tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post5486236115361830722..comments2024-03-25T09:56:16.164+00:00Comments on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure: But Seriesly... - John DoughertyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-62489406381778247262010-05-21T09:30:23.751+01:002010-05-21T09:30:23.751+01:00Glittery boggarts! Remember, I thought of it first...Glittery boggarts! Remember, I thought of it first...Cathy Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03838615971611193743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-9921911818797376992010-05-21T09:26:57.181+01:002010-05-21T09:26:57.181+01:00I really want to write about Vampire Fairies - it&...I really want to write about Vampire Fairies - it's a brilliant concept! Twee, twinkly . . .and deadly . . <br /><br />LindaLindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13912774665400125173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-79933575030064240402010-05-21T08:48:16.555+01:002010-05-21T08:48:16.555+01:00It sends the wrong message to emerging readers,als...It sends the wrong message to emerging readers,also, that books always have to be part of something longer and can't just be stand alone and complete. I've nothing against book series but do sympathise with this gripe!Miriam Halahmyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04935448538608020877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-85496581046892142672010-05-20T18:48:58.899+01:002010-05-20T18:48:58.899+01:00So true, John! I noticed this as a bookseller, too...So true, John! I noticed this as a bookseller, too. And then there's the sequels-to-classics phenomenon. <br />Hmm, Treasure Archipelago sounds quite good, though...Leilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02890097085059764567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-86179046153075454422010-05-20T18:17:34.600+01:002010-05-20T18:17:34.600+01:00Katherine, I suspect you're writing series for...Katherine, I suspect you're writing series for an target audience for which the publishers <i>don't</i> want series.<br /><br />There are so many ways of not winning!John Doughertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11937505376169411724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-47303404759322093742010-05-20T15:15:39.538+01:002010-05-20T15:15:39.538+01:00John, let me know the names of those publishers, b...John, let me know the names of those publishers, because I WANT to do some series fiction!!! (My refusals are more along the lines of "X books are a lot to ask a publisher to commit to... can we just make it one?")<br /><br />Ideally, though, I think the story should dictate the form, not the other way around. Some stories make obvious series projects, whereas others cry out to be stand alone novels. I don't think you can force it. Planned sequels are fine, but sequels written (or more likely filmed) only because the first one was a runaway success are nearly always a disappointment.Katherine Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17196712319655603442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-51098667497592951232010-05-20T15:02:41.846+01:002010-05-20T15:02:41.846+01:00AAARRGH!AAARRGH!Nick Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11307045090887391553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-69987911775174488322010-05-20T13:56:04.258+01:002010-05-20T13:56:04.258+01:00I think there's only one way to sort out this ...I think there's only one way to sort out this rivalry between series fiction and stand alone.<br /><br />As Harry Hill would say<br /><br />FIGHT!!!Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06677754304058294713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-83323895147727259602010-05-20T13:10:51.558+01:002010-05-20T13:10:51.558+01:00Of course you're absolutely right, John. I won...Of course you're absolutely right, John. I wonder whether the publishers' argument is even that sound in purely financial terms. If you have a successful series, that's one thing - but what if you lay out a big advance for a trilogy, only to have the first book bomb? Haven't you then committed yourself to a money sink?<br /><br />And there are bound to be readers (like me) who have a special fondness for writers who do something different every time, like Geraldine McCaughrean and Frances Hardinge. What are we to do?Cathy Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03838615971611193743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-52556645729176036982010-05-20T13:05:48.861+01:002010-05-20T13:05:48.861+01:00The first comment, which refers to Roald Dahl, see...The first comment, which refers to Roald Dahl, seems particularly ridiculous - surely nearly all Dahl's books were stand alone stories? (I can only think of the two Charlie books as the exception).Juliettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00203399623895589924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-14191044547699908932010-05-20T12:56:24.928+01:002010-05-20T12:56:24.928+01:00I agree with you, John. Children should have acces...I agree with you, John. Children should have access to a full range of styles and formats. Most of our classic novels are stand-alones. Unfortunately this seems to be yet another example of the finance department over-powering editorial decisions.Rosalind Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05363027308436257933noreply@blogger.com