Poll

I think one to six months.

I think six to twelve months as they have to be edited a few times after writing. I'm writing three sequels at the moment and I published all my first books less than a year ago, though I don't know if I'll have all ready before a year. Hopefully at least two will.

I chose other because I'm torn between 2 options: 6-12 months and However long it takes.

On the one hand, I don't have the patience to wait years for the sequel to come out (that's why I prefer to read a series after all of it was published, so I can buy all at once - talk about having no patience).

On the other hand, I want to books to be well written and plot and characters developed. 6-12 months may not be enough, and I can't stand sequels that were thrown out to publication too early and they feel incomplete and useless.

On the third hand (yes, I have three hands, deal with it :p), when someone writes with a series in mind, I'm pretty sure they start working on the other volumes before the last one was published. So, in theory, when one is published the next is well underway. Meaning that 6-12 months is not really 6-12 months to write, edit, and proof it.

On the fourth hand (okay, I lied, I have four of them, I'm half octopus ;)), I don't really want to rush the writer and they should take the time to release their work whenever they feel ready. Yielding to public pressure and releasing a work before it is truly done might produce a less than great series. Plus, I don't want to know what it does to the writer.

And I think that's it.
So, as a reader, I don't have much patience to wait too much for the next installment, but I don't want to read sloppy/unfinished work.

It really depends, it can take authors 18 months to write a 80-100,000 word novel. Then the editor gets their hands on it, then it's handed back to the author to make any alterations from those suggestions.

So my answer would be however long it takes.;-)

As a writer, I gotta tell you: As long as it takes. Life happens. And sometimes it happens a LOT and doesn't let up. Sometimes you can write a book or most of a book and you know it isn't working. You have to work it, rework it, find your humor, recreate characters. It isn't that we sit around waiting for inspiration, it's that sometimes that inspiration doesn't come together in a way that works. And if we know that, we keep trying -- until we get it right. For as long as it takes!

Until it's finished, properly edited and the author is satisfied with the product bearing his/her name.

Strictly speaking as a reader only-I think 6-12 months.

For me reading so many different books can get confusing with story lines and if there is too much time in between books then it's hard to get back into the series sometimes(because I'm reading a different series,etc.), and then there is the whole torture of waiting like Lex said above.

I totally agree with you :)

Patricia wrote: "I think six to twelve months as they have to be edited a few times after writing. I'm writing three sequels at the moment and I published all my first books less than a year ago, though I don't kno..."

Although I get very impatient because I want to know what happens next I have learned that waiting for a well written, well edited sequel is worth the wait. If it's a great series I'll probably re-read it anyway.

Ideally 6-12 months the readers are still talking about their experience with your book and craving the next one. But in the real world- However long it takes.

Nothing can kill a buzz faster, than a book not meeting the prior books expectaton because it was rushed to be published.

Betty wrote: "Nothing can kill a buzz faster, than a book not meeting the prior books expectaton because it was rushed to be published."

So true. I have dropped quite a few series that were initially well written in the first book or two and then was horrified as the following books were rushed to publication when they weren't ready.

All I can say is: Yup.

Maureen wrote: "Although I get very impatient because I want to know what happens next I have learned that waiting for a well written, well edited sequel is worth the wait. If it's a great series I'll probably re..."

Lex wrote: "Maureen wrote: "Although I get very impatient because I want to know what happens next I have learned that waiting for a well written, well edited sequel is worth the wait. If it's a great series ..."

Delighted you agree. My wife hates to reread or re-view a TV program or movie. I'm just the opposite, I have books I've read four or five times (even entire series), and also enjoy watching something more than once. However, I draw the line when I reach the point of having memorized the dialogue. ;-)

I was told a book reaces you 12 months after an author finishes and ideally the next part is off to publishing then. However, experience and George R R Martin has taught me differently, now I wait for all parts before starting.

Yeah, let the author write as much as s/he wants. The more time, the better book, right? XD
GO WRITERS!

We have to agree with Betty and Maureen. There is nothing more disappointing than a really good series that becomes a not-really-good series because the author was forced to rush books into print. One year between books seems reasonable, but we'd rather write a decent tale than make an unrealistic deadline.

I voted for However Long it takes. I'd prefer not to wait, but I'd rather the author took her time and did a good job.
That said, if it's much more than a year, I'll insist on re-reading the whole series in case I forgot anything!

I'd like to see about a year between books. Too soon, and there's a suspicion that the author hasn't taken the care with the sequel they did with the original. Of course I understand that some books write faster than others ... and some much slower, but I don't think that authors should take a page from George RR Martin on that ... he's WAY too long between books!

It totally depends on the characters and where the novel leaves off. If the author only had the original plot in mind leave it. Some stories shouldn't have sequels. If the series is up and running and the ideas are still good I can wait a year or two.

I don't start a series until all the books have been written. I'm very patient. I can wait till the author dies if necessary.

Vanessa wrote: "I don't start a series until all the books have been written. I'm very patient. I can wait till the author dies if necessary."

Oops! I'm about to prove myself a liar. The book I'm starting tonight is number 1 in a series and the others haven't been written yet. Now I'll find out how long I can wait. :-)

I test how strong a series is by picking up a volume from the middle. If the protagonist isn't learning anything new, I won't either. If there are too many references to previous characters or events, I know the plot in this one won't wrap up tidily either. Other times, I read the first few books in the series and realize the idea has run its course. But the gems can stand alone throughout the series.

I have been a fan of LJ Smith's since I was a child, and have been waiting for the final book in her Nightworld series for twelve years now. And if it ever does come out, I will still rush out and buy it straightaway!

a lot of publishers push their really popular authors into producing novels at breakneck speed, and I think that's too fast for many authors to maintain the quality.

I can certainly understand why readers want the books faster than that because finding an author whose work you love is such a wonderful gift, and you want to open the next one yesterday.

One of my favorite authors has a new book out for her series about every season. She has one come out in Spring, Summer, and Fall. The break between Fall and Spring (which is only 6 months) seems like forever!

Over half want the sequel within one year - that makes sense to me (I just wrote - and published! - a trilogy, Fear of the Past, in...8 months! Book 1 was out in June, Book 2 in September and Book 3 now! A real race and I swear I won't ever, ever do it again!)

Real glad to find out that people are willing to wait up to a year for a sequel! Wow, whoosh, hurray! I'm going to relax from now on!!! Thanks, J.D., that was just the kind of info that I needed. You made my day!