Sometimes people leave you, halfway through the woods...: seanan

Sometimes people leave you, halfway through the woods...

...do not let it grieve you. No one leaves for good. You are not alone. No one is alone.

Well, here we are: the first season of Indexing is over and done, and the book has been closed on Henrietta Marchen and her friends, at least for a time. I can't tell you yet whether there will be a second season: that decision is in the hands of greater minds than mine. I can tell you that the best way to help that second season happen is to either buy the now-complete Kindle serial (available internationally), or to pick up the print book when it comes out in December (I know that I'm looking forward to having a copy on my shelf, where I can brag about it).

A lot of people have asked me about my experience with 47North and the Amazon Kindle Serials Program, and why I chose to do it. Now that the season has ended, I thought this would be a good time to talk about those questions.

First, and easiest, is "why did you do it?" I mean, in some ways, doing a Kindle Serial goes against a lot of what I've said about the digital divide, and my unending desire to have print editions available for everything, always. I never want anyone to be left in the position of "cannot possibly get a book." At the same time, the print edition was always a part of the plan, built into my contract; it was just going to come after the ebook editions. While that certainly isn't ideal, it was about the only way something like this could happen, since a week-by-week physical serial would have been way too cost-prohibitive for any book publisher to commit to. As for why I went with the Kindle program, well...they asked me. They also offered to pay me. I am very, very fond of getting paid, as it allows me to feed my cats and keep my lights on and all those other silly things. So when someone contacts my agent and says "we want to pay you to do something cool," my attention is assured.

But the main reason I agreed was because I hadn't done anything like this before. I was a universe author for The Edge of Propinquity in 2010 (when the original Rose Marshall stories were written), but that was very different than having a tight "once every two weeks" schedule, and this was a much bigger challenge. I like challenges. I like finding out whether I can meet them. In this case, I definitely did.

In terms of "what was good about this project," well, there was a lot. I got to write a serial novel in a setting I never thought I would get to expand upon (the ATI Management Bureau began in a short story I wrote years ago); I got to see a lot of people try my work because of the low price point and the easy entry point; I got to have fun with fairy tales. Fun with fairy tales is a huge draw for me.

In terms of "what was bad," there were a few things. The nature of the project meant that I didn't have time to write all twelve segments before things started going live, and that meant that if I wanted to change something after the fact, I really couldn't. I don't think any major contradictions or errors got past us and into the published chapters, but it made the whole experience a little more nerve-wracking than it otherwise might have been. The short, fixed schedule also meant that if there were any unexpected delays on either my part or the publisher's part, I could wind up with a much shorter turn-around period for copy edits and changes. Also not so easy on my nerves, given how tightly I tend to schedule myself. And of course, there was the fact that the Kindle Serial program is currently US-only, and my audience is international, which I know was frustrating for a lot of people. (Now that the serial part is over, the finished ebook is available wherever there is Amazon.)

On the whole, this was an overwhelmingly positive experience, and I would be open to doing a second season if the stars were right (and the holes in my schedule lined up, since again, I am very tightly booked). To any authors considering the program, I can definitely recommend it, as long as you work well under pressure and don't mind sometimes needing to turn things around with little to no notice. I hope to see you all again at the next once upon a time.

Now rest, my dear, and be at ease; there’s a fire in the hearth and a wind in the eaves, and the night is so dark, and the dark is so deep, and it’s time that all good little stars go to sleep.

sparrowpunk

October 24 2013, 21:45:30 UTC 3 years ago

New comment

I just got vocally excited about the ebook being available, and my boyfriend and his parents laughed at me :P See if I lend them the paper copy when it arrives next year...

Very excited about the book, and will pre-order paper book too in case that helps the chances of a second season :)

seanan_mcguire

September 22 2014, 08:21:12 UTC 2 years ago

Yay!

dragonsally

October 24 2013, 22:22:18 UTC 3 years ago

HOORAH

I now have my hands on Indexing. I hope there isn't anything that needs to be done in my world for a while, because I shall be glued to my precious Kindle.

September 22 2014, 08:21:24 UTC 2 years ago

Glee. :)

Deleted comment

September 22 2014, 08:21:33 UTC 2 years ago

I am so glad.

elialshadowpine

October 25 2013, 01:17:33 UTC 3 years ago

Whee, I've gone and bought it (or rather, had the partner-creature buy it, since it's more convenient to use their account as they do the DRM-breaking... sorry, it's the only way to really read it on a Nook, sadly... well, aside from rooting the Nook and installing the Amazon app, which I've done before, but as I paid for the extended warranty and now that Nook does Google Play and all my other apps work natively, I've not wanted to do that). I'm looking forward to sitting down and reading it. :D

evieeros

October 29 2013, 19:14:21 UTC 3 years ago

You can download the Kindle e-reader app from Google play onto the Nook and it will work just fine without rooting it! :)

3 years ago

2 years ago

bekitty

October 25 2013, 01:33:38 UTC 3 years ago

I've just ordered a copy of the print edition through Amazon, and also just got news today that my copy of Parasite is on its way to me from the Book Depository! \o/

September 22 2014, 08:22:04 UTC 2 years ago

vincentursus

October 25 2013, 01:44:57 UTC 3 years ago

As part of the international audience I've been looking forwards to its conclusion for a while.

September 22 2014, 08:22:11 UTC 2 years ago

WOOT.

georgiamagnolia

October 25 2013, 05:10:54 UTC 3 years ago

I loved Indexing!!! I did in fact get a Kindle for PC download just to get Last Stand/Cali Browncoats and have been pretty happy with the Kindle since it allowed me to have Chimes (and now Indexing as well) earlier than I could get my hands on the print editions. I love the idea of the sentience of the stories and the dream woods and so many things about this whole thing were fantastic and so wonderfully done, thank you for another great ride. I hope that the stars align again and a) and b) will be possible and plentiful. Brightest Blessings!

