Standalone or Series?
Should your book be a standalone or a series? It sounds like a simple creative question — but it shapes everything: your writing process, your reader expectations, your marketing strategy, and your long-term author career. In this episode, Inger Johnson breaks down the real differences between standalones and series, explores the psychology of readers, and gets honest about the marketing realities of indie publishing. Whether you’re writing literary fiction or a crime thriller, there’s no wrong path — just different ones. And there’s a third option many first-time authors overlook that might be the smartest choice of all.
Show Notes
- 0:00 – Intro
- 0:33 – Welcome & episode overview
- 1:25 – Why this decision matters more than you think
- 6:50 – The core question: What size story is your idea trying to become?
- 8:10 – What makes a great standalone
- 8:51 – The power of series: emotional continuity & reader loyalty
- 10:27 – Reader psychology — binge readers, burned readers & the heartbreak of unfinished series
- 12:15 – Marketing reality: read-through, backlist, and discoverability
- 14:21 – The smart middle ground: standalone with series potential
- 15:54 – Mindset check: what if I choose wrong?
- 17:31 – Final takeaways & what to listen to next
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