Holly
Holly asked Jennifer A. Nielsen:

Hi Ms. Nielsen, I was wondering about series vs. stand alone books. When writing, do you know from the very beginning whether you want a stand alone or series? How do you personally decide how many books you want in a series? I love your work! Thank you for taking the time to read my question!

Jennifer A. Nielsen Hil Holly! When I first start a book, I don't always know if it'll be a series or standalone, but if it's going to be a series, that usually becomes clear about midway through the first book. I tend to build rather big worlds and have big story ideas, so they often can't be contained in a single book.

For the decision on how many books to write in a series, that's partially negotiated through the publisher. But early on, I start to get a feel for where the central problem of the story will have to go and how many books it'll take to get there.

That said, if you write and if you are not sure whether your project is a series or a stand alone, just keep going with it. You'll eventually get a feel for where it should end.

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