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Elaine Cunningham - Serial fiction

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May 9th, 2008
09:16 pm

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Serial fiction
Serial fiction is, imo, an idea whose time has come again.  Popular in the mid 19th century, serial fiction in the "weeklies" ranged from sentimental tales and crime drama to the swashbuckling adventures of Alexamder Dumas to novels that reside solidly (and sometimes stolidly) in the Dead White Guy Literary Canon.  Charles Dickens is the name that first comes to mind, but the list also includes Cervantes, Defoe, Thackeray, Balzac, George Elliot, and Joseph Conrad.  

Judging from the success of such TV shows as "Lost" and "Heroes," there's an appetite for serial fiction. Some of it is rambling, some structured as carefully as any novel.  The first season of "Dexter," a Showtime series about a serial killer with a strict code--he only kills other serial killers--was one of the best crafted pieces of popular fiction I've encountered anywhere. Each episode stood alone, in that a conflict was introduced and resolved, but running throughout were story threads addressing two basic questions:  what early childhood event caused Dexter's pathology, and how might his early life be connected to the brilliant serial killer who is both taunting and courting him?  The escalating conflict, the rising stakes, the character arc--wow.  Just . . . wow.   A chilling, disturbing story, but wonderfully written and realized. 

Which leads me to ponder why more of us don't tackle TV-style serial fiction, especially when the internet offers the perfect medium for it.

I've been kicking around the idea for quite a while, and a couple of months ago an interesting opportunity popped up.  I ended up passing due to some concern about copyright dilution, but I definitely plan to keep an eye on this editor and this project.  He has a great idea, and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes of it.  And eventually I'd like to return to the story I outlined in my proposal for this project, because  I really like the characters, the plot, and the world.  

Then last week a new opportunity popped up.  Everything came together:  the timing, the tone, the comfort zone, the people.  The project editor said I could mention it "whenever and wherever," so here goes:  I'll be writing some serial fiction for Pathfinder, the RPG setting from Paizo Press.  A dark fantasy tale, told in six "episodes."  I've worked with Paizo before and have a very high opinion of their professionalism and their products. The email discussion with the editor gave me a strong sense that we were on the same page, which is always a good thing. They don't need the first episode until late September, which meshes perfectly with my writing schedule.  And I'm in the mood to write the sort of story they're seeking.  It all works.  I am, in short, tickled. 

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From:[info]mrockwell
Date:May 10th, 2008 02:32 am (UTC)
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Congrats, ec! I look forward to reading it!
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From:[info]revena
Date:May 10th, 2008 02:51 am (UTC)
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Eee! That's wonderful. :-D
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From:[info]lady_gumdrop
Date:May 10th, 2008 03:12 am (UTC)
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Woot! Oh, but here's a question: Is this going to be part of my Pathfinder subscription? (I just got #9 in the mailbox today, as a matter of fact.)
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From:[info]e_cunningham
Date:May 10th, 2008 11:33 am (UTC)
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Not sure. I'll find out and let you know.
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From:[info]jlasala
Date:May 10th, 2008 03:35 am (UTC)
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I highly agree. Serialized fiction is where it's at.
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From:[info]e_cunningham
Date:May 10th, 2008 11:38 am (UTC)
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One of the challenges of online serial fiction is finding a payment model. Subscription? Advertising? Patronage? Optional donations? All of the above have been tried. I think advertising is probably the way to go, so that the content itself is free to the reader.
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From:[info]ysabetwordsmith
Date:May 10th, 2008 04:52 am (UTC)

Yes!

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Serial fiction seems to do very well online. It's a popular model for cyberfunded creativity. [info]shadesong does Wind Tunnel Dreams which are usually stories told in 7 installments. [info]haikujaguar has done "The Aphorisms of Kherishdar," a set of 25 short stories about the same character, now available as a chapbook; her current project is "The Admonishments of Kherishdar," another linked set about a different character. Drop by [info]cyberfund_creat for more ideas.
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From:[info]e_cunningham
Date:May 10th, 2008 11:33 am (UTC)

Re: Yes!

