Ishta’s Companion: Progress Report Ten

Okay, I’m back from vacation and once again have full computer access, rather than a slow and balky wi-fi connection on an ancient laptop. I did get Chapter Ten written and posted; it went up a few hours late because it wasn’t fully paid for until Wednesday morning, but it went up.

I wrote slightly less than half of Chapter Eleven while on vacation, mostly on the train on the way home, and you may be concerned that it’s less than half, but then, it’s slightly less than half paid for, as of a few minutes ago. I still have a couple of days to get it done.

This serial does not seem to have evoked the same enthusiasm as the earlier ones; I’m not sure whether it’s because the novelty has worn off, or because this story isn’t grabbing readers, or because I’ve somehow failed to reach readers to let them know it’s going on, or some combination of the above, but it’s not taking off. I’m therefore coming to the conclusion that it may be time to give this system up, and switch to one of the more direct crowdfunding methods, such as Kickstarter.

Or maybe give Ethshar a rest for awhile. To be honest, while I have several more Ethshar novels plotted out, none of them feel like anything I must write. There’s plenty of other stuff I want to work on.

I expect that I’ll come back to Ethshar eventually, though. And of course, I do intend to finish this one.

9 thoughts on “Ishta’s Companion: Progress Report Ten

  1. I think partly because the story is slow paced. Not until Chapter 10 was there any sort of conflict. Not much has really happened, just walking back and forth, mostly to the forest.

    Now, in a huge novel, a slow opening is a good thing. But if this is only supposed to be 20 chapters, that’s half the book.

    And usually in Ethshar novels situations start pretty early on. Like Valder is running for his life. Or Sterren gets dragged out of a tavern

  2. I somehow missed the announcement. Was just idly checking in and realized it had started. Dropped my donation off, suggested an alternative title (and just realizes a better one would be something like Ishta and the Demonblooded) and guess I need to mention this to others.

  3. I like the story so far and I do find it gripping. But I do find it hard to find that you have been posting serials here on your web page. If I didn’t know your books already and bothered to visit your site on a lark I’d be clueless.

    As to Kickstarter, you certainly proved your self successful there already.

  4. What JeremyR said in the first comment. I tried to say something similar in the comments to chapter 9, but it either got lost in the ether or failed moderation.

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