Who among us is attending the 2018 American Christian Fiction Writers conference here in Nashville this weekend?
It’s been several years since I’ve attended, and I’m really looking forward to seeing people I haven’t seen in a while—and to soaking up workshops on writing, of course. Because there’s always more to learn. But really? I just love being with everyone. Chatting, catching up. Because writing can be a lonely profession. Yet it doesn’t have to be.
Along that vein, I have the fabulous honor of co-moderating a panel on Saturday afternoon with Deb Raney and awesome panelists Lynn Huggins Blackburn, Lynette Eason, Jody Hedlund, and Karen Witemeyer! The topic? Writing in Community!
(Lovely graphic design by Ms. Raney)
Writing in Community Panel
Saturday, Sept. 22, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Hermitage D (Gaylord Opryland)
Must be a registered conference attendee to attend
In our panel, we’ll discuss ways to build community and how doing that can make a HUGE difference in the life of a writer! Especially if you’re an extrovert! I’m just sayin’…
Earlier that morning, I’m teaching a class on writing novels in a series (versus standalone books). Out of the sixteen books I’ve written to date, only one of them is a standalone novel (The Inheritance). And shhhh, but even then, I wrote that story with two more possible books in mind. Someday I’d love to write them!
I’ve got my class ready to go, but as I was reviewing notes last night I started wondering…
Why does a reader choose to read novels in a series versus standalone novels?
What draws a reader to read a series of novels? Is it the setting? The characters? The premise that threads the novels together?
Do you have a preference in reading standalone novels versus novels in a series?
Do you have a favorite series? (Me? I’ve long enjoyed Francine Rivers’ The Mark of the Lion series and have read the novels several times through.)
If you have a minute, I’d love your input!
Finally, we have SIX SLOTS LEFT for the Southern Mansion Reader Weekend! If you’ve been thinking about joining us, now’s the time!
So grateful we’re in community together here,
Tammy
SIX slots left!
Learn more!
I’m beyond excited about this special weekend! Kelsey, my daughter, is helping me put the final touches on the plans. And oh, are we going to have fun! I hope to see you there!
Tamera Alexander
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My reason for wanting to read series is that once I discover an author I love and fall in love with his/her characters (and sometimes the setting) it’s so sad to turn that last page and think that you’ve seen the last of those “friends” or driven away from a place that has begun to feel like home. Because characters in a wonderful novel truly do feel like friends. Even when I read series where each book has a new hero/heroine, when a character from earlier book(s) in the series makes a cameo appearance, it feels like I’ve just run into a long-lost friend in the grocery store and I just want to squeal and hug their neck! 🙂
LOVE the comparison to running into a friend at the grocery store! I feel the very same way about seeing those characters again.
See you SOON! (And how fun to say that!)
Is it just me or is it rare for authors to write stand-alone novels these days? It feels like somewhere along the way, series became the new normal. One of my all time favorite authors only writes stand-alone novels and I love every single one. Here’s why: Her books are LONG so while I don’t have multiple books to get lost in, I do have 500+ glorious pages in which to get lost in the characters and their setting. I guess the length makes up for the fact that it’s not a series. When it comes to series, there’s nothing better than stumbling upon an author whose entire series is already out so they can be binge read! I think we all know the torture of having to wait a year (or {gasp} several years!) in between books. I think the draw of a series for me is that it’s like coming home after a trip when there’s a gap between releases. It’s that feeling of knowing the characters and not having to get to know someone new (introverts know the kind of dread that comes from having to meet new people!). You can dive right back into their world and you’re comfortable walking around without a guide! I always say, “Give me a witty character, and I’ll follow her anywhere!” There are just some characters that become so real that the idea of leaving them behind fills me with grief!
Love this, Joy: “…it’s like coming home after a trip when there’s a gap between releases. It’s that feeling of knowing the characters and not having to get to know someone new (introverts know the kind of dread that comes from having to meet new people!).”
I love that! Well put! Thanks for sharing.
P.S. I so agree on falling in love with a series and then having to wait. So. Hard.
I love to read both stand alones and series! If a story is good, then I’ve always liked for it to be intricate and long as well. I cherish series because they provide such a deep, rich dive into a group of characters and their setting. If I’ve fallen in love with the people and their place in the world, then I can’t wait to return again and again. A stand alone, no matter how excellent, just doesn’t have the word count that a series does, so while I can know a few people really well in a stand alone, I can’t know a large cast of people really well. A series makes that possible.