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Thanks for the links. I'll check these out.
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From:[info]lilithdarkmoon
Date:May 13th, 2008 04:50 am (UTC)
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:squee: Awesome! I'm speechless. :D
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From:[info]e_cunningham
Date:May 13th, 2008 03:03 pm (UTC)
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Hi, Lilith. I hope you'll be happy with the story.

Great LJ name, btw. :)
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From:[info]lilithdarkmoon
Date:May 13th, 2008 04:47 pm (UTC)
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Thanks! I'm looking forward to your story collection concerning my particular moniker.
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From:[info]e_cunningham
Date:May 13th, 2008 05:44 pm (UTC)
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So am I.

I love Popcorn Press, but it's basically a hobby for two guys--two industry pros, mind you, but a hobby nonetheless. They have day jobs, families, other things going on. Projects get done when they get done. LILITH UNBOUND got put on the back burner for several months, but I'm assured that the editor is now proofing and typesetting the ms. I hope to have more specific info to share very good.
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From:[info]dukewhite
Date:May 13th, 2008 04:52 am (UTC)
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Wow wow wow. (You're about to get flooded with Paizo messageboard peeps as the news is out!). So is this part of the Pathfinder's Journal series in the magazines, or ... books?!?!
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From:[info]e_cunningham
Date:May 13th, 2008 01:40 pm (UTC)
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It will be a serial, so it will be coming out in the monthly Patherfinder releases.
From:(Anonymous)
Date:May 13th, 2008 02:18 pm (UTC)

Pathfinder episodes

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Looking forward to seeing you come to Paizo & Golarion, Elaine. I hope the Paizo staff can persuade you to extend your stay past these episodes.
Charles Evans.
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From:[info]e_cunningham
Date:May 13th, 2008 03:02 pm (UTC)

Re: Pathfinder episodes

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Thanks! I'm inclined to flip that coin over: it's the episodes that need to do the persuading. :)

Yesterday I learned that Monte Cook will be a consultant for the Pathfinder RPG. Monte. Cook. Quite possibly the best game designer who ever put on a tee shirt and rolled some dice. This augers well.


From:(Anonymous)
Date:May 13th, 2008 05:18 pm (UTC)

Re: Pathfinder episodes

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WoW. Every time I think it cannot get better Paizo does something even more awesome. When they asked us about whom we would like to read Pathfinder fiction from I'd never thought that this would be possible. Arguably the best writer of Realms Fiction takes her time to enrich the world of Golarion.

So Welcome to the Paizo Community and I (and as I think quite some others too) cannot wait to see the results.

Wormys_Queue
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From:[info]e_cunningham
Date:May 13th, 2008 05:40 pm (UTC)

Re: Pathfinder episodes

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Thanks, WQ!
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From:[info]sirurza
Date:May 13th, 2008 05:32 pm (UTC)

I'm so happy...

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I could cry. *sniffles*

First, Monte. Then I find out about Ed and Bob contributing to the Campaign Setting.

Now you're on board doing some work for what sounds like the monthly adventure path books. It really is a haven for Realms refugees!
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From:[info]e_cunningham
Date:May 13th, 2008 05:40 pm (UTC)

Re: I'm so happy...

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I hadn't heard about Ed and Bob. Tell me more. :)
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From:[info]sirurza
Date:May 13th, 2008 05:52 pm (UTC)

Re: I'm so happy...

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Ed is apparently writing his usually fluff goodness for the hardcover campaign setting (like he does for the Realms supplements) and Bob is writing the foreword.

http://paizo.com/pathfinder/pathfinderChronicles/v5748btpy80ic

That would be the book right there.

If you know Keith Baker (from Eberron) he's contributing to the book too. Mike McArtor (editor) has apparently been roping in a lot of 3/3.5 designers too.

Paizo is a very good place to be right now IMHO.
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From:[info]e_cunningham
Date:May 13th, 2008 06:39 pm (UTC)

Re: I'm so happy...

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Thanks for the info.

I don't know Keith Baker personally, but certainly I know of him.
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