September 22 2014, 08:22:22 UTC 2 years ago

Awesome. :)

markbernstein

October 25 2013, 14:26:11 UTC 3 years ago

Finished it last night, and liked it. :)

I can't really comment on the serial aspect, because I didn't buy until a few weeks ago, so the only chapter I had to wait for was the last one.

September 22 2014, 08:22:31 UTC 2 years ago

I'm so glad.

bigherman

October 25 2013, 15:13:29 UTC 3 years ago

My issue with using the Kindle/Amazon platform is that I don't do well with physical copies (font size, hand RSI issues) and I don't own a Kindle device--I own a Nook. I am effectively locked out of this series because I don't have the correct e-reader.

elentiriel

October 28 2013, 23:06:28 UTC 3 years ago

You can read Kindle books on your computer or your smartphone, if you have one. I have a Nook as well, so I ended up reading Indexing on my smartphone instead, one chapter at a time.

(Not condoning this, but someone else mentioned a hack somewhere to convert to a Nook-readable file.)

ladymurmur

October 25 2013, 21:11:51 UTC 3 years ago

I got to write a serial novel in a setting I never thought I would get to expand upon (the ATI Management Bureau began in a short story I wrote years ago)

I loved that short story so much that there may or may not have been a birthday-candles-don't-you-dare-have-put-the-joke-never-blowing-out-candles-on-this-cake! wish spent hoping for more of the Indexing universe. (You're not supposed to tell, after all.) If I had spent such a wish thusly, I would say that the fulfillment thereof so exceeded my wildest expectations. :-)

September 22 2014, 08:23:21 UTC 2 years ago

Heee.

mysterysquid

October 28 2013, 09:05:26 UTC 3 years ago

Firstly, congratulations on the successful experiment!

It's great you're willing to try new things.

Secondly, great to see it's getting a print release. It sounds awesome. :D

September 22 2014, 08:23:30 UTC 2 years ago

September 22 2014, 08:23:40 UTC 2 years ago

Awesome.

mackknopf

October 29 2013, 06:48:50 UTC 3 years ago

Dear Seanan,

I have just now finished reading your book _Parasite_, which became available to download tonight from the Kindle version I pre-bought months ago. While I'm sure that a Parasite-themed post is likely to come about sometime soon, I could not wait to relay my visceral reaction: Oh, my god. Body horror! Neck pain as I sat there in my comfy chair, squirming but mesmerized. Tapeworms! Enough frighteningly plausible technobabble to make Michael Chrichton impressed, if he was still alive and writing.

Tapeworms... Argh.

I have no idea how I will get up and go to JeffCo criminal court in the morning for my case. Somehow, I will make it. Thank you for taking away my existential fears for a late evening and early morning of sheer terror and creeping disquietude. That was wonderful. I look forward very much to the physical copies I've ordered for me and my friend Jen from the book signing at Borderlands.

Wait. It's not too late to call Borderlands this Tuesday and ask for new quotes! Awesome.

"The broken doors are waiting."

Oh yes.

Mack

September 22 2014, 08:23:55 UTC 2 years ago

Borderlands is amiable that way.

October 29 2013, 06:57:45 UTC 3 years ago

Also, "Indexing" was absolutely fabulous, and you did that thing that gymnists do when they make a perfect landing. You totally stuck the landing and landed without moving your feet. You hit exactly where the tale should end, with us wanting more. I shall preorder the paperback as soon as my next check comes in on something.

Actually, I could rave about Indexing, the winter woods, and what the sacrifice myth gave birth to, but it's late. I'll make sure to come back here later and point out what I found especially nifty, in hopes other people will share the same.

Finally, has no one done a favorite quotation thread for the series yet?? Apparently not, since that was lacking when I asked you, and I haven't seen one since. I'll try to remedy that and at least post my own favorite two or three...

Mack

September 22 2014, 08:24:12 UTC 2 years ago

No one has!

Shaunesay

October 30 2013, 01:58:12 UTC 3 years ago

I just finished reading Indexing and really enjoyed it! I do hope there is more to come, I think it was a great idea! Thank you!

September 22 2014, 08:24:23 UTC 2 years ago

I'm so pleased.

celticgeekess

October 31 2013, 03:36:48 UTC 3 years ago

I loved it! I really looked forward to each episode and I think the story itself did well in this format. I had only one other serial format experience and it was harder to follow the plot on that one (a mystery/espionage story) than on Indexing.
I think the difference was because you are one of my fave authors and seem to always make your characters memorable.
Plus, each episode seemed to have a cliffhanger ending, which kept the story fresh in my mind.

September 22 2014, 08:24:38 UTC 2 years ago

I am glad it worked for you.

boobook_owl

November 2 2013, 00:28:26 UTC 3 years ago

I loved following Indexing as a serial and I celebrated it being finished, and thus available for international readers, by buying a copy for my Australian friend who loves fairy tale fic.

September 22 2014, 08:24:46 UTC 2 years ago

alicetheowl

November 6 2013, 22:26:30 UTC 3 years ago

Sadly, I kept getting confused with the wait between episodes. Recapping would've made it really annoying to read once it was compiled as a whole book, though, so the solution is just for me to be less stupid.

I'm getting a lot of hits for the Indexing review on my blog, and I can't figure out where they're all coming from. I'd assumed you had linked it here somewhere. That must mean a lot of people want to know more about it.

September 22 2014, 08:25:02 UTC 2 years ago

Hooray!

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