Recently I’ve noticed that a lot of the authors I’ve been following for years are spacing the time between books in a series more and more. Now sometimes it’s a health or other personal issues which I completely sympathize with and understand, hey as much as I’d like to have that new book real life and family is a priority, but sometime it’s not. Here are some of the reasons I’ve been consistently running into:
- The new series. Authors want to start new series, which I get creatively they get bored, so the old series which is the cash cow and the one I love starts to have longer and longer wait times. I have a few that publish like clockwork once a year but now with new series (still only publishing once a year) the series I follow only comes out every 2-3 years. Sometimes I actually have forgotten what’s going on it’s been so long.
- The publisher. Apparently the publishers like the publish certain genres certain times of the year. One author missed her deadline by a month and now her book is slated to release a year later. This is a NYT best selling author and this will make it a three year wait on the book. Really? You couldn’t find a spot?
- The deadline. As mentioned above deadlines seem to be getting tighter and tighter for writers and when they miss them then books seem to get pushed not weeks buts 6,8,12,18 months out.
The saddest part is that some new series I’ve picked up are really interesting but there has been no follow up..and its been 12-18 months for some of these books. Honestly I’ve lost interest in anything that’s not my core reading, as far as series are concerned, that aren’t indie authors. Do you think it’s over stressed authors, publishing houses that think people will stay loyal no matter what or an over critical me?
Geek Sneak Peek 
You know, I have to say I get annoyed by all of the waiting too. One of my favorite series didn’t have a release for more than a year because the author had just started working on two other series that I just wasn’t interested in, so it got kind of tedious. It also seems like part of their intent is to bring in new readers rather than just keeping the loyal ones who’ve read prior books in a series around. So maybe that’s a part of the reason for the set times for release dates.
I guess it just depends on the series though. Situational values and all that 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes I does sometimes seem to be all about bringing in new readers, which I get, but you gotta show us a little love too!!
LikeLike
Agreed! I was also just thinking about this whole waiting game with books and indie authors in specific, and it makes me wonder if I didn’t reveal my fifth book too soon (could make the wait seem longer?). Ah well, live and learn, right?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am burned out on series. EVERYTHING seems to be a series. I think series of books are great. But I don’t think EVERY plotline needs a series. I am liking more and more stand alones. Overall, I generally avoid series unless I know for sure I will like it or it’s by an author I trust.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Maybe that’s my issue I’m just getting burned out on ever book becoming a series..good point.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reminds me of the Wheel of Time. By the time it was finished, the people who had started it as kids, were adults with kids of their own. That’s why a series like Shannara is appealing, because it’s broken up into stand-alone parts. The other side of the coin is that fans often want to see their favorite characters return at some point. What Tolkien fan doesn’t wish he would have written more? Much of this is ultimately author preference. Luckily, for readers, there is a lot out there to choose from.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I think series have become a bit too much about profit, rather than an organic continuation of a story. Although Ken Follett and George R.R. Martin definitely seem to be more focused on creating compelling worlds, rather than just selling out.
Any series in particular that strike you as drawn out or not well fleshed out enough?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I always hate that I have to wait two years now for the Mercy Thompson books from Patricia Briggs. Then one of my other top authors Ilona Andrews started a new series in 2014 (their the ones who missed the deadline) their publishers told them, sorry we don’t have room to put the book out this year so it won’t come out til May 2017..that’s three years between book one and book two. Seems like the publishers are leaning heavily on us fans being loyal to the author and sticking around. I feel like that’s kinda wrong, like they wouldn’t do that to someone who doesn’t have a deep fan base. Like they are saying, eh who cares they’ll still buy it whenever we put it out so make them wait.
LikeLiked by 1 person
At least with Ilona Andrew she’s still coming out with books on her main series. From what I read about her new series with the large break they’re going to do a huge relaunch next year and publish the third book just a couple months after the second. I was really annoyed/pissed about that too, though. It’s Ilona Andrews people you should be publishing their books as soon as they’re ready!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve noticed the same things – mainly the first reason, I think. I’m not quite in on the author chatter enough to have picked up on the publisher preference or deadline thing. It’s an interesting topic for sure, as I now have the memory span of a goldfish and I forget to follow up on some series once enough time passes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Waiting more than a year for a sequel is too hard. Even with new readers finding the series at that point can’t be enough! Still, I think most readers will have other series and books to keep them entertained… although, personally, I think some publishing dates are just profit related. If it takes more than a year to publish and often we see somewhere the author has already written and edited the book, it is just waiting…I mean…
Still, ten years waiting is much worse. There’s this m/m author I like, or better, whose specific series I like that has written 3 books and has been promising the 4th since….2004 or 2005, I really can’t remember anymore. So now, despite the waiting, the readers asking for the story…there’s a spin off instead. I understand creativity, time needs, so on… but. Come on.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ten years is crazy!!!
LikeLike
I always loved release days and waiting for books, but usually I discovered series halfway through, so it made things a little easier. You have opened my eyes, and once again, i’m happy to be publishing my first series as an Indie. I’m trying to space releases about 6 months apart, and the second series might even be more frequent. Why wait years for one series when you can share dozens of books with readers in that time frame?!? Publishing in a very interesting institution…and it’s horrible when someone fails to continue a book series. You should write the author and see if they have anything to say about the abrupt pause.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As an author of a series, there is a lot of work that goes into writing a series. True I am still working on refining the second book of the series (and it is my first series), but I have learned a great deal while doing it.
Kar, you are right, we get bored of the same story. Most authors I know, myself included, have interests in multiple genres and a muse gives what it gives and you take what you get. For instance, I am refining book 2 of my Infinity Verge series, but I had a new idea for a Fantasy/Medieval book called Bladesinger, which might become its own series.
To publish my first book it took me nearly a year, I expect it will be the same for Atlas: Infinity Verge II (near to anyway, I am shooting for August ’16). However, once I’ve finished Atlas, I know I’ll focus my remaining efforts on Bladesinger, which means that Book 3 of the Infinity Verge might be delayed by another 6 mo. to a year.
That being said, as a reader I completely understand. I love Joshua Dalzelle’s Omega Force series and I am eagerly awaiting his next installment, but he wrote another 3 book series, which I read, in the meantime. It can be frustrating for a reader, but I am so prolific at both reading and writing that I tend to re-read every book in a series before reading the newest.
I appreciate this post, though because it has given me a bit of perspective and while I may not start penning Ursidae: Infinity Verge III right away, I may just start it sooner.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you as well! We always appreciate the authors POV 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on In Other Worlds … and commented:
Interesting thoughts on Finishing Series and Starting new series.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The waiting game is sooo tedious I try not to start novels when only book one is out. I’ve started many novels and just refused to finish them until book 2 is out, or scheduled for release within the next 6 months. Of course this is sorta silly, but the book has to be amazing for me to finish it when the next book isn’t available. It’s like the wait for BBC’s Sherlock…not fun. Great post!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I totally get what you’re saying. It’s so hard reading one book and knowing that you will have to wait a whole year until you are able to read the next one. It’s even worse for me, because I live in Greece and have to order my books online, which translates to at least 15 more days of waiting. And anyway, come on! You KNOW the book is going to bring in serious money, publish it sooner! Dragging out the publication date only means that you will have less time to publish other books, which means that you are LOSING money!
LikeLiked by 1 person