Picture this, you’ve found a new series, you’re binge reading through it at top speed, and then you reach the last one. But, as you finish it, you realize there are still more characters who need their HEA, or worse yet, maybe it ended on a cliff hanger! You look and realize with horror that the author hasn’t published anything in the series in over a year and you fall into an emotional pit of despair.
If this has never happened to you, consider yourself lucky. If it has, I’m sure you wondered- what the heck happened? Today I’m going to go into some of the reasons an author may not finish a series in order to shed some light on this very question.
Reason 1: Personal reasons. As much as we authors wish we were actual machines, unfortunately sometimes life gets in the way- divorce, health problems, major life changes that simply mess up their writing schedule. Maybe they’ll get back to the series when life settles down, but more often than not, once an author loses their momentum with a series it can be hard to pick it back up where you left off.
Reason 2: The muse has abandoned them. Sadly the muse can be a bit of a fickle lover. A series you were stoked about writing book 1 may feel like something you can’t help but avoid by book 2 or 3. Whether a plotter or a pantser, sticking with a series can be a challenge, especially if you have a bit of squirrel brain and you’re constantly distracted by the new and shiny. Maybe the author will become inspired or excited about the series again, maybe not. Fingers crossed!
Reason 3: Financial/business decision. If the opening scenario has happened to you, you might have decided not to start any series again until it’s finished. That’s understandable, but it can also be the cause of a series NOT being finished. When an author starts a series, it’s expected that the first book won’t sell well initially. But, if several more books come out and it’s still not bringing in the income expected, it’s very possible the author might choose to abandon the series in favor of something that might be more lucrative. So, if you want to see a series finished, buy it so the author knows it’s financially viable to continue!
I’m sure there are many more reasons that a series might go unfinished, but I’d say these are the most common. As a reader let authors know when you love their work, support them by leaving reviews and getting their books through legitimate channels, and don’t be too hard on them, they’re likely as upset about not finishing the series as you are π .
All this may be true, but what if the author keeps promising to finish, and promising, and promising………… It’s sad to say, I feel a real abandonment, like the author doesn’t really give to figs about the reader. Why not say ” I simply can’t finish for x,y, reasons”.
Closure folks, that’s all I want. You brought me into your world, be kind enough to ease me out of it.
I understand personal issues getting in the way of writing. I think a lot of readers don’t take Reason 3 into consideration. More than a few times I’ve seen authors say that since the first/second book didn’t sell as well as others they’ve written, they aren’t going to continue. I understand both reader and author’s sides on this. I’ve read books in a few abandoned series and it’s not fun. It becomes a weird circle of I want it but not until it’s done/nobody wanted it so I’m not going to keep writing it.
https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Claimed-Commander/Ashlyn-Macnamara/Q840088074
I NEED TO READ THIS BOOK LOL
I have just spent 2 hours trying to find out what happened. it was published in 2017, 1 printing, I can only assume it didn’t do well. There was no advertising I follow the author’s homepage and never got a contact of a printing. Now I see it has 2 more books (#3 and #4) in the series with no titles and TBA printing. To say I am disappointed is like saying a 2 year old is not happy as they watch their balloon soar away LOL.
The first book was damn good! I gave it a five and was drooling for the second she promised for the following year. As i said above, I never heard pip to know it was available. I feel like I’m missing a whole bunch of pieces to a magnificent puzzle. Her style is not one I am able to copy, so the idea of just writing the books for my own enjoyment and a sense of closure won’t be happening. (I’ve done this with book that have really sad or crappy endings. They never go beyond my computer) I think if on her homepage she had said, something, anything on why we have nothing. I could live with that (sorta, well not really, nope, I’d still feel lousy)
One of my fanfics, I’m on book 4, chapter 10 (THE WEDDING) and my life suddenly went to the dogs. I got sick with several things all at once, it was getting iffy that my son would graduate HS, and we were having a legal battle with a construction company. I was so close to another nervous breakdown.
I put two announcements, one as a book of it’s own and two in chapter 10 itself. Explaining RL just attacked me and i was down for the count. But I would be working on it. It is done, just needs polishing up I left it in 2nd draft form and worked on everything else. suddenly i was at chapter and ten and life collided. I am doing one shots 300 words or so as I keep polishing a paragraph or two of chapter 10 as often as i can. But i told all my readers. They all got it. They know this is my baby and it is done all the way to chapter 50. Sigh…end of rant. I’m babbling and my grammar is going to pot LOL