Need help figuring out how to make readers want to read your episodes?
Well, this is a good place to start!
Tip No1: Add an eye-grabbing cover!
A reader’s first impression of your story is the way they view it while scrolling through the app.
When I am looking for new stories to read, I typically do not read the ones that don’t have a cover.
To me, it seems like the author was writing the story just to write it, or maybe to practice, which is totally fine by the way. It just seems amateur. And I can confidently say that some other readers feel the same way.
So, make sure you add a cover. It just makes your story look overall more professional. I mean, people say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover” but there are plenty of readers out there who do. So make your cover shine!
Tip No2: Make the description mysterious!
When a reader clicks on your story, they usually read the description to see what it’s about. If your description is something like:
“Sally goes to the mall and monsters invade it.” Chances are plenty of readers will just shrug their shoulders and keep scrolling, looking for something more interesting. On the other hand, if you were to write something like,
“A normal trip to the mall turns not-so-normal for Sally Greene. When strange beings attack everything in sight, will she make it out alive?” I’m sure that many more readers would be like, “hm. that sounds cool.” and give the story a try. And another thing; if your description doesn’t have proper grammar or things are spelled incorrectly, many readers may think that this is how you always write, and they might not want to read it. SO use proper grammar, and make it interesting!
Tip No3: Don’t just add a ton of information into your first episode!
Sure, give some things like the MC’s personality or their family life, but don’t just keep giving information constantly. For example, a reader does not have to know the first episode that a reader has a boyfriend that is a dirtbag. Yes, it is okay to reveal that; but try to give things to the readers gradually. Maybe have the MC’s bestie refer to the situation, and then go more into detail the next episode. After all, this is the first episode a person will read. Make it fun to read! Add some comedy in there, even if it’s a horror. If this is not possible, do a REALLY funny conclusion with the author, to make the reader laugh. I for one, know that if I find myself laughing at something in a story, I tend to want to go on to the next episode!
Bonus tip: If you want readers to keep reading, leave them on a cliffhanger at the end of your episodes!
What does everyone else in forums look for in a story? Please share things that make you want to and not want to read someone’s story!
Ciao!