Writing a Choose-your-ending novel?

[FatCat]

Hey all,

I've been thinking about my WIP and how I want it to end, pretty much a cliffhanger as to whether the MC is executed or if he lives. This got me thinking of splitting the intended book into three parts; The Trial, The Damnation, and The Redemption. Since I've only been working on the outline and story construction as I *slowly * write , I think I can spin another two novellas that coincide with the reader's judgment of the main novel. I know all ideas can work, depending on how it's done, but what are your thoughts?

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

I'm not clear on what you mean here....

 

[FatCat]

Writing a novel with a cliffhanger, then releasing two novellas later on, each following a different outcome. The MC is a prisoner awaiting a form of bail, but the story ends with him wondering if his brother will get to the prison in time, before execution.

It should be noted that the execution would not go through, but that would be a pretty good troll moment.

 

[Zero Angel]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh.

I definitely thought you were going to do it more like "choose-your-own-adventure" where they follow hyperlinks in-text to get to the ending. Modern-day analogue, BTW, are visual novels which I am in the process of learning a programming code and developing a few.

With ebooks though, it becomes ridiculously simple to do it "old school" like "choose-your-own-adventure" but with hyperlinks instead of "go to such-and-such page".

In regards to your idea, sounds cool, but I would price the first one as free to lead into the other two.

 

[FatCat]

I don't know if I could handle doing too many branches of a story . But I know it's not a common practice to have two 'sequels' like this. I think it would fit because of the nature of the novel, which is basically the MC's 'journal' of sorts as he awaits judgment in a murder trial. I'm thinking it wouldn't be like a 'choose A' or 'choose b', the novel would be stand alone, the sequels being almost a form of reader judgment. So in that light, I would be pricing the novel maybe at like 3.99 and the sequels .99. Or, at this rate, account for inflation .

 

[Zero Angel]

I don't know if I could handle doing too many branches of a story . But I know it's not a common practice to have two 'sequels' like this. I think it would fit because of the nature of the novel, which is basically the MC's 'journal' of sorts as he awaits judgment in a murder trial. I'm thinking it wouldn't be like a 'choose A' or 'choose b', the novel would be stand alone, the sequels being almost a form of reader judgment. So in that light, I would be pricing the novel maybe at like 3.99 and the sequels .99. Or, at this rate, account for inflation .

I see, that could work. Although, you might be better off just including both endings in the novel and have them jump to those parts at the split and pricing it at $4.99

 

[FatCat]

Well I want each sequel to be at least a novella in length, so adding both would jump the word count and present the reader with an immediate option, wherein the two sequels will be written later and then published at the same time...well that's the plan at least haha.

 

[Butterfly]

You could include both threads in the second novel... How you'd lead into ech might be an issue though, perhaps a short prologue to each to resolve which scenario they are following.

 

[FatCat]

You could include both threads in the second novel... How you'd lead into ech might be an issue though, perhaps a short prologue to each to resolve which scenario they are following.

The idea of having two separate novellas is just too appealing though!

 

[Zero Angel]

The idea of having two separate novellas is just too appealing though!

Appealing in what sense? Having the extra work published? The chance that people will buy both?

I'd say bundle them and add a dollar. Or tell people if they buy one that you will give them the other one free with proof of receipt.

What's the new avatar?

 

[FatCat]

Just having the choice of either novella, I think it'd be unique and more...I don't know, distinctive than combining them.

And Cheshire Cat, same with the sig.

Edit: I like the bogo deal, good idea, thanks!

 

[Zero Angel]

Just having the choice of either novella, I think it'd be unique and more...I don't know, distinctive than combining them.

And Cheshire Cat, same with the sig.

Edit: I like the bogo deal, good idea, thanks!

I have no objections if you do the bogo deal. If you don't, I feel it might cause some backlash and evaporate fan goodwill.

I thought it might be Chesire, but don't recognize the version?

 

[FatCat]

Yeah, that's the only route to go, I'm focusing more on the idea than the application of the idea, like usual .

And here's the original photo, which is pretty awesome.

 

[Earthright]

Back before I knew they even made books that had alternate endings that you could choose, my friend and I used to make comic books that would do that. We'd create different choices throughout the book and you would read the even or odd pages from then on. We eventually made one that had different color pages from all the choices you could make and they all eventually led to 3 different endings.

I would personally enjoy a choose your own ending kind of book.