I’m going for irony here even though it just took me a few attempts to spell it correctly. I just put out my first e-book (check my store please) and I looked at my list of ‘thought’ topics. I saw that I had ‘writing endings’ on the list and my mind flew into action. Well, it flew to the thought of needing food first and then to writing this. I’m rather exhausted, but this is the only time I have to write this, so please bear (bare?) with me on this one.
I once got into an anime series called Inuyasha and I thoroughly enjoyed it. That is until I realized that it just wouldn’t end. Every ‘season’ had the heroes scrambling for a new power or item that could kill the main villain, but every climactic finale showed that the villain was either immune to it or had a back-up body. After the fifth time, I decided that Inuyasha was a waste of time and I moved on. A few friends stayed with it a little longer and our friendship was never the same.
This is when I learned that a series is not forever. In fact, it shouldn’t be forever because you’ll eventually run out of ideas. You may even lose good ideas for other series because of your refusal to leave the successful series. Yes, there are some mediums that can go for a really long time, but you have to be very talented and have very good characters for that. It’s incredibly rare outside of comics and even then you get a little tired of Spider-Man vs. Doctor Octopus Round 4,821. There’s also Law & Order, which I consider a freak of nature that will be around long after humanity is gone. The characters will be played by mutated, hyper-intelligent cockroaches (and Charlie Sheen because he can’t be killed), but the series will continue.
Even this had an ending, people.
For novelists, I think we really do have to accept the fact that we need to end a series before people are begging for it to stop. I’ve heard a vocal minority feel that ‘Games of Thrones’ is never going to end, which has them worried that it will lose its luster. If that is the case then it would be a shame because you never want to go out on a ‘thank god it’s over’ note. I’m sure we can all think of something that went for longer than it should have. You want to go out as great and leave them clamoring for more, but in a way that doesn’t include plot holes and an ambiguous ending. The goal should be an ending with closure and a sense that every character’s story has come to a close. If you really want to keep it going then create a few minor characters to take over a differently named series. Spin-offs are allowed if done right.
My point of all this is to have a plan to end at the top and not try to squeeze every drop of attention out of a series. You could leave it a husk that might not survive very long after you leave it to its own devices. Word would spread that the series drags on, which is not a compliment. Personally, I have Legends of Windemere plotted out of 15 books, each with a special plot along with the main plot. 15 might be pushing it, so I admit to taking a risk with this series. Yet, I still have an ending, which I recommend to authors having at least a few possible endings. It can also help focus your plot along the way and avoid any plot paths that go nowhere.
I think I had more on this, but the coffee has worn off, the adrenaline has faded, and I have just enough time for a nap before errands. Feel free to discuss and then buy Beginning of a Hero by using the links in the Legends of Windemere store . . . was that too much? I felt like it was too much.
Legends of Windemere 
Both in reading and writing, there are few things more exhausting than a never ending series. I think you really hit the nail on the head here!
I rarely keep interest with a series after 5 books. Darren Shan’s two series (12 books and 10 books) were interesting. The 10 book one, The Demonata, lost my interest around book 7. His 12 book one, The Darren Shan Saga, kept my interest until the end. I would re-read that series again and again. The Harry Potter series lost me at book 5, funnily when it actually developed a proper plot.
My own fantasy series that I intend to finish at some point (Book 1 has it’s first draft but that’s about it) is planned to be 7 books long.
So I definitely think the quality of each book’s plot and characters, as you say, is integral to a long series. It sounds like you have that in Legends of Windemere. Self-contained stories are essential in a series. But every series has to end.
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My wife is into the Demonata series, but she’s a reader who will be excited until the end of whatever she starts. She’s gets pretty into it too.
Legends of Windemere started as a 10 book, but then a few other ideas crept up. I had some supporting characters that deserved a book to share their side-adventure, which was integral to the plot. I had a main character whose background was never explored. The difficult thing is that it’s based off a game that devolved into basic dungeon crawling. This is where the heroes enter a place of traps, monsters, and magic to get an item. There were 6 temples (one for each champion), which were essential to the overall plot. I can’t figure out a way to get rid of them, so I made main stories that lead up to them. One contains a kidnapped hero, one is needed to heal a hero, one is at the center of a feud, one is part of a royal trial, one is corrupted, and the other . . . is a secret. 🙂 So, 6 books will end with dungeon wandering, but I’m hoping to make it interesting. I also have the characters complain about it being boring from time to time. It’s the oldest prophecy of Windemere and the gods weren’t too original back then. 😉
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Safe to say I’m excited to read it! Can’t wait to move onto the first one once I finish my current read, although reading on my laptop tends to take forever.
My fantasy series had a similar evolution! It started as a lone book, used for a project given to me by my English teacher in school, as she wanted to push me to write. Then it developed into a trilogy, realising there was more to the plot. Then bigger twists lead to 5 books. And now two integral stories have added to it. It’s probably the one thing I can’t wait to write and finish, regardless of where it goes. It’s just a matter of when…
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When is always the challenge, but I hope you can find the time. I like hearing about stories that began as a smaller series and grew. It makes the series feel more natural and organic to me.
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I agree, makes the characters seem more alive!
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I agree completely. I was obsessed and sucked into the Law and Order series…to this day the sound of a gavel makes my teeth grit. The longest series that I’ve read is the Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse series which is going on book 13 (Final book). I never lost interest as much as I just needed to stick with it. It sounds like you’re on top of everything especially since you have an ending planned. As long as it is paced well, contains details to continue the plot to the end, and has an end; you are on your way!
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I never got into Law & Order, but I have a few friends that live by it. I’m watching True Blood, which is based on the books, so my wife is planning to read the books when she clears off space on her reading list. I haven’t really read many series, oddly enough.
I love ending with mystery and leaving an opening for future stories. This may be a problem later, but I think I have it covered. 🙂
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Congrats! This is awesome. I look forward to watching you grow and grow!
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Thanks.
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