New Weekly Serial

[John Pickup]

I've started reading it, Julie. Your depiction of Peter is spot on.

[Julie2owlsdene]

Thank you, John. I do like to keep to Enid's style as much as possible and write the characters as she would.

[Nick]

Poor Peter. Is out tyrannical leader really that bad?

Great to have a bit more SS in my life for the next few months!

[Rob Houghton]

I rarely read the serials, as I'm not really a fan (even of my own!) but this time I've made an exception, and have to admit, Julie, you've got me hooked. A very well written and intriguing start! Enjoying it very much and looking forward to Chapter 3!

[Julie2owlsdene]

Thank you, Robert. Hope you continue to enjoy it.

[floragord]

I visited the Charles Dickens Museum in Doughty Street not long ago, but I can't remember whether it said anywhere that Dickens was paid by the word or sentence for some of his stories. He certainly wrote some of his stories in instalments, either for publication in magazines or simply as monthly or weekly parts which could be bound into one volume upon completion, and he even changed the direction of some plots after receiving feedback from readers.

Seem to remember it was by the sentence? My husband used to do the accounts for the Museum, I'll ask if he recalls when he returns from "furrin' parts" - not that he wrote the cheques for Charles but he may remember the detail of word/sentence payment

[Rob Houghton]

As many of Dickens' sentences are very long...often a whole paragraph, I'm surprised he didn't make them shorter if he was paid accordingly!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Yes, it does seem doubtful that Dickens would have been paid in that manner.

Interesting that your husband used to do the accounts for the Charles Dickens Museum, Flora.

[floragord]

Got my answer - it wasn't by word or sentence but by installments. Dicken's work appeared as monthly serials in publications, which no doubt whetted the appetite of his readers to see what happened next, much as we're keenly watching DICKENSIAN at the minute as the story unfolds, currently at 13 out of 20 episodes!

It didn't take too long to do the Museum accounts as you can imagine, but as a Dickens fan my husband was hugely appreciative of the many interesting events and functions he got invited to.

[Rob Houghton]

Yes, it does seem doubtful that Dickens would have been paid in that manner.

Interesting that your husband used to do the accounts for the Charles Dickens Museum, Flora.

Got my answer - it wasn't by word or sentence but by installments. Dicken's work appeared as monthly serials in publications, which no doubt whetted the appetite of his readers to see what happened next,

That makes more sense...and if I'm cynical, I guess that's why some of his plots meandered around a bit, as he tried to eke them out into more and more instalments!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Yes, that does make more sense. Thanks, Flora. I'm still watching Dickensian and thoroughly enjoying it.

I was lucky enough to read Julie's Exciting Time for the Secret Seven before it was put up, and I must say you've got the atmosphere and characters spot-on, Julie!

[Moonraker]

I was lucky enough to read Julie's Exciting Time for the Secret Seven before it was put up, and I must say you've got the atmosphere and characters spot-on, Julie!

Yes, I was fortunate enough to read it as well. An excellent story, written completely in Enid's style. Well done, Julie.

[Julie2owlsdene]

Thanks, Anita and Nigel.

It was a bit of a challenge to branch out from my favourite books - The Find Outers. But once I got writing I found, just like the Find Outers, I was inside one of Blyton's Secret Seven books.

[Nick]

I'm *really* enjoying the new SS adventure.

[Julie2owlsdene]

I'm pleased your enjoying the serial, Nick, it's nice to hear a bit of feed back.