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How and when to end a series

3/10/2018

23 Comments

 
​I get a lot of questions about why I end a series, or if I have a plan from the start.
The answer is: Sometimes.
Sometimes I do have a plan, like with Aisling Grimlock. I always knew how the series would end. That being said, I wasn’t quite sure how many books it would shake out to be and even after I realized when “the end” was coming, that allowed me to think outside the box and come up with the spinoff series, which will involve all the original players as they interact with a new heroine (more on that series later).
With Covenant College, I originally thought it was going to be eight books. I was going to do one book for each semester and that was it. I realized pretty quickly that it was too hard to find story for semesters and that’s when I switched over to covering one school year (like Harry Potter with a way more snark).
After I wrapped up the series, I thought that was it. Then I had ideas for the two trilogies. Even though the series was never a huge seller, I decided to do the two event series and I’m happy with how things wrapped up. I’ve gotten a few messages since asking if I plan to spin-off to Sami, but honestly, I don’t see that happening. The Covenant folks will appear in crossovers, but that’s it.
The other series are all open. That essentially means I will keep writing as long as:
1. I have stories I want to tell.
2. Fans are still enjoying the series.
3. Sales are holding steady.
While I would like to say money doesn’t play into it, that’s not true. If a series stops selling, then it will end. I try to pump up my series with advertising as much as I can, which is always helpful, but advertising is a double-edged sword. Finding effective advertising is difficult and then securing that advertising isn’t easy. That’s why authors are always so worried about reviews. We need a specific number and rating to secure advertising, and while readers might not consider three stars a negative review, advertisers do. In fact, anything less than four stars works against authors and it’s become a thing. Readers often think authors are always begging for reviews because of ego but it’s really for advertising purposes because it’s a competitive market out there.
So, how long will my current series last? Good question.
Charlie Rhodes and Moonstone Bay are new, so they’ll be around for years.
Reaction to the most recent Avery Shaw makes me believe that it’s best to start thinking about an exit strategy. So, that will probably mean three more books. I was hoping to figure out a way to keep adding to Avery Shaw for a long time (years and years), but I don’t know how feasible that is going to be. The thing with Avery is, though, she doesn’t need a “big” ending. That means I can essentially keep the series open and add books here and there without sticking to a fixed schedule. Nothing is decided yet, but I will be giving it a lot of thought going forward and readers should probably brace themselves that either the series will end or there will only be one entry a year going forward (after 2018, you will still get a second book this year).
For Wicked Witches of the Midwest, we’re looking at some changes there, too. I get a lot of grief for the fantasies (I mean … a lot) and while I enjoy them, a lot of people hate them. I will stick to the schedule and release a second fantasy this year but going forward, it’s likely there will only be one fantasy a year to go with the two mysteries.
As for my pen name, Rowan Gray is a set story and will be nine total books. There are two more books in the Maddie Graves series and then she will be in crossovers, but that’s it. Ivy and Harper are sticking around for a bit, but they won’t continue forever. I came up with the crossover concept to keep the characters alive even after a series ends, though, so those characters could carry on for a very long time. New series will be coming in whenever a series ends, though, which creates even more crossover opportunities.
In truth, I have a lot of series I want to write. You would be stunned if you saw my computer desktop. We’re talking completed covers and outlines, and a lot of excitement. Making decisions on when to end a series isn’t easy, but it’s also exciting because it means I can bring a new series into the mix. It’s exceedingly difficult to find the correct balance on this stuff, though. That’s why I basically look at sales, reviews and fan reaction when making the decisions.
So, that’s it. I will let you know when something is going to end, and I will never leave a series hanging without an ending. That’s not how I roll. I will always craft an exit for each series because I’ve been burned by series ending without notice and I hate that.
So, it’s not happening here.
Basically that’s it, though. I am always watching and considering the next move to make.
Thank you for reading.
 
23 Comments
Kerry
3/18/2018 08:24:47 am

Thanks for the update, I always love these blog posts! While it's always tough to see a series end, I think it's better to have it go out on a high note than to let it get stale.

I think 3 more books for Avery makes sense, and I'm excited to see how things will end there.

I'm sad to see Maddie Graves go, but I know it can't last forever.
I enjoy the fantasies, but I will admit that sometimes it can seem like a lot of witches between the mysteries, shorts (even though those are taking a break), and fantasies.

I am really enjoying Rowan and hope she will continue to appear after her 9 books.

I love the Grim stories and can't wait to see what happens! Really looking forward to all of the new series too!

