When do you call it quits on a series?

Like so many authors here at LI, I have a series. Two, as a matter of fact. Each of them had a planned 3 books. One has reached 3, one has the third still to come.

So I find myself faced with a few problems. Originally I'd planned them as trilogies. But somewhere along the line, things got out of hand. Books I hadn't planned on when I first set my fingers on the keyboard have haunted my thoughts, niggling around in my backbrain, poking through the thin membrane of concept to emerge as fully realized scenes.

Writing what was supposed to be the third and final book in my medieval historical series has only led me to two short stories. Do they count as part of the series? Some of the same characters are in them, but they are novellas.

And in my contemporary paranormal series, fans keep asking "What's next?" And my feverishly creative brain answered them, all the while my calm cool brain replied, "That was supposed to be the end." And I do have the idea, the plot and the first chapter for the next one fully formed.

So much for the plans of mice, men and me.

But I'm faced with the question many professional atheletes, actors and TV shows have been faced with...Do I quit while I'm on top? Can what I do from this point in my series be as good, as funny, as emotional, as moving, as the last book?

Should I move on to the next project simmering on my back burner?

I think, for now, here's what I've decided. I'm writing those medieval novellas - the guys in them demand it of me and who am I to deny them? I might regret doing the fourth paranormal book, but what the hell, I'll just have to make sure it's really really good, that's all.

That's all.

Just keep getting better. Sure. No problem.

After all, it's what we, as writers, unconsciously do everytime we write a new story. Make it better than the last. Up our game. Stretch our writing chops.

So, continuing a series shouldn't be a problem, right? Only time, and sales, will tell.
Oh, and the readers. Yeah. They're definitely going to tell me if I didn't get it right.

Talk about pressure.



Lynn Lorenz