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04/01/2003: "A Series or Stand Alone? That is the Question"
Crime writers tend to make their own mind up whether they want to create a crime series or write 'stand alone' novels. Essentially, it boils down to what appeals to them; although there may be some nudging from their publishers. Each type of book has its benefits and its drawbacks.
Obviously with a series the writer hopes to build up a readership - fans who will automatically buy the next volume in the series, thus ensuring steady and increasing sales as more and more readers become hooked. And if you get hooked halfway through a series, you can always dip into the backlist. Most series feature a detective of one sort or another and this element adds an extra strand to the novel. Not only is there a mystery to solve but we become involved in the personal and private life of the protagonist that develops as the series progresses.
Publishers often signal a series on the cover by putting something like 'An Inspector Bloggs Mystery' or 'Another Brother Goodboy Mystery'. Some writers use the name of the series character in the title of each book so that readers are in no doubt that it is part of their favourite series. Writers have to be careful that their regular character(s) and their private lives do not overshadow the mystery or the main plot of the book. It is a deft balancing act. Certainly with some series, the main character becomes as famous as the author - think of Sherlock Holmes, Poirot, Lord Peter Wimsey, Inspectors Rebus, Wexford and Morse, Pascoe & Dalziel, Harry Bosch and Lew Archer to name a few.
The stand alone novel is a different kettle of fish. These are individual crime tales that are complete in themselves making no references, however oblique, to other works by the same author. They may feature a detective but when the book ends so does his career. These novels tend to focus on the psychological aspects of crime rather than the whodunnit or whydunnit. They give the writer greater freedom to do with his characters as they wish, killing them off even, for they will not be required again once the book is finished. However the stand alone novelist has a harder job in building up a raft of loyal readers because each book is different and unique. A stand alone writer has greater scope in choosing backgrounds, time periods and styles but their cast of characters has to be created anew for each new book.
Of course there are many talented writers in the crime field who write both types of books and therefore satisfy all kinds of readers and themselves. Most crime writers I have met fancy a go at both in order to add variety to the writing process. However, whichever approach the crime writer takes it is plot, characterisation, suspense, mystery and page-turning panache that really counts.
David Stuart Davies on Monday, April 1st 2003 @ 02:54 PM GMT [link]