Serial Reading Versus Subscription Reading
First, allow me to define the two concepts.
Serial Reading Sites and Apps are designed to offer the reader bite-sized episodes of a story. One chapter at a time in a similar fashion that sitcoms or television soap operas are how many busy people wish to read. It also allows time between episodes to reflect on what was read, talk to others and discuss the work. Many sites and apps allow for comments or even chats.
There are several payment models. Many offer a few chapters free to allow readers to decide if they want more. Then the reader unlocks one chapter at a time with tokens or coins or even actual money, or the reader pays to read the rest of the story even if the author hasn't finished the tale. In either event, readers can follow or subscribe to receive notices of future chapters or new uploads and in some cases see how many other chapters are planned. There are some apps in which the author uploads all the chapters of a book and can automate the release of new chapters at preset times. Radish, Fictionate.me, and Kindle Vella all operate along these lines.
Radish has an interactive game feel with the ability to win more tokens/coins to be able to unlock episodes, whereas Fictionate.me offers the option of listening to most of the chapters through AI Audio. Kindle Vella is conveniently available to many readers via the Kindle e-reader.
These come with a bit of risk both to authors and readers. For readers, the author may stop publishing before the tale ends leaving readers wondering what happened to the end of the story and the author. For authors, readers may stop reading before the story ends for whatever reason thereby significantly reducing the royalty return on a book.
Subscription Sites and Apps are designed to allow readers to consume as much content as they desire each month for one low price. It's usually less than the cost of purchasing 3 ebooks at $4.99 per month. So if reading more than three fiction tales a month appeals, and you don't mind not owning the story, it's likely the least expensive way to be entertained by a few good books outside of borrowing books from a library.
Scrib'd, Kobo, and Kindle Unlimited are all subscription sites. The reader pays the monthly fee and basically can read as much content as he or she wishes. The author is paid when the reader turns the pages and reads their book, but it's also the lowest-paying royalty rate at less than half a penny a page, generally speaking. So it does push many of the more famous authors away from those platforms.
Kindle Unlimited has an exclusivity clause, so if you are looking for a book you find at your local bookstore on the shelf, it's even less likely to be found in KU. Books that you find in Kindle Unlimited aren't available in Scrib'd, Kobo, or other subscription services forcing readers to remain loyal to one platform even if they might prefer another.
(Full disclosure: I'm biased as a Wide-distributing author. My view on exclusive sites is skewed by that. I'm also an Amazon Associate and a Google Associate and receive referral fees for purchases made using links to those sites provided by me at no cost to the customer.)
Ophelia Kee's Take Away? I can see the appeal of both of these ways to read. If either suits your lifestyle, by all means. I know this isn't an exhaustive list of these sites and apps, nor is it an in-depth coverage of the differences between the two concepts in reading. Rather it's a general overview of how each function from both the reader's and the writer's perspectives.
Personally, I like Fictionate.me for serial reading. Even though I find Radish to be more interactive, it tends to be only romance genres and I like to read a lot of different fiction even if I do write mainly steamy paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Fictionate.me is more streamlined and offers the option of AI Audio for the same price so I can listen to a chapter a day on the way to work in the mornings.
Also, I've never subscribed to a reading service as I lack the time to binge read as I would like, making it cost-prohibitive. Maybe if I ever retire. I wouldn't choose Kindle Unlimited. Not from the writer's perspective, but from the reader's perspective.
I honestly dislike the Kindle e-reading format in general. (I know I am in the minority here, but I promised to tell the truth so, the truth it shall be for better or worse.) I prefer to read on other platforms like surprisingly Payhip where I can get PDFs. It's probably my educator background, but I like scrolling down rather than awkward digital page-turning.
Awesome Award
I want to shout out to H.R. Parker for being awesome and writing about my book in her blog post,
Check Out These New Fictionate Titles for the New Year. Out of the blue, she reached out to me on Instagram and asked if she could include my book. Y'all have no idea how awesome that was. It took me a while to get back to her about it due to the day job. Still, I'm so happy that she offered and am thrilled to let you check out what she wrote. I love to be bothered about books, even if I'm a bit slow to be able to respond. Please reach out to me if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions. I would love to talk books with you! If you are at the point where you wish I would stop typing so you can read, please take a moment to stop by Fictionate.me and check out the platform. There are a lot of great stories there.
Shameless Self Promotion
Arctic Fox is now FREE! If you haven't met Fox and Artie, allow me to introduce you to the immortal fox couple. He's a Druid king and she was a peasant girl and she was everything. Even as he watched her death, Fox couldn't let Artie go. It only got worse when a vampire showed up before he could find a way to tell Artie the truth about how he saved her. Enjoy the history and Welcome to the dream...
I think this has gotten long enough. I am going to run off and get some story edits done before I must return to the day job. When you read, please be kind and leave reviews. Sincerely, Thank you, from an independent author.
Be Careful!
Happy Reading,
Ophelia Kee
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