Author's Note:
This is my opinion on how to create and operate a successful chain story. It's by no means the only way and it's not what you may find is your way, but for me it works. Enjoy and good luck if you do decide to one day construct your own chain story on Lit. ~ Red
Some of you reading this may already know what a chain story is and just enjoy reading various types of literature. Others may be reading this submission because you like "How To" stories; while someone else may have read or is reading a chain story and are curious as to how to get started as well as how to participate.
First, for those that don't know what a chain story on Literotica is, here is a link to their FAQ concerning the category: http://www.literotica.com/faq/05235347.shtml#05310792 - What is a chain story? How do I start one?
Now that you've taken a moment to check out the above link, I'll continue on. I've be "in charge" of various chain stories here on Lit:
A Royal Sacrifice, Dry Valley, Laresa's World, On the Bus, Kismet, Enchanted Twelve
. I've been involved in two others, contributing 2 chapters each to:
AH Fantasies
and
Hollyquirk Studios
.
For my "How to" I am only going to discuss the chains I've been in charge of, not those that someone else started. Topics I will cover will include: Politics of a Chain, Schedules, Cheat Sheet/Cheat Post, and Two Types of Chains: Book & Glimpse.
Politics of a Chain:
Being the creator of a chain story, you need to decide how much of an iron fist you are going to wield. You have to go in knowing that you are working with a variety of writers. If you are fortunate, you'll not only have experienced Literotica authors, but also inexperienced ones.
You need to determine if you want to read and approve every chapter before they are submitted to Lit. You have to be willing to
privately
discuss concerns you have with the writer if they write something you deem questionable to the plot/character. Whether the writer is an old pro, or a newbie, you have to have the courage to say "I need to know why you did this?" or "I don't see the character(s) doing that?"
With the above said, be prepared for them to come back to you and say, "Well, this is how I want it and I am not going to change it." Don't get too worried about this. Usually if someone tells you that, they have a good reason for it, and most likely, if you think about it, their reasoning is sound and plausible. Very rarely have I had to step in and say "I'm sorry, you need to rethink this angle. I'm not seeing it."
As the creator of the chain, you aren't immune to the feedback of your co-authors. They have just as much right to say to you that something you wrote seems out of place. They are there for the same goal as you, to complete a chain worthy of attention. You have to listen and change if it is in the best interest of the chain. Remember, you turned this idea over to others because you either needed help or you wanted to see where others could take it.
There is going to be drama in the chain and I don't mean the story. You are going to offend people; writers are sensitive when it comes to their work. There may come a time when a writer drops out of your chain. There may also come a time when you need to ask someone to leave the chain. I have been very fortunate in regards to this and have not had to – yet.
The "bad" experiences I've had have been few and far between. One writer felt slighted, and someone else felt they were being "spoken" ill of. Each situation was unique; you will have to determine how best to handle them as they arise. Don't go in with your fists raised, take time to evaluate all the angles before taking whatever necessary steps you feel will best suit the chain, the authors involved, and those that are waiting for their crack at the next chapter.
Most importantly, remember, you cannot please everyone.
Schedules:
Literotica recommends you post a whole schedule as well as making your submission dates 4 days to 8 days apart. I will admit that almost all of the chapters, for the chains I've been in charge of, run approximately 2 weeks apart; sometimes longer.
Scheduling is one of the hardest things to navigate in a chain, at least it is for me. The reason behind this is simple. Many writers are busy writing their own stories, as well as living their own lives. You must be willing to compromise on the schedule.
Writers can trade dates or request to have an extension. The schedule is not written in stone and sometimes real life deals us a blow and we have to abandon ship. It may not be the other writers that disappear from a chain – it may be you.
On a more personal note, I took time away from Lit. and left chains to dangle. I came back in October of 2011 with a fresh perspective and was able to complete one, and restart the second. I think the writers that were able to come back, did so because of two reasons: the story has the potential to be great and I was honest about my reasons for leaving.
The one thing to keep in mind regarding this part of the "How to" is: Be flexible!
Cheat Sheet/Cheat Post
A cheat sheet or cheat post is very important in regards to the Book Style of a chain, which is covered later. This post is where you should place key details of the characters in the story. Such as hair color, eye color, demeanor, family history, current place in time in relation to the story/scene. You need this because each chapter written will most likely use characters from previous chapters.
If you're writing about Afsoon's (Kismet) induction into General Risay's harem, you don't want to tell folks how special she was made to feel in chapter 3, when in chapter 1 she was abused and coerced into giving up her virginity.
You don't want to create a personality that falters so radically that your readers are left scratching their heads, wondering "where did that come from?" So keep your cheat sheet, and make it available to all writers, by putting it in your thread. I usually put mine in the first post. Here is an example: http://forum.literotica.com/showpost.php?p=26080517&postcount=1
As you can see, I have a mini-cheat sheet for each family involved in Kismet. The other writers can come back in at any time and check to see if a character they are using is being used properly.
Did they assign the right harem girl with the right Master? Did they keep true to the name of the Sultan's wife? What hair color did that one girl have? Did that character have any abnormalities or physical features I have to remain true to? These questions are very important in maintaining the story line.
When creating and maintaining your cheat sheet, you need to make sure your other writers keep you informed of details that are being introduced in their chapter. You and every writer in the chain MUST read every chapter submitted. Also take notes of the chapters after they are submitted, or beforehand, in case a writer forgets to let you know what they think is key, or perhaps you see something you may want to use in a future chapter.
Be diligent, no detail is too small to a devoted reader/fan.
Two Types of Chains:
Personally I believe there are two types of chain stories, a "book" type and a "glimpse". What you'll be reading next is just my personal take on the types of chains that are constructed.
A "Book" chain story is one that has a beginning, middle and an end. The previous sections on politics, schedules, and cheat sheets/cheat posts are a must for the Book chain.
A "Glimpse" chain, in my opinion, consists of the same idea but each chapter can stand alone and be read as individual stories. The common denominator of the work could be the location where things take place, or the people involved. Politics with this type of chain is almost non-existent, as are schedules and cheat sheets, though you must include a preliminary schedule per Literotica's chain story rules.
Book Style:
Dry Valley, Laresa's World, A Royal Sacrifice, Enchanted Twelve
, and