Yes, Becky, so true. And one of the reasons I enjoy writing a series. That said, there’s SOOO much detail to keep up with when writing a series that writing a standalone also holds appeal. : )
I love reading both stand alone and series novels. I believe the connection of the characters draws me to a series. I want to know more about the minor characters and what happens to them. And I love that I already know much about their backstory before the novel begins. See you at ACFW in Nashville!
Yay on seeing you soon, Cele! And yes on those characters. That’s why I love series. The depth of characters!
I like both stand alones and series. For me the draw to the series is the characters. I feel like I’m part of the family/friends and enjoy getting to know them a little more deeply with each book. But I also like a one and done book if it’s well written and can draw me in quickly and hold my attention. I know that it will usual conclude with all the ends tied up which may or may not happen with a series. Some of my favorite series are:
* Age of Faith – Tamara Leigh
* Discarded Heroes & Tox Files – Ronie Kendig
* Christiansen Family – Susan May Warren
* Chesapeake Valor – Dani Pettrey
* Bradford Sisters – Becky Wade
* The Daughters of Boston – Julie Lessman
* Legacy of the King’s Pirates – MaryLu Tyndall
Agree, Amy. The characters become like family and seeing them again is, well, like a visit with a dear loved one.
GREAT series list, too! Don’t you love that there are so many excellent series to choose from!
I love to read series books, ‘cause I love to follow a story and characters I loved further. I don’t know that I have a preference between series or standalone.
I definitely have several favorite series; Chronicles of Narnia (Lewis), Ahstown Burials (N.D. Wilson), Ladies of the Manor (Roseanna M. White), the first 3 DragonKeeper Chronicles (Donita K. Paul), and my childhood favorite Abby: South Seas Adventures (Pamella Walls).
So true, Bree. And yes on Lewis! High on my favorite series list too. He and Tolkien. Brilliant.
I love to read a series. For me it ties up all the loose ends of each chartacter. I enjoy a deeper inside into the main characters. Lately I’ve been waiting till all the books are available so I can enjoy the full series one right after another. Don’t get me wrong I love a good stand alone novel as well. Thank you to all the Christian writers and the wide range of plots.
I can understand that, Susan. I have several readers who have told me up front that while they may buy the books in a series as they release, they don’t start reading them until ALL the books are out. Talk about patience! ; }
I honestly don’t have a preference between stand-alone novels or series. But I will only invest in a series if I get attached to the characters or story line. One of my favorite things about a series is getting to re-visit characters I’ve gotten attached too. I will also read a series or stand-alone if I love the author’s stories. I’m pretty author faithful.
I love that phrase, Brittaney. “Author faithful.” What an honor to bestow a writer. While I’ll readily try new authors (looking for that next “Oh! What a great writer” experience), I’m that way too. Win me over and I’ll follow you anywhere. But if that first book is disappointing, for whatever reason, then I’m somewhat hesitant to read that author again. Or to continue reading that series.
That said, we all realize how subjective reading is. My favorite book of all time is someone else’s “ho hum.” Go figure…
Hi! Not attending ACFW, but it’s on my bucket list in a future year!
I really love a good series. It’s lovely to follow a terrific secondary character from Book 1 and see that character’s progression through a series! A great example is Sarah Sundin’s Kay Jobson, whose story comes to a satisfying conclusion in “In Perfect Time.” (And hey, let’s all admit a series provides great marketing opportunities for publishers …).
I must add, however, that I cannot miss the fabulous Laura Frantz, who writes standalones (the exception being her Ballantyne Legacy series). She just keeps getting better and better.
Have a wonderful conference!
I love it when authors take compelling secondary characters and bring them center stage, too. And oh yes on the marketing opps for publishers. And for writers who are going it indie. Series are excellent in that regard. Thanks for sharing, Janice!
Also, Janice… I hope to see you at ACFW one day soon! ; )
I like both. I don’t usually search for books in a series, but if I really like the characters and the writing, I enjoy reading more in the same series. Sometimes a very long series can be off-putting because of the major time investment. If a long series is already out, then I feel like I’m already way behind. But three is a good number in a series, though I have enjoyed some that were longer.
