Would you buy a novel, a chapter at a time?

1. 60

   Lupin Kasumiposted 13 years ago

   Would you buy a novel, a chapter at a time?
   
   It's an idea I had to make some extra pocket money.

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2. 60

   Dr. Wendyposted 13 years ago

   No.  It would be annoying to finish one chapter and have to go and get the next.

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3. 86

   M. T. Dremerposted 13 years ago

   I would also have to say no. If I get into a book, I want to keep reading and I wouldn't be able to do that as easily if I had to purchase each chapter. I would much rather pay the full price for the whole book, rather than little amounts for each chapter. And if I had to wait for chapters to be released, I would probably forget about the story and move on to something else.

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4. 0

   Giselle Maineposted 13 years ago

   No, for exactly the same reasons as M.T. Dremer, plus if I pay for a book I like to get the physical thing sitting on my shelf.  I don't like e-books or e-novels or kindles etc etc.

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5. 57

   justanotherteenposted 13 years ago

   i guess it would be good for travelling, instead of having a huge book you could just bring 2 chapters with you to keep you entertained on a plane but the fact that you'd have 20 little books instead of one big one would be really impractical also if you're friend wanted to borrow  the book or if you were to borrow it from a library it would be way too much hassle to do this one chapter at a time... you dont buy DVD's clip at a time and theres a reason for that too

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6. 59

   MickSposted 13 years ago

   No.

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7. 0

   Sam-Hookposted 13 years ago

   It would probably be difficult to get people to buy a book a chapter at a time - BUT - if each chapter was self contained I do believe that people would buy it...
   
   If each chapter was a short story unto itself, and you could get say five writers on board, I think that it could sell as a short story journal, each issue serving as another segment in continuing stories...
   
   The reader could give feedback, the writer could choose to adjust to that feedback or ignore it or use it to build more suspense. 
   
   Most of our great literature in the Western Tradition began as serials... and I don't see how that could be much different from t.v.  Also completed novels could be published as a whole after the initial serial run... much like t.v. box sets.

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8. 60

   duffsmomposted 13 years ago

   No, I want the entire work so I can read it at whatever pace I like--depending on work, time etc.

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9. 55

   Patronusposted 13 years ago

   A single novel, one chapter at a time ? No. However their are serialized novels that are published in many magazines and news papers and if I am not wrong Mark Twain started out with serialized novels. So if it is a part of a magazine then it is okay , but just one novel, one chapter at a time is - no.

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10. 60

    Julie Simmondsposted 13 years ago

    This is an interesting question you pose because in the days of Charles Dickens, this is exactly how his stories were sold. It was a day when mass communication was just emerging. Dickens wrote for weekly publications, unfolding his stories a chapter at a time. It's the same concept as the old radio shows....where the stories would continue week after week...and of course, today with TV series dramas such as SVU, etc.

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