Are Stand-Alone Books Dying Out?
Posted by annastan on April 2nd, 2010. Filed under: A Closer Look, Books, WIP.In case you haven’t noticed, books in a series seem to be a big thing these days, especially in YA. Of course, the popularity of series is nothing new, and they make a lot of sense for publishers as well as for readers. But I’ve been wondering if the popularity of series might be affecting the way we read and also the way we write.
It’s not surprising series have become so popular. Publishers are delighted to publish more of what sells, readers want to see what their favorite characters will do next, and writers are happy to keep exploring the worlds they’ve created. But I’ve been wondering if the trend is extending stories beyond the length they need to be and, as Sara Dobie suggests, allowing authors to delay making decisions.
As a friend and I meandered through a bookstore last week, we marveled at all the series in the YA section. “How will aspiring writers be able to study story arc if most of what’s out there are series?” we wondered. Series also have story arcs, but they tend to work differently from those in stand-alone books.
In my mind there’s nothing more satisfying than finishing a book and feeling that all the important elements have been resolved. Endings are so difficult to write, so when they work well, they’re a gift. I have gotten that satisfied feeling from series (Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials Trilogy is a good example) but I must admit it’s not as frequent as it is with stand-alone books. When so much has been set up in previous books, it becomes even more difficult to wrap it all up in a satisfying way.
I have nothing against series; in fact, one of my WIPs seems to be heading in that direction. But I can’t help thinking that the balance between series and non-series books seems to be a bit off recently.
What do you think? Are there advantages/disadvantages to the series trend? Is the stand-alone book becoming an endangered species?
April 2nd, 2010 at 8:06 am
Hi Anna, I bet that’s a fun surprise that your one of your WIPs is heading in the series direction. Lately, I’ve avoided series, simply because I don’t have the time and don’t want to feel frustrated by not being able to read more. But in another month, I am FINALLY picking up the sequel to The Knife of Never Letting Go.
April 2nd, 2010 at 8:37 am
Interesting post, Anna. I normally go for stand alone books. I agree with you. I like having all those important elements resolved.
April 2nd, 2010 at 9:10 am
Hi Heather! I hadn’t intended on making it a series at first, but it actually makes a lot of sense that way. Let me know what you think of the KNIFE sequel – I though it was really interesting, but the cliffhanger ending drove me nuts! Congrats again on the PEN, by the way.
Thanks, Nan. I find that I enjoy both types of books, but these days it seems every book I pick up is part of a series. At some point I wonder if I’ll start to get a little burnt out.
April 2nd, 2010 at 9:21 am
To be honest, I hate series. One book is enough for me to enjoy the characters… then I want to move on to someone new. I love companion novels, stories set in the same world with new characters, that kind of thing… but I often read book 1 of the series and then never finish. So for me, I love stand alone books!
April 2nd, 2010 at 9:53 am
Anna,
I’ve been participating in some discussions about book series lately too and the general consensus is that it’s really character rather than plot alone that drives the story for most readers.
The risk follow up books in a series has is that they’ll fail to further develop the characters as the story progresses. Of course there are some types of stories, like the standard Sherlock Holmes tale or the Agatha Christie murder/mystery where the reader’s enjoyment comes from trying to solve the crime along with the sleuth rather than from identifying with the protagonist as s/he changes and grows. But those stories are more episodic than they are sequels.
Books in a series have not only to tell an extended story, but they have to keep moving characters to new and different places within themselves. I enjoyed His Dark Materials too for that reason. Not only were the books themselves well-written and full of interesting twists and revelations, but Lyra and Will continued to change and grow in believable ways as the story unfolded. As a reader I not only watched them as they continued on in their adventures, I identified with them as each painful new revelation and insight brought them further from the innocence of childhood into greater maturity.
April 2nd, 2010 at 10:37 am
I think this trend goes hand in hand with the fast-paced, high action, page turner kind of plot. I love series, but even more so when each book has its own ending.
April 2nd, 2010 at 11:09 am
I love stand alone books. So I hope they’re not dying out. It drives me crazy to read a book and realize it’s not “done” at the end!
