My recent serial ‘A Good Runner’ has now ended. As usual, I like to offer an overview of how it was conceived, and how well it was received by readers. Those of you contemplating writing a daily fiction serial might like to know about that, but if you have no interest in such things, feel free to skip this post.
The idea came about as I was walking Ollie to Hoe Rough. Crossing the bridge at Fakenham Road, I saw an old car driving toward us. It dated from the 1950s, and was immaculate. The man driving was relatively young, and that made me think about who might have owned the car from new, and the many hands it might have passed through over the decades.
By the time Ollie’s walk was over, I had the idea for the serial, and the last episode in my head. I came home and made some notes, then started Part One by working back from the ending to the first person to buy the car new. I set the start of my story in the 1960s, a period very familiar to me from my youth.
This serial was very well-received, and generated quite a lot of comments for each episode. It also enjoyed a consistent readership, with a minimum of 110 views every day, up to a maximum of 140 views (so far) for the final episode.
Allowing for an average of 115 views for each of the 35 episodes, that gives me a total of 4,025 views for the serial, and some are still coming in for that last part.
I will soon be publishing all those episodes as one complete story, for those of you who prefer to read it as a novella.
Thanks to everyone who read, commented, and liked. Also to those who reblogged, or shared any part of it on social media.
Best wishes, Pete.
beetleypete 
Thank you for providing this wonderful story, Pete! It was delightful to read, and i love the happy ending. ;- Best wishes, Michael
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Thanks, Michael. I thought a happy ending was essential this time.
Best wishes, Pete.
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At least with the British weather, we have at the moment. xx Michael
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Reblogged this on OPENED HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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I always appreciate that you do a serial review at the end. Maybe they make it easier for me to say good-bye to the stories
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Thanks, Geoff. I hadn’t considered that aspect, as I mainly do these for anyone who might be contemplating writing one. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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This was such a fun serial Pete, and I’m not even a car person! Er, speaking of Little Annie, you know Halloween isn’t far off…
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As you know, I refuse to acknowledge Halloween until after the first of October. 🙂 🙂
(Preferably not until the 25th.)
Best wishes, Pete.
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But you could start making plans for another horror serial. 😉😈
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Oh, okay then. As you asked so nicely. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Yay!🤗
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It was great, Pete!
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Thanks very much, Beth. I appreciated your engagment throughout.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Sue will start the serial over when she has the whole thing….she liked it while in hospital…..chuq
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Thanks, chuq. I will be sorting it out over the weekend.
Best wishes, Pete.
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My most favourite story is still the old doll But this one was good.
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I am glad that you have ‘Little Annie’ as your favourite, Lucinda. It was one of the hardest stories for me to write, due to its complex backward progression.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Really good story Pete even though it had a happy ending 😉 seriously, well done!
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Thanks, FR. If I had killed off little Angela at the end, I might have had to go into hiding! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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It was obvious that you were driven to write this serial.
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I did once own a Cortina, (though it was a Mark 3) so you are spookily correct! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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It’s fun to have a daily episode to look forward to and so unpredictable! Thanks Pete!
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Thanks very much, Carolyn. The next serial will be ‘coming soon’. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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This serial was definitely a good runner, Pete 🙂 It made me remember one of your previous serials, Little Annie, about the doll that had been passed through generations. The part about little Angela really hit home for me, pulled on my heart strings, but I’m over the moon that she can have the surgery 🙂 Another stellar serial, Pete!
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Thanks for your kind words, Ami. I’m glad you remembered Little Annie. That also had a construction of moving through time, though in the case of that story, it went backwards. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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