As an indie author, if I could change one thing I’ve done it would be to NOT start my career with a trilogy. Building plots and characters and intensity through one book is hard enough. Three is downright daunting. The plus side is you do have more room to build the characters, plot, and drama. Lots of room to make your story great, but also tons of room to ruin it.
Also, indie author’s shorter books sell better. Readers are more willing to try out a 200 page story from an unknown author than a 400 page novel. A trilogy is a big commitment to make on an unknown.
Another problem with the trilogy is waiting for the next book. Someone can read book one and then forget about it by the time book two or three comes out. I’ve had a lot of readers who don’t want to get the first book until they can have all three. I get this. I’m one of those readers who wants the whole story available so I don’t forget the character’s the subplots, etc. I think, too, that readers have gotten burned by authors taking two or three years to release another book in a series. That’s a long wait. Too long, especially for an indie author.
The pressure is good though. It keeps me writing and writing a lot. Book two took me about a year to write–start to complete finish. I’m planning on having book three done in nine months, maybe less. But, honestly, book three terrifies me. It has to encompass so much and be better and more intense than one and two because there is nothing worse than a book three dud.
If I was to start this whole hobby/career over again, I would go with a shorter fairy tale retelling, then a contemporary YA and then maybe start the trilogy. However, maybe this was how it was meant to be. I love Desiree and Blake’s story and know it needs three books to write it right. The premise was what inspired me, what I believed in enough to sacrifice my time for and was willing to take a chance on. Even knowing what I know now, maybe there just weren’t any other character’s who would motivate my writing like they have.
Yes, a trilogy isn’t so bad to write when you have great characters to work with. But a simple story sure looks appealing when I’m trying to promote book two to people who haven’t read book one, connect plot points across novels, and get a complete story to my reader’s asap. What this whole blog boils down to is that I caved. Caved into a storyline I loved and had to see written. Caved into an inescapable idea. Caved into character’s I loved enough to carry through three books. For shame Desiree and Blake! You weakened me with all your possibilities!
What do you think of trilogies? Love the depth? Hate the wait? Need more of them? If so, you’ll have to look somewhere else! After Converters I won’t be supplying another one again….at lease for awhile. 😉
