For those of you who followed my Super Duper Top Secret Writing Project, it should come as no surprise that I've been reading A TON of Young Adult books over the past few months trying to wrap my head around whether or not the Young Adult book I wrote is publishable. I've really enjoyed many of the books I've read. Most of them have way too much sexual content for me to be comfortable letting my kiddo read them- yet. However, THAT is not my rant. My rant is this: Lately, everything I've read ends without an ending. Rather, what I've noticed, if you were to sit the book on a three-act structure, the books are ending at Act One. Since each book touts itself as being book one of a trilogy, in some ways, that makes sense. Sort of. If you want to read three two hundred page books to find out how the primary story question ends.I do not.
Let's break this down. Each book is two hundred pages (give or take... actually a bit longer, but I like simple math). Plus, they are all hardcover, which retail for about $17.99 each. So, I have to read 600 pages to find out how a story ends, AND pay just over $50 to find out the ending.
No thank you.
Really. Just. No.
Yes, the idea of sucking readers in at a high pricepoint and then making them buy three books is kind of ingenious. If it's a bestseller like The Hunger Games, the author and publisher stand to make a lot of money.
But here's the thing. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but when I got to the last chapter, realizing I was going to have to read TWO MORE books before getting any satisfaction, as a reader, I felt betrayed. Then, as a writer, when I realized that basically, I'm going to get Act One in one book, Act Two in the next, and Act Three in the final book, I felt cheated. Ultimately, I felt manipulated. It's going to cost me fifty bucks to find out whether or not the ending is satisfying. Based on book one's ending, I have no guarantees of a satisfying ending.
Which means I'm not buying the rest of the series. You haven't given me any assurances that I will be satisfied at the end of book three. Moreover, because I feel so manipulated with book one, I probably will never pick up books by either of these two authors again. My trust was blown with book one, and with the limited reading time that I have, I'm not willing to try another book.
The more I mulled over my outrage over these two books, the more I began to wonder, is this simply a trend in publishing? I also recently read a general fiction book that did the exact same thing. And I hated it. HATED it. I might just check the book out of the library and read the last couple of chapters to find out how it ends, but I cannot afford to invest the kind of time the author and publisher ask of me. Maybe I need to stick to the "formulaic romances" some people like to mock. At least with them, I know that I'm going to get a satisfying ending. Not, "buy two more really expensive books, and MAYBE you'll be satisfied."
So that's my question... am I expecting too much? Is there an underlying piece that I'm missing that says, "if you're reading a Young Adult book, or a Mainstream book, do not expect a complete story without reading all of the books in the series?"
14 comments:
And here's the thing...maybe because I have daughters who read these series, I *have* read all three books in several trilogies and quite frankly, am seldom impressed by the third books. It's like the author is sick of the story by then and doesn't bother to wrap it up well. I'm not likely to get my own book to the publishable stage, but while I considered doing three books, I decided I would write a single novel and call it good. IF anyone ever reads it, it'll be resolved by the end. Of the ONE book.
I know exactly what you mean Danica. It doesn't bother me as much but I do see it as a marketing tactic. One of the things Mom hammers into all her writing students(me included) is to leave the reader satisfied at the end of the book. And, yes, it's totally possible to do that when you're writing a series.
Danica,
I have been reading a lot of YA books and I mostly feel the same way. I want satisfaction and prefer companion books as opposed to sequels. For instance, in Alyxandra Harvey's Drake Chronicles series, there is an overarching plot threaded through the books but each one is about a different couple. So you get closure with each book regarding the love story, which I like. And you get to glimpse their happy ever afters in later books. For me, it really depends on how much I like the story/characters whether or not I invest my time in future books. The popular Fallen series by Lauren Kate didn't thrill me, so I stopped after the first book.
YES!! Exactly!! That's what I'm afraid of with book three as well. Just tell a good story in book one, end it, and if it's a trilogy, let there be something they can still do in the other two books, but let each book STAND ALONE with a complete beginning, middle, and end! :)
I agree. Why can't YA authors write a series the way that romance authors do? Can't each book stand alone? Shouldn't it? Why yes, it should!
Even the Lord of the Rings trilogy had good rounding out of things at the end of each book, although you knew more was coming later.
I. So. Agree with you.
I'm reading YA with my daughter and like Deb said, the 3rd book is often a let-down. If each book stood alone, the last in the series might be better! The idea is to get the kids to want more I guess, but I agree with you. It's frustrating.
Danica,
I read a lot of YA books and I feel the same way you do. Unless I am really drawn into the story/characters, I'm not motivated to read the remaining books. For instance, I read the first book in the popular Fallen series by Lauren Kate but doubt I will read the rest. I prefer companion books like Alyxandra Harvey's Drake Chronicles. There is an overarching plot throughout the series, but each book deals with a different couple so there is closure with the love story.
Thanks Karen! Yes, that's exactly what I'm looking for too!
Thanks! Yes, I was trying to figure out what made LOTR different, and I think you've explained it better than I could think of!
See I was worried I wanted them too much like romance books. :)
Yes! I think that's where I'm at too!
Thanks for the recs!
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