The Enid Blyton Society

Its always good to have discussions - I wouldn't say it was an argument at all - we are all just different people, with different ideas.

One thing this has reminded me of, though, is when we were at school, and on a Friday afternoon before 'home time' the teacher would read us a chapter of a book as a way to end the week. We listened to many books like this, at often just one chapter, or if we were lucky, two chapters a week. Stig of the Dump was one book we heard in this way, so I guess I was conditioned from an early age to not always read a book all in one go!

I also tend to read a book over about three or four weeks anyway, as I only read one or two chapters a day - mostly in bed - so I'm used to not reading great chunks of a book in one go. I've only ever read one EB novel in a single sitting, and that was 'More Adventures of Willow Farm' when I was bout 10.

I think, getting back to the weekly serial, it would just be useful, as I said before, to have some way of finding out how many visits the serial chapters get, just out of interest. Its a shame this information isn't available to us.

John Pickup wrote:Whether we read them weekly or on completion, the important thing is that we read them. Many thanks to Julie, Rob and Daisy for writing them for us all to enjoy.

Moonraker wrote:

Rob Houghton wrote:I do know there are lots on here who never go anywhere near the stories, but I guess that's their choice.

And the majority of the members never go near the forums.

I mentioned this to Keith and he had this to say:

I can tell you that I don't have a system in place to see how many people are looking at the serials. Rawlins Reach has had 117 hits this month, but hits don't mean much. I'd say actual visits are pretty darn low.

Overall, the site gets 21-25K visits a month, or 700-780 a day.

That rather confirms my impression, sadly. I'm not sure what the difference between hits and visits is, but it is a great shame that more people don't read these stories. I would think that we need to view these serials as storytelling between a group of friends. Is it worth an ad in the Journal to help boost readership? It seems a lost opportunity if the non-forum members of the Society had no idea that these great stories were available to read.

Thanks Nigel. Yes - Tony has said similar things about the number of 'visits' etc - which is very low. Not really worth the time and effort. I enjoy writing stories though, so its likely I'll continue, just as the other serial writers do - but as its unlikely these stories would ever be published, and hardly anyone bother to read them on the website, it does seem rather a fruitless task!

I actually think that if the weekly serial was discontinued, no one would even notice! I also think that many members probably just view it as a weekly ego trip for the writers, and so its maybe taken on a bad connotation these days. It's plain to see, just from comments, that many more people used to read them in the past, so I presume people are becoming tired of them.

I'm very grateful to those who do read them though, either weekly or as full novels, and have given me such great feedback. Thank you to those members.

Rob Houghton wrote:I actually think that if the weekly serial was discontinued, no one would even notice!

The serials were the major reason why I became a member of EBS.
Yes, I agree with Rob, the Journal really should make their readers aware of what they are missing.

Chrissie777 wrote: Yes, I agree with Rob, the Journal really should make their readers aware of what they are missing.

That was Nigel.

Let's not forget that visitors to this site can't read these serials, so I would guess that only a small handful of members actually read them. Some of the Society Members who get the Journal don't even visit these forums, or the site itself, so they won't be aware of these serials either maybe?

Yes, you're right. When you think that there aren't really that many members anyway, and then a lot of them don't come on the website, and many people that do aren't members, that only leaves a handful of people.

I read them although I prefer to read them when all the story is available. I must admit I haven't yet started Daisy's Secret Seven one but I've got that to look forward to as well as Rob's latest which he has kindly sent me.
It is a shame that more people don't read them but would it be possible to devote a full page in each journal to the latest serial, incorporating the banner and a blurb to wet the appetite? Then the members who don't usually visit the website may be encouraged to do so.

First of all, I really like the serials, but I don't always have the time or idea what I could write, and writing 30 times: "Good chapter, lookking forward to the next" ist not that interessting I would say. I do like them and I look forward to the next chapter!

Actually for me, being able to read the serials is actually why I became a member. While I like the journal, I don't know if I would stay a member for long without the serials. I have admmiration for all writers, and I always look forward to read your storys! I even read the Secret Series one, while I didn't like the originals that much and that they are not my favourits. Please don't give up on writing!

Thank you Dinah! That's great feedback - and I understand its sometimes difficult to write anything more than 'good chapter' each week, which would become Representative, as you say.

I'm happy you read the serials and I, for one, will certainly keep writing them - if I can. Unlike most writers, I never know if I will ever write another story, because my inspiration and plot ideas just come down to me from some unknown place, and are nothing to do with me whatsoever! Sounds odd, maybe - but I'm always wondering if I will ever have another book in me or not - I just have to wait and see. I guess that's why I'm not a professional writer.

Great episode this week. It's good to see the old locked door trick again, this serial has a real Blyton flavour. Keep writing 'em Rob.

Thank you, Kate Mary! Much appreciated! That locked door trick certainly comes in handy!!

But hardly original.

[only kidding, Rob!]

nobody said it was! I just decided to reuse it!