by L. Diane Wolfe, @DancingLemurPre
Back in the day, an author came out with a new book every three years or so. Fans were forced to wait years for a full-length novel. EBooks and the ability to self-publish changed that. Now authors could put out books faster, including short stories and novelettes.
Let’s look at some of the benefits of rapid releasing a series.
Maintains reader interest:
Fans no longer have to wait years.
Interest in a series doesn’t fade with releases coming out close together.
Those who like to read an entire series at once can safely jump in knowing they can get to the end in a short period of time.
Keeps the author’s name out there longer:
Authors with books in rapid release are constantly on social media and visible to readers.
Reviews keep appearing for the books, spreading awareness.
It gives all stories time to build:
Readers who discover the second or third book will go back for the first ones.
When one book starts to fade, another is released.
Consistent marketing:
Book marketing is ever-changing, but books released close together can benefit from the same promotions.
A template from the first book’s marketing can be duplicated, making it easy to set up promotions.
Now, let’s look at how to set up a rapid release.
Must be good at multi-tasking:
Author needs to be planning several books at once.
Many tasks will overlap – writing, editing, marketing. Authors need to juggle multiple tasks and for several books.
Authors need to determine if they can keep up the pace.
Plan the entire series first:
Determine genre, length, and theme.
Outline (as best as possible) each book.
Be aware of overlaps and continuing characters.
Write at least three stories before releasing:
Write the first, polish, send to editor, then do final edits. Prepare book cover and promotions.
Write the second book and repeat.
Write the third book. At this point, once the third is polished and sent to the editor, the first book can be released.
Determine the length in between books:
How long will it take the author to write each one?
What is the length of each story? Shorter ones, closer together. Longer ones can have more breathing room.
When will release dates fall? Always aim for the best book-selling months.
Readers today are impatient. They don’t want to wait years. But now authors are in a great position to give readers what they want. A series they enjoy without a lot of waiting!
Rapid Releasing a Series from @DancingLemurPre : Share on X 
L. Diane Wolfe
Known as “Spunk On A Stick,” Wolfe is a member of the National Speakers Association. She conducts seminars on book publishing, promoting, leadership, and goal-setting, and she offers book formatting and author consultation. Wolfe is the senior editor at Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. and contributes to the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.
http://www.
http://www.spunkonastick.net/ – Spunk On A Stick
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In Darkness: The Vampire
By L. Diane Wolfe
Souls shrouded in darkness…
Stuck working as a barmaid for her demanding father, Anna dreams of adventure. When mysterious strangers enter the bar, she overhears they seek Zancrela, an ancient fortress filled with treasure and a magical library. Taking her chance, she offers to guide them. The conditions: deliver Zancrela or die.
As they journey through the wilderness, she discovers their secret: they are vampires. And most view her as food. One takes interest in her and her heart dares to hope, but it might not be enough to change her fate. Will Anna find Zancrela or become a vampire morsel?
Release date – February 7, 2023
Romance / Paranormal / Vampires (FIC027320), Fantasy / Paranormal (FIC009050), Fantasy / Romance (FIC009090)
eBook ISBN 9781939844903
$3.99 eBook available in all formats
Links:
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/dp/
iTunes – https://books.apple.com/us/
Barnes & Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.
Kobo – https://store.kobobooks.com/
Scribed – https://www.scribd.com/search?
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/
Great tips, Diane! Thanks for being on the blog today.
I would have to write for years to be able to rapid release!
Big congratulations to Diane.
It's a really intriguing idea to do rapid-release. I can certainly see the advantages of it, and I would guess that, yes, it needs lots of careful planning. Still, in today's world of near-instant gratification, it's something to consider.
Thank you for hosting me today, Elizabeth.
I've been slogging through the drafting of "my latest" for the last few years with the rapid release in mind. Knowing the pressures of writing and marketing, I want to have the whole series written before I release it. Given how many twists and turns the story and the process has taken, I'm glad I chose this route, but it's a LONG process.
It does take a long time. Then the books start coming out and it's bam-bam-bam!
I don't do anything very quickly, as you know. I'll have to add this one to my read list. I'm as behind on my reading as I am on my writing.
Great tips!
I released my first 3 books on the same day so there was something available for anyone who wanted the next book. I had the fourth book in edits at that point and was drafting the fifth.
I'm not an outliner at all, but I do have an overall feel for the series and characters before I begin.
Three in one day – I'm impressed!