Is Writing a Series the Lazy Way Out? or 6 Reasons to Write a Stand Alone Title

Before you go all Hater on me, know this: I am writing a series.  So, I lump myself into this same category I am questioning.  But this issue came up, as most of my blog posts do, when I was having a conversation with a facebook friend about this very thing.  She was doing a blog post of her own about authors who have books out or coming out and was including me (awesome!) and wanted to know was Spellbound a series or stand-alone.  This birthed the discussion.  I opined that sometimes I thought writing a series could be a cop out, even a lazy way to end a book.  Cue the series writers who will want to SKEWER me for daring to even suggest something so, so, HERETIC!  Burn the bitch at the stake, right?

Put down the gasoline cans, Goody Writer.  I assure you, I don't REALLY feel that way.  Remember, I am about to try and sell Book Two for Spellbound to my publisher.  And look at the success of the Rowling's Harry Potter series.  Something has to be said for that.

Anyway, that being said, I really wanted this blog post to extol the virtues of the Stand Alone Book.  With writers and authors these days ramming their 20 book sagas down our throats, I want to pay homage to the simple virtues of the Stand Alone (capitalized to simulate royal lineage!)

So without further ado, here are my top 6 reasons to buy a Stand Alone title:

You don't have to invest the rest of your life reading about one character.
When the movie comes out, you don't have to go through puberty with the actor/actress
You are given the opportunity to see if the author is more than a one-trick-pony. (I won't name names, you know who you are)
Your cover artist doesn't die from boredom
YOU don't die from boredom.
You don't become the most hated person in America because America is so SICK TO DEATH OF THE HYPE.
So, if you are an author, and please note:  this is just MY OPINION:  Go ahead, write a series, but for the love of all that is holy....MIX IT UP!  Write a Stand Alone.  Write a whole goddamn bunch of them.  Write some short stories, write some flash fiction, throw in some magazine articles, and even a script if you have the talent for it. But MIX IT THE EFF UP.  Prove to not only us, but very likely yourself that you can let go of these other characters and not use them as the crutch you are leaning on to prove your literary chops.  Go rogue!  And as I have stolen a million times before, Just Do It.  We will be very proud of you and a funny thing will happen.  You will gain an entirely new fan base.  Authors.  Just saying.