Panel topic: "Consuming Serialized Fiction in the US, from 1800 to today.”

Venue: American Literature Association Symposium, Santa Fe, NM; Nov. 5-7, 2026

Note: as indicated here, ALA does not require presenters to be paying members of the organization

This panel concerns fiction in serialized forms, from nineteenth-century periodicals to twentieth-century soap operas and comic books to online subscription-based story apps in the twenty-first century.  When considering the topic of serialization, furthermore, panelists could consider questions like, "How did/does the serialized format affect the composition process?", "How did/does exposure to new readerships affect a serialized work's reception and reputation?",  "Historically, how did consuming serialized fiction facilitate social interactions between readers (i.e., discussing fan theories)?" "Do serialized formats carry some sort of cultural stigma compared to that of the weighty tome?".  In addressing such topics and questions, this panel should be of interest to scholars of authors who serialized their work, scholars of fiction in US periodical culture and print culture, and scholars of fiction in US media. Papers concerning serialized fiction by BIPOC authors or consumed by BIPOC readerships are encouraged.

Interested presenters should send a 250-word abstract and 100-word bio to amanda_johnson@pitzer.edu by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, July 19.