I have to admit that the Hardy Brothers Security series was by far my favorite of yours. I will always hold out hope that they may pop up again!

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Mary Lee link
6/15/2018 09:33:37 pm

I want to start off saying I absolutely LOVE the cover for your new Grim series coming up!

I actually came to your website to find out if you were ever going to end your series. I am a series binger. I won’t touch a book in a series until it’s complete. You would be amazed how many of us series binge readers there are. These days everyone and their sister writes series. Finding a book that isn’t a series is darn near as hard as a sighting a unicorn. If you read a few books a week, all those open series get really confusing and you forget more than you remember. It’s information overload these days and my brain just can’t handle a bunch of unfinished series. Instead I get to sit down and spend quality time with a series and not miss or forget a thing. It’s something many authors don’t realize. There are a lot of us out there, so finishing a series may actually increase your sales of the entire series instead of a single book. Just be sure to put that this is the series final book in the description or you’ll miss that boost in sales.

Oh and even though you will be finishing the grim series but then starting up the death series, they really are the same series with a new heroine so I won’t read any until the death is done too. That’s the pitfall of jump off series. I could read from now, but then forget all the backstory and characters by the time death finished and not be able to appreciate it near as much. I’m all about character connection, which drives my series binge reading habit too. I do follow you, so I hope to find some series ending soon. Since none have actually ended yet, I haven’t read anything by you, but they all look good.

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Melissa
6/24/2018 10:34:15 am

Mary,

The Covenant college series has ended, and while they do show up in another series, it's only a small supporting role.

And if you check out her pen name, the Hardy Brothers series has ended as well.

Hope that helps!
Melissa

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Lisa Godfrey
6/28/2018 07:13:49 pm

I always enjoy your stories, Amanda, but I'm curious about the connection between you & Lily Harper Hart (whose stories I'm now enjoying). I started noticing the similarities in styles (a turn of phrase, a street in Avery Shaw's world, Macomb County). What is the connection? If the answer is somewhere in this blog, I apologize but it's late and I've been binge reading Harper. Avery is my absolute favorite - I read and read the series a couple of times and still laugh.

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Tiffany Brown
6/29/2018 09:15:36 am

This is one of her pen names. I enjoy the books under this pen name as well!

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Tiffany Brown
6/29/2018 09:17:35 am

Not sure where else to put this, so apologies for the placement, BUT I was excited to see that book 2 in the Moonstone Bay series was live on Amazon but surprised to see that it's paperback only. Any chance this will be released for Kindle soon?

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Paula
9/2/2018 06:17:33 pm

Your stories are so good- and I like the ideas of cross overs. I found the Covenant series first and I think it is my favorite. So then I had to read them all. While I have enjoyed them, I almost couldn’t make it through Moonstone Bay. Clove and Landon- I mean Aisling and and Griffin- I mean Hadley and Galen almost got to me- it was like I knew exactly what was going to happen because I had already read it in your other serries. I do want to ask- why are all of your heroines the same - personality-wise, snark-wise as well as the skeptic boyfriend and how the relationship starts out. With all of your great ideas and stories, I can tell that you have so much imagination. Please give the couples more of their own personalities. Thanks

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Amanda
9/2/2018 06:29:25 pm

What is it exactly you want to see? I don't ever see an end to the snark, so if that's what you want, I think you're going to be sadly disappointed. I work eighty hours a week to get everything done, try to make everyone happy, and I do my best. Sadly, I apparently do a crappy job of it.

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Lauren Starr
7/30/2020 09:54:35 am

You are doing fantastic! And for the record, you can't please everyone, so please yourself first.

I like the couples, Landon is a bacon loving, freaking pervert where Bay is concerned. But Tillie is always entertaining. Only stories I had issues with flow wise, were the mom's. They are so predictable. You kept them true to their personalities, which is why I sorta was expecting the outcomes. Their daughter's are still settling, so there's still chaos. lol

As for Griffin, he's a rocky outside with a marshmallow inside. Also love the spin off, I'd miss the family if I couldn't get a peek at them now and then. I love the interactions with Lilly & everyone too. I'd love to someday read about her preteen tirades. lol

Booker, Galen & Hadley, there aren't like the others, all these characters have their own personalities. True, some are similar, but it's not unusual. They each have their own quirks, likes, dislikes so I really don't get why the poster couldn't differentiate between the characters. She even put Clove with Landon... really? She's with Sam, can't she keep the couples straight at all?

Don't let others derail your creativity... You're doing an incredible job with all these series. Stay true to your vision, always.

