A Series of One

[Red Mage]

With all the focus on series  permeating literature. I was just wondering does anyone plan to write one book. Begining, Middle, and end in one shot. 

[prophet224]

Why yes, yes I do.   However, the idea is on the backburner and it is sort of a Brin or Sawyer-esque near-future novel. 

In other words, it uses a story to bring across a point, as opposed to being written to tell a more large scale story for its own sake.  The novel I'm working on right now started off as a one-shot, but as I wrote, I've discovered that the scope is larger - more on the scale of three to five books.

I really think that readers these days (at least in sci-fi and fantasy) are more interested in something they can get involved in for "the long haul".  Look at Lost, or many of the other TV shows that have become phenomenal hits.  If you find something you enjoy, you naturally want more of it.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

With all the focus on series  permeating literature. I was just wondering does anyone plan to write one book. Begining, Middle, and end in one shot. 

I have a couple of oneshots planned, and a couple of things written that would theoretically work fine as oneshots if they were to sell and the other books in the same setting but not closely related did not.

Series are perceived as easy to market.

[svb1972]

series = revenue stream for the publisher.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

series = revenue stream for the publisher.

Only if they are successful. 

[svb1972]

Only if they are successful. 

Publishers have a good idea on the success level of a particular series when they buy it.  Usually within an order of magnitude.  It is after all their job.

They sometimes get surprises, sometimes they mess up.  But I suspect that their overall estimates are fairly spot on.

[prophet224]

Series are perceived as easy to market.

Why is that though?  I mean, svb gives a good reason, but it wasn't too long ago that an aspiring author would be told "Go write a good single novel that sells well, then we'll look at your series."  Now there does seem to be a trend towards series.  Even though the market is more competitive than ever, and the risk of backing a new author is greater than ever, publishers do seem willing to throw in on a series.

I will say that I think if you have a few books written already, they are more likely to run with it.  Even novel submission sizes are growing, which is another potential money sink for a publisher.  Baen (who does the Ringo's various series and Weber's Honor Harrington series) asks for a minimum of 100k words, up to about 130k.  Wow.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

Publishers have a good idea on the success level of a particular series when they buy it.  Usually within an order of magnitude.  It is after all their job.

They sometimes get surprises, sometimes they mess up.  But I suspect that their overall estimates are fairly spot on.

Not really; or at least, everyone in the business I have talked to at any length sooner or later comes back to: Nobody Knows Anything.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

Why is that though?  I mean, svb gives a good reason, but it wasn't too long ago that an aspiring author would be told "Go write a good single novel that sells well, then we'll look at your series."  Now there does seem to be a trend towards series.  Even though the market is more competitive than ever, and the risk of backing a new author is greater than ever, publishers do seem willing to throw in on a series.

The thing is, as I understand it, a series is seen as building an audience base in ways a set of non-related books from the same author are not.

Emphasis on "seen as". Marketing is an opaque form of black magic.

[svb1972]

I suspect they have some financial information that backs that up.

What it could be is that they've noticed that on the ROI when they invest in Series their ROI is on average better than when they invest in single book stories.

[prophet224]

That may be, svb... I think it goes back to neuro's "audience base". 

At the same time, I also think it depends greatly on the genre.  Sci-fi and fantasy are forgiving (even desiring) of epics in ways that 'mainstream' will never be.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

At the same time, I also think it depends greatly on the genre.  Sci-fi and fantasy are forgiving (even desiring) of epics in ways that 'mainstream' will never be.

Unless you happen to be Patrick O'Brian.

[prophet224]

rules.  exceptions.  always one.


Although I think Mr. O'Brien's work was in more of a 'historical novelization' genre than straight mainstream.