My all-time favorite are Jan Karon’s Mitford series and Dee Henderson’s O’Malley series. I enjoyed Francine Rivers’ Mark of the Lion series a great deal as well as many others.
But sometimes it’s nice to enjoy a standalone novel, too, and have the story contained there start to finish without feeling like I have unfinished business to attend to.
Great series mentions, Barbara! Yes to Jan’s and Dee’s novels. And Francine’s. So. Good. And I agree on the r-e-a-l-l-y long series. You can get to feeling as though you’re falling behind. Especially when each book is nearly 200,000 words! That’s a lot of reading.
Yes, also, to the standalone novel for that sense of completion. I’m reading a book right now—Becoming Mrs. Lewis—that releases in October. It’s a standalone and oh, oh, oh…is it phenomenal. Truly a work of art! More on that book next time! ; )
Thanks for sharing, Barbara!
I love both series and standalone books. I enjoy the continuity and revisiting old friends and places in a series. And yes, it’s hard to wait for the next book to come out! That’s one advantage of a standalone.
I’m envious of those who are going to ACFW this week! I’m not a writer, but I so enjoyed going to CFRR last year and meeting so many amazing authors and so many reading and Facebook friends in person. It was fantastic–such a joy!
Your panel sound wonderful! Enjoy your week!
Would LOVE 💕 to be there!! Somehow I’m not in the loop about this event. How do I get in the loop? And is it always in Nashville?
Oh, your question about series vs stand-alone books. I guess for me it depends on the author and the subject matter, e.g., historical or biblical fiction.
We have a lot of series books in the Church Library. They are by Guideposts and Annie’s Fiction.
I enjoy reading series fiction because I can’t wait to see what happens next even though I have to wait awhile for the next book to come out.
Hope this helps.
Whoops, I’ve just confused this with the Christian Fiction readers retreat or whatever the proper name is. I’m not an author so would not qualify to be at this one!🤪
I love both series and stand alones, but as someone else mentioned, the series has to hook me from the start. I find that I often alternate between a series and stand alone. There are several series that have been recommended to me, and I’m trying to work my way through them, so I take a break if they are continuing series. While I’m attached to each series that I read, I also find that I am coming to enjoy series that have a set number of books. Those can be easier to manage if you’re already involved in continuing series. Some of the series I enjoy have an ensemble cast, with a number of returning characters.
My favorite genre is historical fiction, so I gravitate to those books. I also like mystery, so a combination of mystery and history is great. I really enjoyed your Belmont Mansion series. Another powerful series of four books is one written by Liz Curtis Higgs that begins with Thorn in My Heart. A continuing ensemble series that I enjoy is Tasha Alexander’s Lady Emily series.
I’m sure your wring panel will be wonderful.
During my lifetime of reading, I have read books in many different genres from Science Fiction and Fantasy, to Biography, Regency, Romance, fast past Thriller, Mystery and Detective. If it is a Good Book, I like to read the series. The author, the characters, the setting are already like friends. But, it doesn’t matter much if I read the books in sequence. However if it is a Great Book, I will buy the next book as soon as I finish that first book, usually around 2 am. Thank you Amazon! Right now, I am mostly reading Sweet Romance in any time and place.
I read both series and individual/stand-alone novels. When I read series, I like to start from the 1st book and read in order. Plus continuity! If a character refers to an event from earlier in the series, I don’t have to wonder what’s the backstory on that detail.
Oh, I’ve enjoyed the Lady Emily mysteries by Tasha Alexander. The newest and 13th installment “Uneasy Lies the Crown” will be out next month!
Liz Curtis Higgs wrote a duet “Here Burns My Candle” and “Mine is the Night”: the story takes place in 18th century Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands.
Like others, I like both genre and have found both good and bad writing in series fiction and in stand-alones. A series truly lets a person get to know favorite characters well and a good writer leaves just enough unsaid to make you come back again and again. And there are so many really good series out there – both Christian and secular! But the flip side is an author like Charles Martin, who writes the most wonderful stand-alones that are impossible to put down. So I say – keep both coming! As we often say -so many books, so little time!
Hello Tamera! I equally enjoy series and standalone novels. With series I tend to prefer 3-4 books rather than longer series. However, one of my favorite series is a longer one – Zion Covenant by Brock and Bodie Thoene. Another favorite series is Lowlands of Scotland by Liz Curtis Higgs.
Enjoy the ACFW conference!