Jason
10/4/2018 01:54:34 pm

I understand about ending series. but with that said, could you think about doing a short story featuring Jerry from Grimm? I think we only see one side (and I understand he is used in a specific way in the long stories as a side piece), but he is a bakery owner and it would be nice to see him shine as a star....perhaps the wraiths come along him at work where he has to fend them off and keep it quiet from his store employees and customers until Aiden and Ainsling save the day- but perhaps he actually takes one out with a silver cake server...

but I would not be sad if you had other ideas.

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Toni Jean Thompson
12/11/2020 06:41:52 am

There is a Jerry short story called Jerry Takes Charge. Actually there is one from each of the characters perspective.

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Patricia
10/15/2018 09:36:56 pm

I've enjoyed Wicked Witches of the Midwest, Moonstoone Bay and others but my all time favorite is the Mystic Caravan series. I'm so addicted and never want it to end!

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Stephen Blake
10/17/2018 08:09:50 pm

No, no, don't end Avery! She's my favourite fiction character.

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https://resumesservicesreview.com/resumewritinglab-com-review/ link
12/4/2018 11:26:55 pm

Writing a series will always keep you hooked. It's totally a dilemma when and how to end it. If you are a writer and you are so passionate on the said stuff, you would know that writing a piece, may it be a novel, book, or a series is challenging. The biggest challenge on writing a material for series is the fact on when to cut the story. You need to have a substance when it comes to cutting the story. It should not be abrupt, intimidating, and unreasonable. As much as possible, you need to give your readers the ending that they deserve so they don't have something to complain about your writing skills!

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Karen
12/6/2018 09:58:59 pm

I've loved the Avery Shaw books, I would be sad to see them end. I started with the Wicked Witches of the Midwest and enjoyed them a lot. I started the Avery Shaw books as a way to pass time before more Midwest booked were released thinking why not it will pass the time but now find that I would rather read Avery Shaw stories over the Midwest books. She is really relatable and her stories suck me in making me never want to put down the books down. I can't wait to see what crazy stuff she will do next. Your a great writer and I've enjoyed everything I have read so far. Keep it coming!

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Nancy
2/18/2019 12:11:04 pm

I found the Midwest series first and it’s the only one I’ve read, so far. I hope it doesn’t end because the family dynamic among the cousins and Tillie is what keeps me laughing.

In particular, I really like the character and ability development path you’ve put Bay on, recently. Looking forward to seeing where it goes.

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Steve McSheffrey
4/25/2019 08:40:59 pm

I know what you mean by ideas. I don't have your discipline for writing but I keep getting ideas! I even have one of what I'd do if Charlie Rhodes' series needed revamping!

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Tina
7/19/2019 05:19:19 am

I just recently found your books & I'm absolutely obsessively in love with the Wicked Witches series, please never stop writing them! The characters are so fully formed & I feel like them I know them personally. ❤

You are a fantastic writer & I'm excited to start the other books!

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Vicki Greer
8/4/2019 08:14:19 pm

Can you give us an idea of when the ext Wicked Witches of the Midwest mystery will be released? I'm almost to the end of the published books, and I need my Aunt Tillie, Landon and Bay fix!

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Janie Fitzpatrick
10/2/2019 06:04:17 pm

I’ve been enjoying all of your books. My particular favorite is Avery. Frankly I enjoy them all. Your hard work is appreciated by my household. We often revisit by repeat listening to different series especially before a new release. Thank you again for your entertaining brand of snark. Regards, Janie

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2/7/2021 07:20:47 am

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Virginia A Prochnow
2/11/2021 12:44:21 pm

Re: Crossovers

I have been wondering ever since I have read some of the crossovers, what would happen if Zoe and Aunt Tellie met?
Both of them are extremely powerful and very determined to get their own way. They may blow up the world if they went toe to toe.

Virginia Prochnow

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Linyeve
3/27/2022 04:19:03 am

Is there a list somewhere of all of your books in timeline order including the crossovers? I'll be reading a book and then realize I should have read another one first.

Thank you for your hard work writing all of these wonderful books.

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    Author

    When I was a kid, I was torn between whether or not I was going to grow up and be the Incredible Hulk or Wonder Woman. I flirted with being a Jedi Knight for awhile, but I wasn't up for the intense travel associated with the gig. In my teens, I settled on being a writer -- although I had no idea the effort that would entail.
    Not only am I a writer now, but I'm a writer in several different mediums. I'm a longtime newspaper reporter, an avid reader and a voracious science fiction fanatic.

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