Series vs Singles

[Tipdin]

Quick question, nothing deep. Do you prefer stories to be in a series of books, or would you rather enjoy a good story and have it done within one book?

[Sara Alva]

In my old age , I prefer single-shots. In my youth, I loved series. Wonder what the change is about . . . shorter attention span, maybe?

[TetRefine]

I like series because it allows stories to become much more in-depth and detailed, which I love when reading. I also like books that take place within one universe and have references to the other books, but can be read relatively independent of each other. Tom Clancy's Ryanverse is a good example of this.

Edited February 19, 2011 by TetRefine

[Myr]

hehe. I love Tom Clancy's Ryanverse.

I like both though to be honest.

[Cyhort]

Series as long as they don't go on too long. I'm a HUGE sequel whore. I love sequels. So reading a stand alone book, even a really good one, just leaves me wanting more. The only problem I have with series is when the writers drag them out too long and the books just end up being small variations of the same story.

[Bumblebee]

I like series, but if its really long I normally get bored with the story

but a good short story is always awesome

[Tiger]

It depends on the story and just how many books it has. I'd say 20 is going overboard, but 3-7 is to my liking.

[Marzipan]

I like both singles and series and it all depends of the strory told. Sometimes it is just better to leave it be where it ends, no matter how good the story is. And then there are situations, that offer oppenings for the story to expand.

 

I love short stories! The thrill of reading something that is just a glimpse of happeningsor the big picture. and you as a reader have to fill in the blanks, is deeply satisfying.

[sat8997]

I like both, but you just can't beat a great short story.

[JamesSavik]

I can like either a single or a series if they are well done.

 

That's not always the case. Like a bad movie sequel, sometimes you can tell that a series of novels are not well planned or conceived. Remember- most movie sequels blow chunks. Rarely- a sequel can turn out better than the original.

 

It's easy to see when a movie sequel is done simply to cash in on a strong initial showing. It's not as easy to see but the same problems in a poorly conceived sequel to a successful novel.

 

After creating a cast of characters and a setting for a successful novel, there is the temptation to pick up where you left off with a sequel. It's NOT always a good idea. Ask yourself a few questions before

 

Did you plan for the story to be a sequel?

 

Is the new story arc natural or forced?

 

Are the characters the same, different? Did the change in the first novel. How about in the second?

[Marzipan]

I can only speak for myself. I'm not working a series out of popularity pressure, it is an inner obligation to complite what I have started.

 

I originally started my story as a single. But in the middle of it I found out I wanted to expand it to three pieces series. So that. It has a clear start and middle part and a closure. And all stories work as singles too. They are equal to each other.

[methodwriter85]

Just think, Mark...CAP originally started as a stand-alone story, and then I told you I thought it might be a good idea to do a sequel set in 1968...

 

Here our team is, ten or so stories later.

[Mark Arbour]

What is better, the long term love relationship, or the short, intense encounter?

 

Personally, I like the series because I tend to get involved with the characters and then want to find out more about what happens to them.

[Tipdin]

What is better, the long term love relationship, or the short, intense encounter?

 

Personally, I like the series because I tend to get involved with the characters and then want to find out more about what happens to them.

I guess I'm weird, ...or a whore. I like the intense encounter. It's like that perfect moment, if it doesn't end, it's no longer a perfect moment.

 

Thankfully, we can all have what we want: Single encounters, short affairs, or lovely, long relationships.

[Hamen Cheese]

It's like that perfect moment, if it doesn't end, it's no longer a perfect moment.

I sort of have the same opinion. I like stories that can can resolve issues without dragging them out too long. I think the longest series I've read here on GA was nine books. There were more books after that, but I just stopped because it just felt like it was dragging on at that point. Things unresolved in the first few books were still unresolved by the ninth.

 

I do like books that revolve around one universe though. I mean I like reading familiar settings told from a different perspective (examples would be Dom's The Long Way and In the Fishbowl, also David McLeod's stories). It's pleasingly familiar yet fresh.

 

Doesn't mean I won't read singles though. I've read more singles than series but it's the series than tend to stick more in my mind I'd say.

[Tipdin]

I sort of have the same opinion. I like stories that can can resolve issues without dragging them out too long. I think the longest series I've read here on GA was nine books. There were more books after that, but I just stopped because it just felt like it was dragging on at that point. Things unresolved in the first few books were still unresolved by the ninth.

 

I do like books that revolve around one universe though. I mean I like reading familiar settings told from a different perspective (examples would be Dom's The Long Way and In the Fishbowl, also David McLeod's stories). It's pleasingly familiar yet fresh.

 

Doesn't mean I won't read singles though. I've read more singles than series but it's the series than tend to stick more in my mind I'd say.

I know what you mean. I started reading The Sword of Shannara series by Terry Brooks, I think it started in the late 70s and it's STILL going! I gave up.

I began Ann McCaffrey's Pern series, which started in the 60s and that one is still going too! I gave up.

In the early 80s, Tracy Hickman started the Dragonlance series and that exploded into a billion books! I gave up.

 

It gets to be too much for me. I am curious about all the story lines and characters, but I just can't keep up with all the books. Many of the later books in some series are not even written by the actual, original author anymore.

 

Because it kills me to leave all those characters, I learned that if I don't start a series, then I don't get trapped. However, many publishers now require authors to write series...

Edited February 21, 2011 by Tipdin

[Krista]

I like a good single story. A person doesn't have to wait for a sequel in a few months. Don't have to worry about authors going on hiatus (yes that happens with professionals too), and you don't have to invest a lot of reading time in a series you enjoy, to find that the author has murdered it all in the last book.

 

But yes.. don't get me wrong, I have read and enjoyed a lot of series, lately.

[ande52]

Recently I've been wanting to read stories that are finished and done once you get to the end. I'm not really feeling the wait for the next book phase.

 

That said I'll read just about anything that ends in somewhat of a happy ending.

[Habbott]

I love reading series, but It depends on the content and how well the author is able to develop the characters and the plot lines. Sometimes serial writers lose their direction and the plot climaxes before they end the story and it just drags on until it's abandoned. The length isn't the most important part of a story to me, for me its how well the author has shaped the world their characters live in!

[Tipdin]

I love reading series, but It depends on the content and how well the author is able to develop the characters and the plot lines. Sometimes serial writers lose their direction and the plot climaxes before they end the story and it just drags on until it's abandoned. The length isn't the most important part of a story to me, for me its how well the author has shaped the world their characters live in!

 

AMEN!

[james crawford]

i prefer series. it just makes me feel more involved in the stories

[Tipdin]

i prefer series. it just makes me feel more involved in the stories

 

Sometimes it's fun to visit other worlds and live other lives. Some series went on for so long, that I was afraid I might fade away from this world and fade into the other!

[Michael9344]

I like singles stories better. I love to read a story, enjoy it and get over with. No waiting for continuation.

[Tipdin]

I like singles stories better. I love to read a story, enjoy it and get over with. No waiting for continuation.

 

At this point in my life, I think I agree with you. There are so many things going on in my life that I can never be sure that I will get the chance to read ANY other book, much less finish a series of related books.

[thephoenix]

I prefer series because I think it gives the story more depth. However, like many others have said, if the series goes on for too long, people lose interest because it becomes too diluted with repeating events. That doesn't mean I won't read standalone stories though. I think it all boils down to a quality over quantity kind of thing. A standalone can be better than a series if it is very well written, though i'm guessing that it would be easier to create more depth in a series than in a standalone story.

 

For series, I tend to prefer trilogies. Such as the Matrix, Bourne, and the LOTR trilogies. I think it also helps when an author writes many stories that are based within the same universe, but can be read independently.