My husband and I had our first argument in months. It went something like this:
Hubs: "NO! You have to write this story into 3 book series. The characters are too awesome."
Me: "But this has always been a stand alone story."
Hubs: (clearing his throat) "Stand alone's don't sell as well as series."
Me: Shoot. He's right. "But there isn't that much story!"
Hubs: "Oh yes there is."
Me: Shoot. He's right again. "But I don't want to write a three book series."
Hubs: Yes you do.
Me: It's so not fair that he knows me this well.
Jeni Mawter, a successful MG author, warns: "It takes considerable ego to write a series of novels. You canʹt be in a hurry to reach the big finale, so you enjoy putting it off. A story line that stretches into multiple novels requires extreme passion, commitment, and yes, even obsession."
Best Selling author Rebecca Forster says: “Writing the first book is like having a dinner party with exciting and stimulating guests, carefully planned menu, atmosphere – but the guests get to go home. And you get to put your feet up and relax. Writing a series, the guests stay permanently. You have to think of exciting things for them to do, vary the menu, invite different guests for them to play with.”
Me: "But this has always been a stand alone story."
Hubs: (clearing his throat) "Stand alone's don't sell as well as series."
Me: Shoot. He's right. "But there isn't that much story!"
Hubs: "Oh yes there is."
Me: Shoot. He's right again. "But I don't want to write a three book series."
Hubs: Yes you do.
Me: It's so not fair that he knows me this well.
Jeni Mawter, a successful MG author, warns: "It takes considerable ego to write a series of novels. You canʹt be in a hurry to reach the big finale, so you enjoy putting it off. A story line that stretches into multiple novels requires extreme passion, commitment, and yes, even obsession."
Best Selling author Rebecca Forster says: “Writing the first book is like having a dinner party with exciting and stimulating guests, carefully planned menu, atmosphere – but the guests get to go home. And you get to put your feet up and relax. Writing a series, the guests stay permanently. You have to think of exciting things for them to do, vary the menu, invite different guests for them to play with.”
If you follow the trends you'll see that publishers are leaning toward series (especially with the uprising of the e-reader). The idea is to hook readers with book one, then turn their wallets inside out because they have to know what happens in book 2 and 3. (Or 4 and 5, but personally if you go beyond that I WON'T finish your series.)
All the practical advice out there says to write a book that can be a stand alone, but with series potential. They want the best of both worlds. I say if you've got enough story to stretch the distance, why not?
Where do you fall on the series vs stand alone scale? What do you prefer to read? What do you prefer to write? And when is a series too long?
Where do you fall on the series vs stand alone scale? What do you prefer to read? What do you prefer to write? And when is a series too long?
