Excellent Post About Writing Serials

[Carol Rose]

This article was posted on Facebook and blasts writers who end their books on a cliffhanger without warning, forcing readers to buy the next one to find out what happens. The key here is without warning. When readers are aware it's a serial, they know what they're buying. But there is a growing trend among writers to do this without fair warning, and it's having the opposite effect. Readers are pissed off.

http://shantnutiwari.com/in-which-i-rant-about-how-writers-do-not-respect-their-readers/

 

[Nicole Wilson]

This is why my books, while they are/will be a series, are not dependent on each other. I hate when books drop off much earlier than they're supposed to. I do like series that have multiple books with one main plot, but you better close something big in each book! Make it worth your readers' time and money. Even The Hunger Games, which had an extensive overarching plot, finished the darn story in the book it was started in!

 

[Jason Byrne]

I only hope The Vision of Arcadia, Volume One: The First Vision is enough of a hint that the reader will put up with my ending.

 

[Jason Byrne]

"And the first book ends right when... [it] was supposed to start!"
"...most people have sworn to never finish Hyperion."
"Here is the thing: Readers will realise [sic] they are being manipulated, and hate you for it."

My list of things you never want to hear.

 

[Carol Rose]

This is why my books, while they are/will be a series, are not dependent on each other. I hate when books drop off much earlier than they're supposed to. I do like series that have multiple books with one main plot, but you better close something big in each book! Make it worth your readers' time and money. Even The Hunger Games, which had an extensive overarching plot, finished the darn story in the book it was started in!

I agree. I don't mind reading a series (Harry Potter, for example) but I don't want to read a cliffhanger ending without knowing it's coming. If I was to buy a series like that, I'd wait until they were all available and get them together.

 

[Carol Rose]

I only hope The Vision of Arcadia, Volume One: The First Vision is enough of a hint that the reader will put up with my ending.

Just warn them ahead of time so they know what they're buying.

 

[Jason Byrne]

Now, how about this — when the cliffhanger comes like ten pages or so from "the end?"

Like, in the TV series 24, when the guy says "I'll be there within the hour," and you know,
"okay, ****'s going to go down at 8:59:55." CHA CHOONK. CHA CHOONK. CHA CHOONK.

Or, everything suddenly goes horribly wrong for the characters in the story, and you look at the top edge of the book and think,
"there's no way this will get resolved with only an eighth of an inch (3 mm) of book left. That's it — this is how the book's going to end."

You have a second left afterward to catch your breath, but it's still essentially a cliffhanger.

 

[Emurelda]

I remember loving the first 3 books of Harry Potter then the next books made it clear that there was an incomplete continuation. But by then I was hooked. And not to mention buying your money's worth in pages!!

 

[Emurelda]

In general I much prefer a series or a brand like Nancy Drew when you know there is a formula you love and are just hooked. That is what I call a real series.

I love building brands and I consider the creation of a series by building in a formula that I enjoy. It's like visiting your favourite coffee chain - you know what to expect but the experience is like no other. With books you duplicate this personally developed formulaic approach and duplicating it ergo a series is born. Each book should be standalone or I am not interested in writing it let alone reading it!

 

[Jason Byrne]

In general I much prefer a series or a brand like Nancy Drew when you know there is a formula you love and are just hooked. That is what I call a real series.

I love building brands and I consider the creation of a series by building in a formula that I enjoy. It's like visiting your favourite coffee chain - you know what to expect but the experience is like no other. With books you duplicate this personally developed formulaic approach and duplicating it ergo a series is born. Each book should be standalone or I am not interested in writing it let alone reading it!

Cthulhu fhtagn, Emu. Formula is how you know Fruit Loops is going to be delicious.

 

[Carol Rose]

Now, how about this — when the cliffhanger comes like ten pages or so from "the end?"

Like, in the TV series 24, when the guy says "I'll be there within the hour," and you know,
"okay, ****'s going to go down at 8:59:55." CHA CHOONK. CHA CHOONK. CHA CHOONK.

Or, everything suddenly goes horribly wrong for the characters in the story, and you look at the top edge of the book and think,
"there's no way this will get resolved with only an eighth of an inch (3 mm) of book left. That's it — this is how the book's going to end."

You have a second left afterward to catch your breath, but it's still essentially a cliffhanger.

Honestly? If a reader did that to me without warning BEFORE I had a chance to make a decision on buying the book, I'd be pissed off. That's exactly what the author of the blog post is talking about. There is no indication in the blurb, etc. that this book ends without resolution of the story arc, or ends on a cliffhanger, and the only way to find out what happens is to buy the next book. Readers do NOT like that.

 

[Nicole Wilson]

Like, in the TV series 24, when the guy says "I'll be there within the hour," and you know,
"okay, ****'s going to go down at 8:59:55." CHA CHOONK. CHA CHOONK. CHA CHOONK.

Lol I heard the clock in my head. Thanks for reminding me I'm still only halfway through the first season (*sigh* there's just not enough time in the day).

 

[Jason Byrne]

Lol I heard the clock in my head. Thanks for reminding me I'm still only halfway through the first season (*sigh* there's just not enough time in the day).

There's exactly long enough in the day. It's 24! (Including commercial breaks)

I have a love-hate relationship with that clock.

 

[Nicole Wilson]

There's exactly long enough in the day. It's 24! (Including commercial breaks)

I have a love-hate relationship with that clock.

Hmmm... I should try to watch all episodes in a season in 24 hours straight.....

But there are so many other shows to watch! Criminal Minds actually provides me research lol. And I guess I should be writing, too, but whatevs