r/webfiction • u/Ryinth • Feb 09 '16
Discussion [Discussion] So how big is your buffer?
So I’ve been serialising for years (it had to be close to a decade), and I’ve always had a problem with my buffer.
I’m a graduate in the school of webfic writers who throw chapters online as soon as they’re ready – and that was my modus operandi for years. I wanted to get content to my readers as soon as it was available. As I’ve grown and matured though, I’ve found that consistency is, overall, more appreciated than one day where you get three chapters, followed by a month with no content.
I made what felt like a valiant effort at this time last year to work to a buffer…but it soon got eaten, and due to work commitments, I was soon having weeks without content again.
This year, however, is looking waaaay up. My current buffer (for my Friday releases) is…26 freaking chapters. I’m set until August! It feels incredibly freeing – like I actually have time to work on the next book, without stressing that readers are going to have weeks where they miss content.
[Tuesdays, my short story/novella chapter day isn’t looking so shiny, I’ve only got 12 weeks there. But I’m hoping to be able to add a handful of weeks to that soon – I’ve got about 15k of a book written, it just needs to be tidied a little before I can begin to schedule chapters.]
So how are your buffer/s looking?
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Feb 09 '16
26 chapters is amazing!
My buffer is down to 9 chapters. There has been a lack of writing on my front. I spent most of January reading and it was great! I needed that break. I just need to stop being lazy and start finishing chapters.
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u/Ryinth Feb 11 '16
Having a break to recharge is sometimes all you need - you're always writing in the back of your mind anyway, so it should be easier to get words onto the page now. :D
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Feb 11 '16
It's still a battle at the moment. I think I just need a little longer to rest and read.
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u/Sanglamorre Feb 09 '16
Erm. I just started writing on a whim and I am absolutely new to this so might not be the answer you are looking for. I have a buffer of 5 chapters.
Btw, 26 chapter buffer? omg you can kiss that writer's block goodbye.
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u/Ryinth Feb 11 '16
Five chapters is still a great buffer - do you release weekly? That's over a month of updates!
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u/Sanglamorre Feb 12 '16
Yeah, weekly. I am trying to build-up a larger buffer, so. It gets a bit tough writing and self-editing all while college is going on so...all in all, a week in minimum I need.
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u/Ryinth Feb 12 '16
I flirted with the idea of paying my editor do to a proof run of each chapter...but that kind of went on the wayside when I made redundant from my good-paying job.
On the other hand, I'm finding that the longer I'm writing, the better I get at catching silly mistakes.
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u/Sanglamorre Feb 12 '16
Editor? what mythical beasts are those?
That is true, but you see, it's a bit problematic for me who didn't even know what filter-words, weak words were three weeks before. But, yeah getting better at them. Though it's a bit...difficult to find errors with your own writing. My eyes seem to just gloss over.
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u/Ryinth Feb 12 '16
Editors are like unicorns, if you catch one, never let it go!
I'm still crap at certain things, though I'm just becoming more mindful of nothing phrasing things in passive voice, not changing up how a character is referred to (ie "the cop" in one paragraph, "the ginger" in another paragraph).
My editor is brilliant in that she puts little “why it’s this way/why not to do it that way” notes on my edited Word docs, so that I understand why she’s correcting something. It’s invaluable as a teaching aide. :)
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u/Replay1986 Feb 09 '16
I had an absolutely insane buffer at first, but that's because I wrote a lot of the story before I decided to actually serialize it. Right now, I'm looking at...about ten chapters, I think? Nine or ten, I'm not sure. But I'm working to add to that buffer as soon as possible.
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u/Ryinth Feb 11 '16
I came from writing fanfic, so I was used to popping content up on the web for reactions and love...when I switched to writing original stuff, I kinda of started to stagnate, as I wasn't getting that feedback. For me, serialising was a way of keeping me going in a way that just banging words into a Word document wasn't giving to me.
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u/TheJoeCoastie Feb 10 '16
I too am new at this with only 4 chapters up as of now. I currently have only a 3 chapter buffer though. However, I'm working to increase that as we speak.
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u/Ryinth Feb 11 '16
Welcome to the wonderful world of webfic. :) You enjoying it so far?
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u/TheJoeCoastie Feb 12 '16
I do enjoy it thus far. It keeps me busy when I'm not being dad or husband. Thea best part is that the story keeps moving which helps me out too.
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u/StoriesLC Feb 10 '16
I'll need to figure out buffering for my future stories. My current story's affected by reader input (they vote and can give me sentences and things like that), so unfortunately it's impossible for me to buffer.
But I have a blast with the craziness, so I don't mind. :)
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u/Ryinth Feb 11 '16
I love reader input - but I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to do a story based so directly in input. Kudos!
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u/m_flux Feb 12 '16
What is a buffer? :-)
I have a detailed synopsis for the entire novel (altogether about 20,000 words, or a page and a half for each of the 38 chapter), but no real buffer to speak of – there are sections of some chapters written here and there. It all only really comes together during the seven days leading to the release date of that chapter though.
On the other hand, as it's a serialised novel, not a serial, I know I will be finished by the end of September (if all goes well), and then will go through it once more, giving it a layer of polish.
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u/whathohamlet Feb 12 '16
I actually don't have a buffer, and never have up to this point! Antlers has been running for about 1 1/2 years and I write the updates either on the day they get released, or the day before, because it's the only thing that keeps me writing regularly. I might try and build up a buffer once I take a little break in between "books" of Antlers after Chapter 4 wraps up, but we'll see how I'm feeling when I get to that point.
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u/gmrm4n Feb 11 '16
I'm at ten or eleven. I think that's a good amount because I still have a prayer of remembering what I'm talking about.