What do you think of free series openers?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I'm not a Whovian. But each episode would be like a chapter in a book. Each book would be a story. And Dr. Who would be the series. A book shouldn't end on a cliffhanger.

TV series quite often end on a cliffhanger. And you can call a series the book.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

TV series quite often end on a cliffhanger. And you can call a series the book.

I think you’re forcing an analogy that doesn’t work.

When tv episodes end on a cliffhanger, you can expect resolution the next time an episode drops. Back in the day, that might be a week; now, if you’re bingeing on Netflix, it’s instantaneous. In any case, it’s soon. Moreover, an hour’s worth of tv time doesn’t have nearly the investment in story or in run-time as an entire book does in plot or reader investment. And given the nature of tv making, you can watch an episode in confidence the next one’s coming. None of this applies to slogging through a book only to find it’s one big advertisement for the following one, which may or may not ever appear.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by issybird

I think you’re forcing an analogy that doesn’t work.

When tv episodes end on a cliffhanger, you can expect resolution the next time an episode drops. Back in the day, that might be a week; now, if you’re bingeing on Netflix, it’s instantaneous. In any case, it’s soon. Moreover, an hour’s worth of tv time doesn’t have nearly the investment in story or in run-time as an entire book does in plot or reader investment. And given the nature of tv making, you can watch an episode in confidence the next one’s coming. None of this applies to slogging through a book only to find it’s one big advertisement for the following one, which may or may not ever appear.

You do have to wait months for the next season to appear. With Netflix, if the cliffhanger is in the last season that's available, then you'll have to wait an unknown amount of time for the next season.

But with a book series, you don't know how long the next book will be.

It is similar except the time between is a lot longer with the book then the TV series.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by issybird

Well, yeah.

Part of the problem is that the word “series’ doesn’t differentiate between what I would prefer to call “serials”, where there’s an overarching plot and the books function as episodes, and series which are mostly discrete stories even if there are some continuing elements. The latter generally have more longevity, as serials as they go on and on seem to turn into an exercise in wheel-spinning with no resolution.

To be honest, the distinction is not that relevant to me. I would prefer authors I enjoy to branch out and stretch themselves (taking me along for the ride) with new characters, new settings, and new plots. And if the connection between books is tenuous enough to not matter, then why make them part of a whole in the first place? Whether serial or series, I find that they tend to become crutches, or stumbling blocks, for readers and authors alike (needing to tweak one's own past canon to make something new work, or problematic logistics: see Martin's Meereenese Knot).

Most series (regardless of being serial or otherwise) tend to go long past the point where they should have satisfactorily ended (the big The End, mind you) in my opinion. Readers (many) keep on because they can't not. Seems many authors do the same. I see it as a bit of a lack of courage myself. But then I'm one who rarely reads for comfort these days, so it's probably more about me. *shrug*

[issybird]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You do have to wait months for the next season to appear. With Netflix, if the cliffhanger is in the last season that's available, then you'll have to wait an unknown amount of time for the next season.

But with a book series, you don't know how long the next book will be.

It is similar except the time between is a lot longer with the book then the TV series.

Except that now you’re changing your argument; originally you cited episodes with cliffhangers as a justification for books.

[haertig]

Originally Posted by issybird

When tv episodes end on a cliffhanger, you can expect resolution the next time an episode drops.

You must not have watched LOST! To this day I'm still wondered what the deal was with the black smoke and the polar bear.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by haertig

You must not have watched LOST! To this day I'm still wondered what the deal was with the black smoke and the polar bear.

Did you have to remind me of all the loose threads in Lost?

[Tarana]

I've obtained a lot of first-of-the-series either free or low cost. You just have to be choosy. It's a huge benefit if you like cozies because so many are hit or miss (many romance writers get into cozies without having any idea of how an actual mystery works).

[haertig]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Did you have to remind me of all the loose threads in Lost?

And what happened to Walt?

[ucfgrad93]

Got the first 2 books of the Honor Harrington series for free at Baen. Liked them so much I bought most of the rest of them.

[4691mls]

First-in-series free must work as a sales tactic or they wouldn't keep doing it. I've occasionally read a library book where the library doesn't have the whole series and then I bought the later books. Not sure if I've gotten a first-free from a store.

Seems like there's nothing to lose by trying, if you don't like the first one you don't have to waste money on the rest.

[crossi]

A good strategy for authors, and the larger the series, the better the strategy. Give one book free and maybe get twenty sales of the rest of the series.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

First-in-series free must work as a sales tactic or they wouldn't keep doing it. I've occasionally read a library book where the library doesn't have the whole series and then I bought the later books. Not sure if I've gotten a first-free from a store.

Seems like there's nothing to lose by trying, if you don't like the first one you don't have to waste money on the rest.

Originally Posted by crossi

A good strategy for authors, and the larger the series, the better the strategy. Give one book free and maybe get twenty sales of the rest of the series.

I have purchased more of a series after a particularly good free opener. (On the other hand, a particularly poor free opener has put some authors on my internal "don't bother" list.)

[issybird]

Originally Posted by crossi

A good strategy for authors, and the larger the series, the better the strategy. Give one book free and maybe get twenty sales of the rest of the series.

Maybe. I think this is a strategy that looks good, but might not be all that effective. What percent of freebies actually get read? How many get consigned to a “maybe sometime in the future if I’m desperate and it jumps out at me from the virtual pile of hundreds of its freebie kin” category? Perhaps charging a nominal price of one or two dollars serves as a sieve for likelier future readers and ultimately buyers? Especially since they’ve already invested.

[crossi]

Maybe. But if not free they might not have got those readers to even try it, so they haven't lost a possible sale anyway. What's the difference between no sale at all and a freeby that is never read? In paper it would make a difference, the publisher has actually lost something material that he could have sold to someone else. In ebooks not so much.

Besides, an author should have confidence, even if misplaced, in their product. If you don't think your books are good enough to encourage other sales, you need another occupation.