Ideal length for a series

[Writer61]

There has been some discussion about the ideal length of a story, but what about a series?

At the moment I have two series in progress, one with 2 parts and the other 8. I have story ideas that would take both to 10-12 instalments. Is this too many?

I know some people won't start a series until it is complete, and I find myself reluctant to start a series with many parts, although I don't have an exact number.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

A true "series" can be never-ending. Each complete story has a beginning, middle, and end; standing entirely on its own. Think of episodic television series that have run for years or decades.

This is not the case with stories that are continuous, and broken into chapters or parts. Those stories are the sum of their whole and depend upon all the individual parts to make them complete.

You have to decide which type of story you are writing.

 

[ElectricBlue]

There has been some discussion about the ideal length of a story, but what about a series?

At the moment I have two series in progress, one with 2 parts and the other 8. I have story ideas that would take both to 10-12 instalments. Is this too many?

I know some people won't start a series until it is complete, and I find myself reluctant to start a series with many parts, although I don't have an exact number.

You've not said how many words are in these series. Without that information, it's difficult to give you an answer.

They might run better as a standalone stories, not multiple parts.

What people also forget, is that in six months or a year the question becomes irrelevant, because (one assumes) the whole thing will be published, and it really doesn't matter how many individual bits you've got.

 

[Writer61]

You have to decide which type of story you are writing.

Definitely episodic.

 

[StillStunned]

Here on Lit, anywhere between 10 and 12 inches.

 

[Writer61]

You've not said how many words are in these series. Without that information, it's difficult to give you an answer.

The first series (8 episodes) averages 3.5k each, and probably about the same for the rest. The second (2 episodes so far + 1 almost finished) will be 15k ish, but I expect it to come down with later instalments.

Both feature the same lead character; the series group together stories from specific periods of his life.

 

[ElectricBlue]

The first series (8 episodes) averages 3.5k each, and probably about the same for the rest. The second (2 episodes so far + 1 almost finished) will be 15k ish, but I expect it to come down with later instalments.

Both feature the same lead character; the series group together stories from specific periods of his life.

I'd publish those stories as standalone, single stories. Your chapter lengths in the first series are a single Lit page, which is very short, in the grand scheme of things. 15k with future chapters shrinking in size is a novella, which on Lit can easily get good traction as a single submission.

 

[MrPixel]

I mostly write a "TV show" - an episodic series of 8-10K words each. It's going to keep going until management cancels it for poor ratings.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I'd publish those stories as standalone, single stories. Your chapter lengths in the first series are a single Lit page, which is very short, in the grand scheme of things. 15k with future chapters shrinking in size is a novella, which on Lit can easily get good traction as a single submission.

You also have the option of publishing each story as a standalone, then putting them together into a collection using the series feature.

 

[PrimalDual]

It all depends on why you feel you need a dozen installments to get the job done. So many multi-part series I run across contain "Oh, I love you so much!" "I love you too" as the main motif in each story. I don't get it. If there is a progression over time, then do it - one of my two series was in that vein of portraying growth (the hard way) - and in all honesty it's the work here I'd have the most trouble defending.

Or if you are displaying a dozen different aspects of a character's, um, character, then make it really sharp. Answer the reader's question - "why am I reading Part 2 now that I've already finished Part 1?"

Are the characters you've created (or whatever is important about the story arc) really worth the investment of the reader's time that 50,000 total words (say) demands?

From what I skim/scan at the site, the answer is usually No.

But then, I got tired of the Marvel Universe movies after about the first two installments, so I am hardly Everyman. My wife dragged me to Mission:Impossible yesterday. (My capsule review: "Mission: Preposterous". Same as the last time.) At least it was on an IMAX screen - all the special effects were top-notch. But, ugh. I was grateful for the inevitable countdown clock in the final, climactic scene - "at least this will be over soon."

 

[PrimalDual]

Here on Lit, anywhere between 10 and 12 inches.

Some even go to 30 cm or more.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Definitely episodic.

I have two series currently published on Lit.

The first one, "Before They Were Stars" are each stand alone stories with no shared characters or settings. They share a common theme, that being famous women and their sexual exploits before they became famous.

The second series, "Uncle Sugar Daddy" is more episodic, since it has the same characters, settings, and themes. Just a different plot for each.