What are the advantages and
disadvantages of series or standalones?
Many mystery readers enjoy
series because they like following a particular protagonist. But series also
run the risk of going stale. I’ve heard readers comment on how they followed a
series for a while but then became disenchanted. Some authors have also said
they became tired of their protagonist.
I have written a variety of
books because I’m interested in exploring different situations with unique
characters. Paul Jacobson and I spent many happy years together, but I also
wanted to try my hand at a non-fiction book (The Best Chicken Thief in All of Europe), a paranormal mystery (The V V Agency), a historical mystery (Murder on the Switzerland Trail), a
theater mystery (Mystery of the Dinner
Playhouse), a thriller (The Tesla
Legacy), and most recently a professional organizer mystery (Unstuff Your Stuff).
When I started the first
book in the Paul Jacobson series (Retirement
Homes Are Murder) I wasn’t thinking about a series but only telling a
specific story. But as I got into it, I discovered that it could bridge into
additional stories. All of my other novels lend themselves to becoming series,
but I also want to continue to pursue different characters and writing
challenges.
That’s the beauty of
writing. There’s no one way to do it.
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