April 2nd, 2010 at 11:18 am
Valerie, I love companion novels too. It’s so interesting to further explore the world through the eyes of different characters.
John, that’s an excellent point! There are some series that I read to find out what will happen next (like Percy Jackson) but mostly it is about the development of the characters.
Laura, I like those kinds of series books the most, too. When each book has a story arc and all the books together have a larger story arc, I find that to be satisfying on multiple levels.
Lydia, I know what you mean! Sometimes I look at how few pages are left in a book and I think, “There’s no way this can be all wrapped up!” And then, sure enough, it isn’t and I have to wait at least a year to find out what happens next!
April 2nd, 2010 at 12:10 pm
I admit to being a bit perplexed at all the series that sell when agent profiles seem to indicate they want a book that can stand on its own first and foremost!
There’s potential for a sequel to my current WIP, but I’m striving mightily to make it a complete story in and of itself.
April 2nd, 2010 at 3:11 pm
I remember reading as a juvenile characters that I loved and was really sorry when the book ended. When series books first got my attention (Dorothy Lyons had a great Silver Birch series about horses)there didn’t seem to be that many of them. Now I think they are saturating the market with them and some are so obviously a “series” that each book is not satisfying, the big event and hook to read on is covered intensley in one book but doesn’t get resolved and leaves the reader feeling cheated. The author’s only resolve the mini-problems. I’m glad JK Rowling had big plots resolved in each book but still managed to have a series.
April 2nd, 2010 at 5:23 pm
I choose books based on cover, so if it happens to be a series with a series of awesome covers, then so be it. Good examples of success: THE HUNGER GAMES, THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY, THE NAME OF THIS BOOK IS SECRET, THE MAZE RUNNER. All of these are series in which I purchased the first book because of the cover. I purchased LOOKING FOR ALASKA based on cover and now John Green is my favorite author.
I know you’re not asking about covers though. I generally write with the idea of one book. Sometimes the book and the idea get too big and I panic about it turning into a series. I think I’d like to write the kind of series that is clean enough where each book can stand alone, maybe like GRACELING, but each book is so great that readers eat up every title.
April 2nd, 2010 at 7:27 pm
i think the most difficult position is when someone is a newbie and can’t write with the intention of selling a series but if offered a deal for a series would gladly take it. How do you structure your book in that situation? I’d like to know how many authors wrote the first book in their series as a “stand alone?”
April 3rd, 2010 at 5:24 am
Kathryn, it does seem like writers are getting mixed signals! The advantage of stand-alone books with series potential is that they can be sold as one or the other. But it does seem like lots of books are sold as series, which certainly breaks the stand-alone rule. It’s one more part of publishing I don’t really understand!
Catherine, the series that have a smaller arc in each book and a larger arc over several books are my favorite. That way each book in the series feels satisfying but we keep reading to see how the bigger story will play out. Yay JK!
Jon, that’s one of the things I loved about GRACELING and FIRE; they stand alone but can also be read together. I think that goes back to what Valerie was saying about companion novels.
Lisa, that’s a good question! Imagine you’ve written your first book ever and suddenly you have to turn it into a series? Ack! I would imagine that would be terrifying. Talk about trial by fire!
April 3rd, 2010 at 3:34 pm
Ooooh, I love thought-provoking questions. I like both series and stand-alone books, and I’ve written both. I can’t imagine either form dying out. I’ve often wondered if series would ebb and flow in popularity. Sometimes, I admit, I do steer away from a book if it’s book 1 of a series, and even more so if it’s high fantasy. Maybe it’s like, “Hey, I’m just looking to commit to one book at this time.”
April 5th, 2010 at 12:30 am
Just as you say, I’m hoping stand-alones are not a dying breed…the satisfaction of one compelte story is intellectually and emotionally immense.
April 5th, 2010 at 6:23 am
Marcia, series often do feel like more of a commitment. I have to be in the mood to start a new series, especially if I suspect the first book is going to end on a cliffhanger!
Carol, someone on LiveJournal responded to this post saying that series books might get more marketing attention but there are still plenty of stand-alone books being published. I think that’s true, which means we don’t have to worry just yet.