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Do you prefer to write books in a series or standalones?
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I find that writing my "Mindreacher" series, I have too much to write about. As I finish book #2, I realize it could be made into another series placed within South America. It's hard to contain my enthusiasm about the characters who seem more real each day. What fun to see them grow in their lives and relationships with one another. To not only have my original hero and heroine, book 2 introduces a 15-year old who "saves the day." What fun to bring his entry as an innocent teen with a unique hobby into the terrorist world to help solve the problem. His father's anguish at the situation, I hope, will tug at every dad's heart. I can see that new spinoff series developing fast ... when I have time one day. Egads, my time machine won't slow down enough to give me longer days.
Caitlyn wrote: "I LOVE reading books, as long as the blurb catches my interest, or it's by one of my favorite authors, I'm in! I have a very diverse background, and got into writing at 50. (Six years ago) My last ..."I enjoy reading series when past characters pop up. I'm glad you do that.
James wrote: "I just published the 7th book of the series and I found the hardest part is giving each book just enough information about the previous story that the reader can enjoy it as a stand alone without a..."You are right about presenting past info. It's hard to resist an info dump.
I try to incorporate the info into isolated comments here and there or "memories" which inform ... and yet, hopefully, entice readers to check out the former book.
Peter wrote: "I wrote my first book, Preternatural, never intending on more than just the single book. However, after sitting on it for awhile, I still felt that there was more to tell, so I wrote a sequel. Then..."Peter, don't stop there. Keep going, and perhaps a new series as a spinoff.
Stand alone, though I've had readers ask me to write more about given characters/concepts. My interests are too varied to bog down into a series. Though I'm open to it eventually.
As I recently released my 1st book and a sequel is planed. Working on a Space Opera I’d release as episodes, similar to the serials before a movie back in the day.
Irene wrote: "Peter wrote: "I wrote my first book, Preternatural, never intending on more than just the single book. However, after sitting on it for awhile, I still felt that there was more to tell, so I wrote ..."You're absolutely right! Not to spoil anything, but in the 3rd and final book of the Preternatural trilogy, there is a little bit of world building. I've had some other fun ideas that I've kept on the backburner. So if the trilogy does well, then I can stay in the same world, but explore other aspects of it with different antagonists, characters, and such. Fingers crossed!
My first four books were all part of my superhero series. Since then, I've published three standalone novels and one short story. I also have two novels, four short stories, and a children's picture book at various stages of drafting that are completely separate.That being said, I now have the idea for a (probably) five-book military sci-fi story. I want to write it so bad, but I want to finish at least two more standalones before I do. I like writing on a range of subjects, but I feel the strong pull of a series once again demanding attention.
Standalones. I get bored with characters if I go past a couple of books. I like trilogies if each book focuses on a different character but they are related in some way. I have a huge speculative fiction that I'm breaking down into 3-5 books depending on how much I cut from it. Then again, I write in several genres, so other than my Jillian series, jump from detective to sci-fi to romance, etc. I write like I read.
B.A. wrote: "I get bored with characters if I go past a couple of books. I like trilogies if each book focuses on a different character but they are related in some way..."Most of my books are either standalone or part of a series where the main character shifts with each book, for just this reason. I tell a story about a character and that's it, they're done, for the most part anyway.
B.A. wrote: "I write like I read."
Yep, me too. I write and read romances, but of many different kinds - YA, adult, historical, contemporary, paranormal, etc.
Writing a series involves so much commitment I think. I haven't done it yet, personally but with a stand alone you can go crazy and just do whatever. But with a series you will build a reading base with people who want certain outcomes for certain characters. I do have series planned in the future, but I do think neither are better than the other.
I have a few series in mind but I want to finish a few stand alone just to practice more on my writing technique. There are a few kinks I need to work on.
I prefer books in a series because if I like the characters I hate to see them go away.
I'm really ok with either. However, some traditionally published authors with highly successful novels are often encouraged to publish numerous sequels, long past the point when they should have just stopped. But I suppose the lure of a guaranteed market is too much for publishers and writers to resist. I loved the first four books in Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series, but then they were just dragged out beyond the author's real commitment to telling the story.
I had no intention of writing a series when I started my first book. But then I fell in love with one of the "supporting cast" of characters and had to write his story. Then it happened again, and I had to write that story. Now I'm working on the 4th book.But I expect there will be a time when the series winds down on its own -- when I no longer have that thrilling impetus to give a character their own story. Then I might start a mystery series instead.
I like reading series, too. I like the time I take to invest in a character to be rewarded with another book about them.
I prefer stand alone novels because they give me a sense of a writer's ability to carry a story to end and making the story interesting. It improves my own writing skills. Also, when I select another author, I don't have to think that I might be missing out on the previous writer's story in a series.
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I would think it may be similar when you're writing - sticking with one world (even if you spread it across different times in the world's history) means you won't have to build another world from scratch, so it saves a ton of background work. Then, some authors can create great stories with minimal backstory...
So, I'm biased towards a larger universe, mostly because worldbuilding goes very slowly for me.
Gifford wrote: "I had no intention of writing a series when I started my first book. But then I fell in love with one of the "supporting cast" of characters and had to write his story..."Yes, I'm having this problem with one of my mine. I like the main character's best friend so much, I think she's going to have to have her own book at some point :)
I have wrote a series, but a standalone works for me.
I've a few ideas for series, but currently only have the mental bandwidth for reading AND writing standalones these days. I'm also mostly writing standalones and short stories to hone and practice the craft. I have a short story collection coming out later this year called Scrambled Eggs!
Valerie wrote: "Gifford wrote: "I had no intention of writing a series when I started my first book. But then I fell in love with one of the "supporting cast" of characters and had to write his story..."Yes, I'm..."
I have that problem too. I wound up doing 3 books with the same main characters.
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I just PM'd your author page. I do have advice on blurb writing. I did a seminar on just that thing for Authors in the OC i.e. Orange County California.
I showed people some of my REALLY bad mistakes, and then showed them my tweaks and how my rankings immediately improved. It comes down to analyzing what the hot words/phrases are for your genre, and make sure you're hitting those notes in your blurb. Since my books are 70% action/30% romance I sometimes focus too much on the action and forget to put in the romance piece. Whenever I do that, I don't get as many purchases. Sigh.
But yeah, talk to me on FB, and we can really chat. Not a problem. :)