Today’s topic comes from QSFer Victroria Stagg Elliott:
What are the signs for writers and readers that it’s time for a series to end?
It’s a great question. As a reader, generally my answer is NEVER! when I’m really enjoying a series. But eventually series do tend to run into the ground. I remember watching the original Melrose place, and you knew it was done when the last possible combination of bed partners among the cast had been played out.
As a reader, we all hope that the author has a plan – that they know where this is going, and that if we invest our own time into the series, we’ll eventually be rewarded by a satisfying series conclusion. But as authors, we don’t always know where things are gonna go.
So my questions to you today – how do we, as writers and readers, know when it’s time to wrap things up? For the series writers out there, do you generally plan a set number of books/stories, or just keep going until sales flag? And for readers – what are the signs for you that a series is growing stale?