Can't Survive On One Series Alone
Yesterday on my twitter feed, a writer I follow and read regularly was answering people's questions.
One of them was about the future of her primary urban fantasy book series, to which I read religiously. She stated that the next book would be released later this year, and then her contract with the publisher would be up and she didn't think they would sign her back on to write more books.
Why?
Because her other series weren't selling well. And despite begging (and she stated she never begs) her fans to purchase the other series, no one apparently is, so thus her main series is apparently going to either die off, or become a self-published series.
As she said: "Unless you're Stephen King, you can't live on 1 series, so I wrote more & only 1/2 the fans bought them."
Now that said, I know a number of authors who don't write series, and are surviving. And last I checked, I don't think Stephen King writes series either, he writes individual books. This isn't to knock the idea, I can completely understand why an author would require people to buy their other series. Keeping them in a contract being very high on the list.
But that said, I have seen her other works, and they differ completely from her primary draw. And there in is the reason for this blog post.
You see, if you have a book series that is a draw, you don't go and write something completely different. You try to stick close to your guns and what is drawing people in. Sure, her other books could be in the same world, but from reading their backs, they don't seem to be, so honestly, they don't interest me.
One author I know writes a number of books in a variety of series. His themes? Sports are often included, as are gay relationships. He has shifted away from those themes a couple times, but all in all, that's what he writes. And you know what? It sells. And it sells well.
Sure, you may be afraid of being type cast. Sure, you may want to experiment with other story lines and genres. That's okay, everyone does it, myself included. But if you have something that is selling, then that's what you need to write more of.
Paul Cooley stated during an episode of The Dead Robots Society that he has the stuff he writes that sells, and then everything else. (I may be butchering that statement fyi) His book The Black is not what he normally writes. And yet it is one of his best selling novels, and the one that has gotten international sales/contracts. He recognizes that it makes him money, so he is writing more in that world/style/genre. Yes, it's not what he likes to write, though he does enjoy it, but it is what makes him money.
So I might be beating a dead horse at this point. If you are going to try and make money as an author, you need to recognize what is making you money, and push that. If you want to write other material, you can do like J.A. Konrath did and create separate identities for their works. (he also has Jack Kilborn (J.A. Konrath) for his horror works)
Write what sells, but also write what you want. If people aren't buying your other series but are staying strong to your main series, perhaps it's time to evaluate why that is. Because I am willing to bet it's not your writing style, or the world you built. I'm willing to bet that you have created characters that have connected with people, and your other books just don't have that. Maybe ask your fans what it is that is working, then include that in your other series.
Just know what is making you money.
Cause if you don't, that's just bad business sense.
One of them was about the future of her primary urban fantasy book series, to which I read religiously. She stated that the next book would be released later this year, and then her contract with the publisher would be up and she didn't think they would sign her back on to write more books.
Why?
Because her other series weren't selling well. And despite begging (and she stated she never begs) her fans to purchase the other series, no one apparently is, so thus her main series is apparently going to either die off, or become a self-published series.
As she said: "Unless you're Stephen King, you can't live on 1 series, so I wrote more & only 1/2 the fans bought them."
Now that said, I know a number of authors who don't write series, and are surviving. And last I checked, I don't think Stephen King writes series either, he writes individual books. This isn't to knock the idea, I can completely understand why an author would require people to buy their other series. Keeping them in a contract being very high on the list.
But that said, I have seen her other works, and they differ completely from her primary draw. And there in is the reason for this blog post.
You see, if you have a book series that is a draw, you don't go and write something completely different. You try to stick close to your guns and what is drawing people in. Sure, her other books could be in the same world, but from reading their backs, they don't seem to be, so honestly, they don't interest me.
One author I know writes a number of books in a variety of series. His themes? Sports are often included, as are gay relationships. He has shifted away from those themes a couple times, but all in all, that's what he writes. And you know what? It sells. And it sells well.
Sure, you may be afraid of being type cast. Sure, you may want to experiment with other story lines and genres. That's okay, everyone does it, myself included. But if you have something that is selling, then that's what you need to write more of.
Paul Cooley stated during an episode of The Dead Robots Society that he has the stuff he writes that sells, and then everything else. (I may be butchering that statement fyi) His book The Black is not what he normally writes. And yet it is one of his best selling novels, and the one that has gotten international sales/contracts. He recognizes that it makes him money, so he is writing more in that world/style/genre. Yes, it's not what he likes to write, though he does enjoy it, but it is what makes him money.
So I might be beating a dead horse at this point. If you are going to try and make money as an author, you need to recognize what is making you money, and push that. If you want to write other material, you can do like J.A. Konrath did and create separate identities for their works. (he also has Jack Kilborn (J.A. Konrath) for his horror works)
Write what sells, but also write what you want. If people aren't buying your other series but are staying strong to your main series, perhaps it's time to evaluate why that is. Because I am willing to bet it's not your writing style, or the world you built. I'm willing to bet that you have created characters that have connected with people, and your other books just don't have that. Maybe ask your fans what it is that is working, then include that in your other series.
Just know what is making you money.
Cause if you don't, that's just bad business sense.
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