So, I have questions since I am starting to make my first story. If you could answer at least just one that would mean so much to me!!
1)How do I get my story to get more reads when I publish it?: I’d like to get some recognition and help push my story out there but don’t know-how.
2)How do I make my story less cliche?: I don’t want it to be the same old episode story everyone has read a million times but, I have no other ideas other than the regular ones everyone always does for each chapter.
3)Cover art?: So, I made a cover art but I don’t know how to completely feel about it. I see those amazing art covers and I was wondering how they make them. Though, it’s obvious they draw them or commission people to draw them for them. Sadly, I have no money or artistic abilities so does anyone have any advice?
In order to get a lot of reads as a new author, you need to promote like crazy. Do as many read-for-reads as possible. If you can, try doing a lot in one day so you can get up on trending!
My personal advice is to add gem choices even if you don’t like them. They will help your story A LOT. Make sure they are good quality gem choices though. Don’t make a gem choice about talking to the LI or flirting with him in the very first episode if we know nothing about him. Add CC. Have clean directing. Joseph Evans has amazing videos on Youtube breaking down the basics. You don’t need insane directing, but clean directing will keep readers around.
I can’t stress how important these R4Rs are, though. Keep promoting especially on Instagram, and try even doing gem for gems. I can’t stress how important it is to do it all as quick as you can so you can get close to trending and having your story reviewed by Episode. Once you can appear in trending, try to stay up. Keep doing these r4rs until you’re happy or have built a decent readership
Make your story less cliche by thinking back to stories you’ve read both in and out of Episode. Ask yourself… what do you see too much of? Think about it and avoid it. Word of advice, though, readers love cliches. That’s why almost all of the stories in the top are similar. Cliches don’t equal bad. However, if you want to avoid them, think back to what I said. We’ve got enough broken bad boys, mean blondies, toxic mafiosos, and evil siblings.
Art is expensive! However, it is worth it. Good covers = more readers. However, if you cannot afford it, make a REALLY good edit. I use Canva, Kapwing, and iBIS Paint. You could also find a good editor that will make you a cover for free.
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1) There are threads here to promote your story along with doing r4r, posting on Instagram & asking reviewers like on Instagram to read your story then posting what they thought on their Instagram. This will catch peoples’ attention and hopefully get views. You could get your friends to read it to up your views.
2) I see what you mean but by using your imagination and the help of other peoples input then you should be alright. It’s ok to ask people their ideas and things (I have done that in the past).
3) There are a lot of story’s that have cover art but not every. There are some awesome free artists here put you can’t always get requests since there busy. I have seen gorgeous edited covers that aren’t just boring, with custom poses and added lighting, they can look really attractive. For example, @mimiepi’s edited covers are beautiful and they do custom hair, making the characters look really nice.
Thank you!! So, I do have a mean blonde in my story LOL. What do you think I can do to change it so it’s not the same thing but still where I have a character who’s mean?
A tip for read for reads tho: Don’t just ghost people lol. If you ask them to read your story and they ask you to read theirs, then actually read theirs. If you do a lot of read for reads and don’t do the other side people will get annoyed and start to not like you. So only do a lot if you’re really willing to read and do the work!
Also, I think what helps is doing gem choices at the end of each chapter, and also making sure you have appropriate cliffhangers and suspense to keep people reading/on the edge of their seats.
I’d worry about that after you code your chapters, but FYI what a lot of authors do is have like “support the author” gem choices at the end of each chapter, and some authors like give bonus scenes and such when people choose the gem choices. OR if you want to set up like a points system, you can get more points with gems. Those are the type of gem choices I prefer as a reader. They help you get more people because I think the algorithm just favors gem choices and such and it can help you get trending more/noticed.
Everyone has given great advice! And I’d like to help out too. Hope these help xx
Like everyone has said, you’re gonna have to promote your story a lot. There are many threads here where you can do r4r’s etc. In Instagram as well. But there’s no point of promoting your story if it doesn’t have quality directing or a good story plot. (A story review will be very helpful with this.) You need to grab the attention of your readers in order to have more reads. There are alot of YouTube videos on directing that can be very helpful. (I recommend Joseph Evans and Dara Amarie’s guides).
Honestly, I’d say its hard to get a new idea when basically every idea is taken by others but that doesn’t mean you can’t come up with a good plot. If you have read episode stories, think about the the things you need to avoid when writing your story. Add a lot of diversity to your story as well. People with different religions, personalities, different skin colours etc. Also add plot twists to make your readers hooked up with the story. You can get help from the authors as well.
The cover is a major part of the story! I’d say do not rush in to it really quick. Take your time. First plan out your story write a couple of scenes and then decide the cover. You can many artists who does covers for free and commissioned artists as well.
for new writers episode suck, its very hard to get atenttion to your story, you need to do r4r, g4g share your story, its you who gotta work for the reads.
dont be clichi. be original. if you cant be original you cant write stories, because you are just plagarising other people.
a story need to be yours, your ideas, it dosent hurt to have some clichi elements in it, but if you heavly rely on clichi and others ideas, then you arent writhing a good story.
Now I cant give good advice on this, because I dont find makeing an original idea hard, I always been an imganary person, original plots come easy to me. so only being able to do clichi copies, or not have ideas. is a thing I dont understand,
they buy them, from expensive artist, I seen prices from 30 dollers to 200 dollers. can be cheaper but those are also less good, you get what you pay for
1)How do I get my story to get more reads when I publish it?: I’d like to get some recognition and help push my story out there but don’t know-how.
Have an episode instagram account, promote your story there.
2)How do I make my story less cliche?: I don’t want it to be the same old episode story everyone has read a million times but, I have no other ideas other than the regular ones everyone always does for each chapter.
i really couldn’t tell you unless i knew the genre not another mafia bad boy story though.
3)Cover art?: So, I made a cover art but I don’t know how to completely feel about it. I see those amazing art covers and I was wondering how they make them. Though, it’s obvious they draw them or commission people to draw them for them. Sadly, I have no money or artistic abilities so does anyone have any advice?
enter giveaways. @mimiepi does amazing free edits. have a look on the forums, there are multiple art stores.
