[IAmMrJam]

Hello, i've just joined the forum and i plan on using/reading it frequently :)

I've recently came up with the idea of writing an episodic zombie story, with each episode consisting of around 50 pages which i will sell on Amazon for around £/$1 as a kindle.
However, i have a few questions regarding the idea of it being episodic.
Firstly, is there any other zombie series of his nature?
Secondly, do you consider this to be a good idea?
Thirdly, is there anything i should be aware of before i start this project?
I am aware of other zombie series that are set out as a diary, but i don't plan on doing this with mine.

I'm just a seventeen year old who hasn't got a great grasp of the English language or punctuality, but I genuinely enjoy writing and would be doing this in my free time for personal enjoyment, i may even consider putting it out there for free. If just one person was to download and enjoy my writing then that would delight me to no end.

If i was to go ahead and do this, would anyone be interested in reading it?

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

[Faran Brigo]

There's a few. The "Monster" series (Monster Island, Monster Nation, Monster Planet) by David Wellington was originally published as a serial on a blog before going to print, you can start by trying to get a copy of it (There might be one still online), I'd suggest you look it up to see how the writting and pacing adapt to the format.

I honestly think if this is the first thing you're writting, and you don't have a good grasp of punctuation (I assume you meant punctuation and not releasing content according to a schedule), content to sell is perhaps too ambitious. It might be a better idea to polish your writting first by writting short stories, maybe make a first short "book" for free and see the reception and use the opportunity to improve your writting. If you actually did mean punctuality, forget about it. One of the most important parts of producing episodic content is to stick to a consistent update schedule, or your readers/viewers will lose interest and switch to something else. Episodic content also requires careful pacing, for similar reasons.

Finally, there's really not much of a way to give at least a guess as to wether or not it's a good idea for you to do it without at least some samples of your writting, like a couple of short stories.

[ZombieHugger]

I read a lot of independently published stuff (especially zombie books) on Kindle, and I would suggest a couple of things- First, since you don't think you have a great grasp on the English language or punctuation (by the way, your post here is more coherent than some posts by people who have been speaking the language all their lives, so you're not doing too bad, hehe) get an editor. Edit, edit, edit. Don't publish it until you think it is the best it can be. Most of the time, readers are thrown off by obvious mistakes. A typo here or there isn't a big deal (like misusing 'compliment' instead of 'complement'- two different words entirely, but few readers will notice), but big mistakes (like using 'your' instead of 'you're' or switching up there, their, and they're) will lose you readers because it takes people out of the story. Most of the negative reviews I see for indie authors on Amazon have to do with the lack of editing and numerous mistakes instead of a poor story. If you can't afford an editor, I know there are a lot of other authors out there who get friends to do it for them, barter for services with an editor, or do edit swaps with other authors. Check out kdp.amazon.com and go to the community section. There's a ton of authors there who are willing to offer advice and help.

Second, don't give it away for free. You work hard on it, and there's a huge market for zombie fiction (I'll buy it) out there. I've read so many zombie novels and short stories on Amazon, and there's a lot of them that are absolutely terrible and a lot of others that are incredibly terrific. What I notice a lot of authors do is sell it as individual stories (like the 50 page incriments you mentioned) and then when the entire series is complete they'll bundle it all up and sell it as a novel. A lot of them will charge $0.99 for a short story (which is a very reasonable price) and then bundle it as a novel and sell it between $2.99 and $5.99. If it's good, fans will be willing to pay for it, so don't sell yourself short. If you love writing, why not make a little money off of it? I know it might sound a little materialistic, but a very wise person once said "if you're good at something, never do it for free." Besides, a lot of authors who try to make their living off of indie publishing will tell you how much giving away free work hurts everyone in the long run.

Firstly, is there any other zombie series of his nature? I've seen a couple other episodic zombie stories, but they're all unique and yours will be too. I have not seen anything quite like what you're describing; the others I've seen are usually two or three full novels, not a series of short stories. I did read one series where it was a full novel followed by two short stories. There is a lot of "journal" or "blog" style zombie fiction popping up, but you said yours isn't going to be like that, so you're fine.

Secondly, do you consider this to be a good idea? Is it something YOU want to do, something that would make you happy? Then YES! Do it! How many people can say they have written and published their own work? Besides, I (any many other readers/zombie-lovers out there) can't get enough zombie fiction. Even some of the worst zombie fiction on Amazon still sells regularly.

Thirdly, is there anything i should be aware of before i start this project? Don't forget to edit, have some trusted beta readers give you feedback on your story, and find someone who can make a professional looking cover (if you can't do it yourself). Do research and make sure you get little facts right. (For example, have you heard of "Fifty Shades of Grey"? In it, the author describes a character driving IN to Seattle, but the directions that are described in the book are actually for getting OUT of Seattle, and a lot of readers were bothered by it.) Take notes on your characters and locations and have them handy when you write (you don't want to describe a character as having blonde hair and then accidentally say she has brown hair a few short stories later).

Enjoy the writing process, and I can't wait to read your stories!! :)