I have a problem. You see, I can’t write just one book. When I wrote my very first novel (unpublished as of now), I wanted to stay with this character. I kept asking what would happen next? I knew it would be a series. That was one of the reasons why I eventually decided to self-publish. I had learned that if you go the traditional route, a series is not always a guarantee, and I didn’t want anyone to tell me I couldn’t publish book two!
I thought I had finally written a standalone book when I wrote One Big Mess, but guess what? I thought it might be fun to write a second book for her best friend—One Big Mistake. It was just a thought, one I may explore in the future. But the idea is there. (For now, One Big Mess remains a standalone.)
With my romance books, it was even worse. I wrote two separate romance books, then had the feeling that I needed a book for their friends too. So now those could be a series, but I didn’t think either of the books were book one, so I couldn’t publish them yet. (Though one of the books, I’m reconsidering just releasing as a standalone. Maybe that won’t be a series.)
And then, I wrote Thrill of the Chase. I saw no need to make this a series. It was intended to be a standalone book. Then, things happened.
The FMC has a little sister who also wants to be a meteorologist. Her passion was hurricanes. I could write a book for her. But no, I didn’t want to have just two books. I felt like I needed at least three for a series. Then, I started exploring ideas for other books, and how could I make them all weather-themed? So I moved her best friend to Minnesota and gave her a snowy story. I moved the MMC’s friend to Florida and gave him a lightning story. Then I gave another storm chaser his own story. Might as well give his brother a story too, a heat story since I have a cold one. Then finally, I will end the series with the little sister hurricane story.
It’s exhausting just writing about all of that!
I don’t regret making this a series, and I love all the books in them. However, if I could do things all over again, I wish I would have finished all the stories in the series first before I hit the publish button.
The pressure to “finish the series” makes me feel like I’m on a train that I can’t get off. Don’t get me wrong—I am enjoying the books I write. I only write things that make me happy. Unfortunately, all of my other projects are on hold. I don’t want to publish anything else and have people think I’m not going to finish what I started.
I envy those who can write standalones and not feel the need to give the side character a story or expand the book when the last chapter is not enough. When I finish this romance series, I’m taking a well-deserved publishing break so I can finish these other books!
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