Of
Arcs and Standalones, Part 6: Cliffhangers
and Conclusions
This is the twelfth of fifteen posts
dealing with surprising things I learned in the course of writing a science
fiction series.
Last
week, we talked mainly about the cons (but also some of the pros) of series arc sequel hooks or cliffhanger endings, which are almost always part and parcel to the Overarching
Series gig. Let's talk about the how readers combat the disadvantages of
cliffhanger endings, make the most of their advantages, along with the role
publication dates of installments play in selling series books.
Many
readers generally buy the books in a series that appeals to them as they become
available, re-reading the previous…or not. Things are forgotten, major and
minor clues, details or nuances are overlooked, and the series simply isn't as
rich as it could have been with the installments are read closer together. A
lot of people I know won't read any books in a series until all of them are
available, then they binge-read them one right after the other.
Publishers
are very aware that readers are impatient these days and series books do tend
to be released back-to-back, but what that spells from one publishing house to
the next is debatable. Some release books in a series one a year, though these
days that could definitely lead to bored readers who find comfort in the arms
of another series instead. Two or three per year seems wiser, but that's not
always doable either, since publishers now expect the authors to do the
majority of the promotion and finding time to not only write new books fast and well but also to market the
published ones so momentum can build while the books are still in the public
eye can lead to creative acrobatics that frequently unsuccessful. Authors and
publishers need to make the most of the advantages cliffhanger endings can have
on story installments. For that reason, timing publication dates plays a key
role in selling series books.
Two
authors I talked to mentioned the crux of this issue:
Luisa Buehler: “The books have to be
well written and create the word of mouth buzz every author hopes
will occur. With the first book of a series, if it takes off, the second
one needs to be coming out close enough to keep the buzz going."
N.J.
Walters: “The advantage of releasing series books back-to-back is that
readers don’t have time to forget about it. The disadvantage is the writer
can’t work on anything else. It really pushes you into a time crunch and can
make you sick of writing the series.”
I
also talked to a number of publishers about how important the spacing of titles
in a series is. Anticipation is as crucial as momentum. The author's writing
pace is also a factor. Most publishers prefer to work with authors who have
proven they can meet the challenge of writing quality books in a short amount
of time.
The
solution for me when it came to my science fiction series, which relied so
heavily on series arc sequel hooks in the first three installments that would
either allow my readers to anticipate the follow-up book or ditch the series
altogether, was to write them all back-to-back. That way, I didn't have to feel
rushed to produce a volume on a timetable that certainly wasn't my own. This
also allowed for strict quality control. Additionally, I could make corrections
in earlier books if something changed the further along I progressed or if a
consistency issue was caught at any point.
In
previous posts in this series, I talked about authors who are in the middle of
a long, popular series who have left readers dangling for countless years between
installments. I won't be too hard on those writers here, I promise. I can't
imagine the pressure they feel that at times must reach the pinnacle of
outright terror and could very definitely impact the quality of their writing.
I would absolutely hate feeling like practically the whole world was waiting on
me to deliver. Nothing about this scenario appeals to me, though authors who
have gone through this situation have all the money and fame a writer could
possibly ever wish for. Add to an already ponderous burden, what if readers are
disappointed when the author finally provides series arc resolution with the
final volume? If there are special types of hell for writers, that's one right
there for sure.
I
prefer to limit my story potential development as well as plan my series
installments early enough (see my previous posts for specifics about these)
with full-on outlines to be certain that each one is the highest quality I can
manage and I'm sure even before I begin work on the project that I can finish
the series in a satisfactory way.
I
wrote my sci-fi series over the course of over 2 years and had numerous critique
partners who helped me along the way. When I finally offered all four books to
my publisher at once, they were all published in 2020 as close to back-to-back
as editing allowed.
In
the illustration below of snippets from one 5-star review received for each
book in my Arrow of Time Chronicles (all from the same reviewer), I demonstrate
how story and series arcs and even release date timing work on readers in the
ideal:
Book 1: "I was so invested in the
characters I couldn't stop. Wiesner has a way of drawing the reader in against
a pulse-pounding backdrop of impending war and intergalactic destruction."
Book 2: "Continues with the same energy
and intrigue as Book 1. Just finished and have already bought Book 3. I MUST
see how these characters resolve their dilemmas."
Book 3: “The suspense just keeps rising
and building! I found myself invested more and more. When I got to the end, I
almost screamed. Then I discovered there was a final book already available.
Whew!"
Book 4: "Book
4 brought a satisfyingly suspenseful end. At the end of Book 3, I wanted--needed--an
ending to this story of all the lives brought into my world. Whether sci-fi or
romance fan, you will love this series with all its complex plotlines striving
valiantly toward a common, triumphant end."
Next
week, we'll talk about random surprises (including reader expectations that
aren't always met) that I learned in the course of writing my first sci-fi
series.
Happy writing!
Based
on Writing
the Overarching Series (or How I Sent a Clumsy Girl into Outer Space): 3D Fiction Fundamentals Collection by Karen S. Wiesner (release date TBA)
https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/writing-reference-titles.html
http://www.writers-exchange.com/3d-fiction-fundamentals-series/
Karen Wiesner is an award-winning,
multi-genre author of over 140 titles and 16 series, including the romantic science fiction series,
ARROW OF TIME CHRONICLES
https://www.writers-exchange.com/arrow-of-time-chronicles/
https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/arrow-of-time-chronicles.html
http://www.facebook.com/KarenWiesnerAuthor
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