Binge Watching, Binge Reading
Recently, hubby and I have been binge watching some series on Netflix and Prime. For some reason, we’ve been doing a lot of British shows. We’ve finished D.C. I. Banks, then we went to Happy Valley and we are now watching Last Tango in Halifax. I’m afraid I might slip up soon and use the word bloody, when I’m upset at something.
It occurred to me that binge
watching is sort of like reading in that you don’t have to wait a week or
longer to read another chapter. I think
we just follow stories better when we don’t have a week between episodes.
But that isn’t true when we refer
to book series. And yes, I got plenty of
pissy emails saying I left a reader hanging and now they have to wait until the
next book.
I won’t deny that as a reader, I
want to be able to grab the next book right away—especially if there’s a hook
at the end. And when I have to wait, I’m
biting my nails. And yes, as a writer, I
use hooks at the end of my books in series.
It’s part of good storytelling, leaving a reader, or viewer, hanging on,
feeling just a little desperate for the rest of the story.
To be honest, if there isn’t a
hook, I might very well finish the book and grab a different series. A friend of mine was just talking about a series
she’s binge watching and she said, “I may watch the first season and then move
to something else.” And having watched that
series, I can tell you there isn’t a hook at the end. So it might be easy for her to do that. As an
author, that isn’t what I want. I want
the reader to be chomping at the bit for the next book. And the way to do that is to leave them with some
questions. But I also know waiting is
hard.
I know a lot of readers who wait until a series is finished before starting it. And recently, I’m hearing about a lot of Indie writers who are actually finishing a series before putting it up. Then releasing each book in the series a week or two apart. As a reader, is that what you would prefer? Or don’t you mind if one book from a series is released every year? Do you binge watch shows? What shows are you watching now?
I’ll give away a T-shirt to one
person who leaves a comment.
Happy Reading!
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I would prefer not waiting a year, that's too long! Right now I am binge reading instead of watching 😁. Are you coming with a new series soon?
I would prefer not waiting a year, but then you are waiting until the series is finished, and that would take even longer than a year.
I want them immediately, but I also want to wait so I don't burn out on it. I don't mind waiting as long as it's not for years. I like when I find out a favorite author is coming out with a new book. It goes right on my wishlist so I can track it.
I prefer having the next book sooner than a year so I can continue reading while I’m still into the story. Otherwise, I may move on to another book, forget where I was on the first story, and have a hard time getting back into the original one. My husband and I binge watch series on TV too. Recently, we watched seven seasons of a series in two days. Once it gets our interest, we can’t stop! It’s that hook at the end. Gotta find out what happens next!
