Comments on: The return of the serial http://www.pensandswords.com/2008/05/20/the-return-of-the-serial/ Talking shop with fantasy fiction author Kameron M. Franklin Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:15:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Very Very Very Short Stories - Pens and Swords - Talking shop with fantasy fiction author Kameron M. Franklin http://www.pensandswords.com/2008/05/20/the-return-of-the-serial/comment-page-1/#comment-64289 Very Very Very Short Stories - Pens and Swords - Talking shop with fantasy fiction author Kameron M. Franklin Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:48:24 +0000 http://www.pensandswords.com/?p=438#comment-64289 [...] week on Duotrope, and I know of several online markets that accept longer works in the form of serials. There are even sites that are looking for very short stories–the shorter, the better. My [...] [...] week on Duotrope, and I know of several online markets that accept longer works in the form of serials. There are even sites that are looking for very short stories–the shorter, the better. My [...]

]]> By: Serial fantasy fiction at Paths of Adventure - Pens and Swords - Talking shop with fantasy fiction author Kameron M. Franklin http://www.pensandswords.com/2008/05/20/the-return-of-the-serial/comment-page-1/#comment-50088 Serial fantasy fiction at Paths of Adventure - Pens and Swords - Talking shop with fantasy fiction author Kameron M. Franklin Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:06:53 +0000 http://www.pensandswords.com/?p=438#comment-50088 [...] Serial and flash fiction are popular formats among online markets like Mindflights or Laser & Sword. The short length makes them an easy read on a web page, and in the case of serials, a natural hook to draw traffic back to the site time and again. [...] [...] Serial and flash fiction are popular formats among online markets like Mindflights or Laser & Sword. The short length makes them an easy read on a web page, and in the case of serials, a natural hook to draw traffic back to the site time and again. [...]

]]> By: Andrea Graham http://www.pensandswords.com/2008/05/20/the-return-of-the-serial/comment-page-1/#comment-42317 Andrea Graham Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:52:25 +0000 http://www.pensandswords.com/?p=438#comment-42317 My husband loves serial fiction so much, he stared his own pulp fiction magazine! We have three serials running in Laser & Sword currently, and would love to add a well-written Christian Fantasy Adventure (we're focused on heroes!) My husband loves serial fiction so much, he stared his own pulp fiction magazine! We have three serials running in Laser & Sword currently, and would love to add a well-written Christian Fantasy Adventure (we’re focused on heroes!)

]]> By: Jamie Grove - How Not To Write http://www.pensandswords.com/2008/05/20/the-return-of-the-serial/comment-page-1/#comment-15323 Jamie Grove - How Not To Write Wed, 21 May 2008 22:04:09 +0000 http://www.pensandswords.com/?p=438#comment-15323 I'm definitely a fan of the serial model. I like a running set of characters that I can live with from book to book, but serials can be tricky to write though because authors have a habit of wanting to solve their character's issues. Once you've solved the main character's personal problem in a serial, the series is pretty much over. The next book or story is bound to fall flat. Interesting that you mentioned Harry Potter. While obviously classic fantasy material, I consider the Potter series more detective fiction in structure. Sara Paretsky (the mystery writer) has an excellent essay on this in Sue Grafton's 1992 Writing Mysteries collection. I picked it up in the library just recently and thought the lessons learned there were very applicable to Harry and Co. Jamie Grove - How Not To Write's last blog post was <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/HowNotToWrite/~3/295073222/" rel="nofollow">6 Things Not to Do When Your Story Is Rejected</a> I’m definitely a fan of the serial model.

I like a running set of characters that I can live with from book to book, but serials can be tricky to write though because authors have a habit of wanting to solve their character’s issues. Once you’ve solved the main character’s personal problem in a serial, the series is pretty much over. The next book or story is bound to fall flat.

Interesting that you mentioned Harry Potter. While obviously classic fantasy material, I consider the Potter series more detective fiction in structure. Sara Paretsky (the mystery writer) has an excellent essay on this in Sue Grafton’s 1992 Writing Mysteries collection. I picked it up in the library just recently and thought the lessons learned there were very applicable to Harry and Co.

Jamie Grove – How Not To Write’s last blog post was 6 Things Not to Do When Your Story Is Rejected

]]> By: A. B. England http://www.pensandswords.com/2008/05/20/the-return-of-the-serial/comment-page-1/#comment-15311 A. B. England Wed, 21 May 2008 19:53:22 +0000 http://www.pensandswords.com/?p=438#comment-15311 Your question is a tricky one. Personally, I find it depends on the story itself. Some just lend themselves to the trilogy format where others wouldn't feel complete with just three installments. I'm happy if the author tells their story in a satisfying way, whether it is in one part or twenty, and stops before they hit the point where it all starts coming across as forced, contrived, and of steeply diminishing quality. I think after a while some authors become tired of a world, but the publisher keeps pushing for more books. The same happens with some science fiction and fantasy series as well. When the authors can barely stand the world in which the story's set anymore, you can't expect great fiction. A. B. England's last blog post was <a href="http://tekaranlady.blogspot.com/2008/05/searching-for-method-to-madness.html" rel="nofollow">Searching for a Method to the Madness</a> Your question is a tricky one. Personally, I find it depends on the story itself. Some just lend themselves to the trilogy format where others wouldn’t feel complete with just three installments. I’m happy if the author tells their story in a satisfying way, whether it is in one part or twenty, and stops before they hit the point where it all starts coming across as forced, contrived, and of steeply diminishing quality.

I think after a while some authors become tired of a world, but the publisher keeps pushing for more books. The same happens with some science fiction and fantasy series as well. When the authors can barely stand the world in which the story’s set anymore, you can’t expect great fiction.

A. B. England’s last blog post was Searching for a Method to the Madness

]]> By: Kameron http://www.pensandswords.com/2008/05/20/the-return-of-the-serial/comment-page-1/#comment-15265 Kameron Wed, 21 May 2008 05:38:06 +0000 http://www.pensandswords.com/?p=438#comment-15265 Well, sorta. :) While Tolkien wrote Lord of the Rings as six books (plus a prologue and appendices), he intended to publish it as a single volume. His publisher broke it into three for financial reasons. Later editions combined it into one. Well, sorta. :) While Tolkien wrote Lord of the Rings as six books (plus a prologue and appendices), he intended to publish it as a single volume. His publisher broke it into three for financial reasons. Later editions combined it into one.

]]> By: Wan http://www.pensandswords.com/2008/05/20/the-return-of-the-serial/comment-page-1/#comment-15264 Wan Wed, 21 May 2008 05:33:48 +0000 http://www.pensandswords.com/?p=438#comment-15264 Remember that what we now know as the trilogy of the Lord of the Rings was originally written as a serial, as well. Remember that what we now know as the trilogy of the Lord of the Rings was originally written as a serial, as well.

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