When we are young, green writers, we ask ourselves: can I write a book?
But once you sort that out, a much different question shows up. Should it be a series? But wait — then you learn about “serial fiction.” Or maybe, you think your book is a one-off, a standalone. Hmm.
In this week’s episode, we talk about what those choices actually mean once you’re a working writer. Series can be powerful because readers fall in love with the world and keep coming back, which can mean more visibility (and money) from readers and platform algorithms. But writing the ninth book in a series feels very different from writing the first, and at some point you need to decide whether to continue because the world still excites you and the readers — or if one (or both) are getting burned out.
Standalones offer the opposite experience. You get the satisfaction of finishing a complete story and moving on, but they are notoriously harder to market in indie publishing where readers often want a long runway of books.
And then there are serials. You’ve probably heard of platforms like Wattpad, or maybe you’ve read a serial on Substack. We talk about writing fiction in installments, the adrenaline of publishing chapters as you go, and the strange mix of creative freedom and terror that comes from solving story problems in real time.
We also dig into world building, reader expectations, creative burnout, and why some genres naturally lean toward series while others do not. We talk about “whale readers,” the difference between TV-style episodic stories and serialized storytelling, and what happens when you try to force a series out of books that were never meant to live together.
If you’re trying to decide the shape of your next project, this episode explores the creative and business tradeoffs behind the options. As always, please leave us comments and questions — we would love to answer them here or on a future podcast!
Also, an addendum: the photo on this post is LL and Tara ten years ago, on LL’s birthday, back when the podcast wasn’t even a glimmer in our fertile imaginations.
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SUPPORT OUR BOOKS
* Find Tara’s books on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/stores/Tara-Lush/author/B00O5M5T5G
* Find LL’s books (available everywhere):https://llkirchner.com/books
Platforms & tools discussed
* Wattpad — A serial fiction site that can be wonderful for exploring serial fiction, getting feedback, and meeting new author friends (Disclosure: Tara Lush is published by an imprint of Wattpad Books)
* Patreon — Used by authors for serial fiction projects, one that can be easily monetized
* Ream — Another serial platform that allows authors to upload books and content and monetize. This one is especially good for authors with especially steamy content.
What we’re reading / listening to
Conviction — Denise Mina
When Things Fall Apart — Pema Chödrön
