 1

    user

  • 12

    likes

  • 1

    link

I update my webtoon once a week. If i had more time or if I lower the quality of art, updates could be 2x a week.

But from past experience, leveling up the art quality tends to attract more engagement from readers

I personally don't keep up with anything like that as a consumer. I understand many do though.

As a creator, I've always leaned more on the aspect of. Whenever it's 'done', post it, unless you're like. Trying to maintain a weekly post or some sort of schedule, then you would be ahead in anticipation of a week or two you aren't able to create. You would have like the next few chapters ready to post, without posting it. Or pages, etc.

I'm not the type to check back weekly just to see a few pages of comic, or some 1k words of text. Tapas is very inclined to make it 'short' for consumers regarding mobiles, and I think that works on some level.

Ultimately though, the thing is mostly this. If your work is finished, then it's finished. And there's no more 'updates' in the typical sense. There is value in having some sort of schedule per se, as you'd get more 'readers' that way. In the long game though, for most creators, I don't think it impact it that much if it's just a posting schedule.

Cause what you're truly after are the readers that wants to read, and those readers are random. Since everyone can only check out your work 'once' in ways, it doesn't matter much if it's now, or later. As long as you've reached them.

Meaning, the posting schedule on its own, it's not as powerful as other advertising aspects that you could do. But yes, that is tiring on its own and takes energy too. To post on twitter every time you have updated your series and so forth.

Use your best judgement regarding what you yourself would like as a consumer. I definitely don't think updates should be 'short'. Tapas is design in a way that comic especially, many updates just 1 page at a time. Save up a few pages, and update it when you feel like it is substantial to you. I wouldn't worry much about the 'reach', as that's not meaningful to most creator.

Getting more potential reader is important. Posting regularly on a schedule, most people I don't think read on a schedule, a lot of people are busy, and they'd catch up pretty quickly when they finally have the time. This isn't YouTube, in which you need to consistently post to stay within the algorithm, there's no 'algorithm' on here really. And it isn't really luck on here as it is on YouTube, where many creators are creating quality material. This is story, readers are very picky, they will either find a work to be for them, or not so.

For the last four months, I'd been updating Apparent Secrets3 four days a week (Tues/Thurs/Sat/Sun), and the schedule has been incredibly challenging. Uploading so frequently meant that I could burn through my buffer faster, put undo pressure on myself to churn out episodes, and burn out from overworking myself.

I've just recently dropped my Sunday uploads, leaving three updates a week for a web novel. I initially needed that many episodes to meet the requirements of the True Love on Tapas contest, and never adjusted my schedule after the event. There was concern that the quality and depth of my writing was at risk unless changes were made, so I adapted my upload cadence to allow for more creative time to polish each upload.

Ideally, I can manage three episodes a week, plus bonus artwork sprinkled in here and there, to maintain a steady cadence of material for readers. It might sound funny, but I treat uploads like cardio; if I can manage to keep up the pace without losing my breath/passing out, then I'm good to go. :joy:

As with most things creative and cardio; your mileage may vary. Go at your own pace, and know that any progress is progress, regardless of speed. :wink:

when i first started as a novelist on tapas, i was posting a few times a week to maintain traction and building an audience. Now, I only do 4 times a month once I gained enough consistent readers

I used to care about which day it was (weekend vs weekday) but now I don't care because I get the same number of views/likes no matter what day it is. But, my story climbs on the ranks fast on a weekday (because most prefer to post on weekend so its more competitive)

I’d try not to have more than 2 weeks between chapters so that it doesn’t just get forgotten. I post mine weekly

I actually found peace with updating once in two weeks. This way I have some air to breathe out inbetween each updates so I don't need to rush and still be able to live my live while I deliver chapters in best possible quality.

I like weekly. My story is pretty long and a weekly schedule allows me to get it out in a reasonable time. Otherwise it would take a decade, instead of 2 1/2 years.

My current Webcomic is on a every 3 weeks schedule. Makes me wish I can reduce that but it is what it is as it takes me roughly a month to complete an Episode. Next time I'm thinking on getting a good 70-90% complete before posting so it can be done weekly without the worry of having a good amount of backup episodes if I find I can't work on it for a short while. I do have 5 Episodes complete with 3 posted so far but I prefer to keep ahead

I have a novel and I post every Friday. I had been posting like one a day at the end of 2023, but I prefer this schedule. I'm still getting considerable views, but not killing myself to upload, and I can work on other projects, which I had no time for with the other schedule.

When I first started publishing I went crazy with new episodes, uploading several per week and sometimes even several per day. The whole story was already written, so I was able to do that. The problem arises when your story comes to an end. If you don’t keep updating you won’t get more subscribers and your story falls out of Tapas’ “new” or “recent” categories. You need to upload at a frequency that will both keep readers engaged and also give people a reason to subscribe (if there are no new episodes coming there is no incentive to subscribe).

I’ve since found that once a week is a good compromise. Most of the stories I read update once weekly, but there are some (Apparent Secrets, Airy Nothing to name but two) that update several times a week, which is great as long as the story can keep going

I have no real posting schedule, which is a handicap to my work's ability to get seen, but one of the bigger aspects that we should focus on is how we network. How do we get our stories seen?

We need to make connections and really share our work in order to grow a really active community :slight_smile:

I do my update schedule according to moon phases (new chapter every full moon & new moon), so I usually have 2 updates a month. My chapters are pretty long and I don't get to take many shortcuts, so it gives me a good bit of time to flesh out each chunk of the story.

Even if you can't update frequently, updated regularly. Don't leave your readers guessing when they'll be getting an update. If you can only update once every other month, so be it. But pick a specific day and stick to it.

Hey! I post every Monday at 7am! I'm in a little different situation since my entire comic is completed and I'm now just trying to get it published.