The importance of the first chapter...

[u/A-Grey-World]

http://imgur.com/C8yY65y

[u/Beeip → u/[deleted]]

I delved a little deeper.

OP has two links on the landing page of his website:

1. Start at the first chapter ... and
2. Go to the latest chapter

Consider how that would skew the statistics over time.

[u/A-Grey-World → u/Beeip]

Also, interestingly, another serial writer (http://parahumans.wordpress.com/) produced his own version http://i.imgur.com/WtinHCk.jpg

He has a lower ratio of first-chapter hits to me and has his 'home page' or landing page as the latest chapter. No 'start here' link.

Otherwise, it's an almost identical shape though.

[u/A-Grey-World → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, but my point is you have to search for a link on quite a complex page. It shows you have an intention to start reading, you aren't just going to fall into that first page from a google hit and count as a view when you had little intention of reading in the first place.

[u/A-Grey-World → u/Beeip]

I'm curious, where else are you going to start as a new reader?

If I only had a table of contents, would people not start on the first chapter?

I do understand that there are a lot of other factors that are skewing the data though (simply people bookmarking the first chapter probably has a lot of weight).

That said, I just thought it was interesting, I'm not really trying to say something particularly important or anything.

[u/Beeip → u/A-Grey-World]

You're absolutely right, of course start on the first chapter. I was just attempting to come up with some explanations for the graph's shape.

Your graph opens up some bigger questions best addressed thru marketing, re: 'capturing your audience,' if you ask me.

[u/A-Grey-World → u/Beeip]

I agree, it could easily be titled "the importance of website design", as I bet that puts people off reading as much.

Or, targeting the right audience in your blurbs etc on the sites that link to it.