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Serial Beats for Long Stories
My book Become an Unstoppable Storyteller: How to Craft Compelling Serials was based on the work I did creating this spreadsheet. It's free to copy and use for yourself, no need to buy the book! (But I'd love it if do buy the book!!!!)
3 Act beats Season,3 act set up,Chapters (beats),Episodes (installments),Short Arcs,Long Arc 1 Acts,Long Arc 1 Beats,Long Arc 2 Acts,Long A
Curious about writing a serial or web novel? Get resources to help you write better episodic stories that keep readers coming back.
Folks we have officially passed 20,000 words!
Icarus raised his hand to knock, and found himself jittery. How ridiculous it was, he knew, to be nervous, the man had given him the address, but... Steeling himself, he rapped solidly twice on the old ashwood door, wincing at the roughness. A cheerful “Come in” rang out, and he slid into the apartment.
His eyes devoured the interior. A small stove was in the corner, and there was a full-size mattress with a threadbare quilt over the top. The mattress was a straw tick, he noticed with a wince. Near the small, high up window was a desk with a oil lamp, and a typewriter, at which Agnes was typing away, swiveling back and forth on a screwing stool. Without turning around, Agnes spoke. “Let me guess. You got reminded of your recent kill and you got horny, and like a good boy you called me to help you take care of it?” He spun around on his stool, elfin eyes twinkling.
Well, it was official. Icarus was in love. “What kind of writing? I specialize in romance… but I could get into the realm of erotica or even mythology, if you chose.”
Aggy smirked. “Careful, Icarus,” He breathed.
Icarus leaned in. “Oh, believe me... if you were the sun, I’d gladly burn up.”
“Down, boy.”
“I’m not a pet.”
Agnes looked him up and down. Very seriously, he responded, “No, you aren’t. You’re a poor, leash-less guard dog waiting for a new master after the old one left you behind. You’re a house-cat scratching at the door, presenting a dead mouse for your owner’s approval. You’re a small, wailing child, just begging for someone, anyone to give you the love and attention you deserve.” He leaned in, grabbing Icarus’s chin and letting his thumb drift idly over Icarus’s bottom lip. “I may be younger than you, and smaller, but...” His eyes searched Icarus’s brown, now swallowed up in aroused black. “I assure you, I can teach this poor--” He shook Icarus’s head slightly. “--half-feral--” shake. “Mutt to heel.”
As Arthur picked up his hat, Aggy spoke up, back still to him. “You’re wrong by the way.”
Arthur paused, hand on the doorknob. “Wrong about what?”
“Wrong about him. Wrong about giving head. Has nothing to do with dominance. And he would, he just knew it’d change your opinion of him.”
“And just how would you know that?”
“You got him to top for you, right? So he had to be strong and masculine, and masculine men don’t give head, according to you. But from what I’ve heard from you, he’s not wanting to be dominant in the bedroom. And anyways that isn’t all as connected as you think it is. So yea, you’re wrong.” Aggy shrugged, the typewriter blues beginning again. Arthur, having nothing he could possibly say to that, left.
“Arthur, Arthur, look!” Arthur groaned awake. It was half 4 in the morning, the school was asleep, and the cheerful and all too loud voice currently pounding into his head was that of none other than his roommate and best friend, Icarus Hunter Shipman. Arthur was also rather grumpy because he had suffered a dog bite yesterday, and he wanted to rest. He was feeling rather hot and dizzy, and he just wanted to sleep. Thus it was that he grumbled back, “What on earth are you doing up, Icarus? Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping? And anyway, even if you don’t have an attachment to the embraces of repose, I sure do.”
“Pfft, you read something like that in a book. You’re just trying to sound smart. Anyway, I think you had better look, it should make you feel better.” Arthur groaned again, and rolled over, opening his eyes finally. The sight he was greeted with startled him the rest of the way awake. “Icarus!! What are you doing? Is that... blood?” Icarus grinned, the moon behind him illuminating his silhouette in a strange way. “I killed it for you.” He tossed something forward, and Arthur cringed back from the resulting “thump!” on the floor. There, only partially visible, and caressed with shadows, resembling a burial shroud, was the corpse of the dog that had bit him. The top half of the head was cut clean off.
Arthur’s teeth began to chatter. “W-what... w-why d-d-did you c-cut it like th-th-th-that?” Icarus tilted his head, a strange kind of innocence making the whole scene so much worse. “Well, he bit you. I had to make sure he couldn’t bite anyone again, no matter what.” That was the moment when Arthur experienced a revelation. Not only was his best friend completely mad, but to be loved with such devotion, such unending loyalty... it was a death of the best kind. Arthur was hopelessly in love in an instant."
