What kind of series?

I pulled out my copy of the book and read the pages you indicated.

Here's a question: Is the series primarily about the kids solving a mystery in each book (an example might be the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew type of thing), or about the "growth" (maturity) the kids go through over the span of the series (say, the Anne of Green Gables type of books)?

In any case, I don't think you have a problem just because you can't put your finger on exactly which type of series it is. You just don't want to box yourself in a corner; and it doesn't sound like you are.

I think Kress was referring to major changes in the characters in the "third type" of series, so much so that they effectively become different characters. If that happens, then it's probably not a good idea to have them doing the same old thing that they did in the previous book.

As long as you wrap up the mystery that's the primary plotline in one book before moving to the next, then having the character grow and develop is just a natural sub-plot, so to speak. I think it's fine if you leave in the hint of "further adventures to come".

Personally, I think she draws too fine a line, as though you could always fit a story into one of these three slots with nothing in between.

I'm not an expert on this. I've never really given a series much thought.

I had to read what Kress wrote a couple of times to even get what she was trying to say, besides, "don't box yourself into a corner by effectively writing your characters out of the story". Other than that I don't think you necessarily have to changed the ending because a story is "type one" or "type two".

To use Nancy Drew as an example again (since everyone know the basics of the Nancy Drew mysteries--I never even read them). In a "type one" story, each story has her solving a mystery in her town (with the same general setting and secondary characters). At the end of each book she's solved that particular mystery and in the next book something new will happen and Nancy will again solve the mystery. No mystery to that.

If the series had been written as a "type three" story, there might be a Nancy Drew mystery when she's a girl of 12, then when she becoming a young lady at 17, then one when she's in college, then one when she start a career as an ace reporter, then . . . etc. But, it could have still been that in each book something mysterious happens and Nancy solves it. The only thing about doing it this way is the typical reader who fell in love with Nancy as a "young detective" (and emphasized with her since the reader was probably about the same age) might lose interest in her when she's an older character.

Anyway, just some rambling thoughts.

I have both in my series, although the character development is slow, and will span the series, while the mysteries/adventures are finished in a single volume, much like alley cat describes, the characters are aging, and they have lives outside of the mysteries.
It's the characters (and a bit of the overarching plotline) that take you to the next book.

Maybe she's saying not to have your character redeem themselves so much that they have to take a step back in the next book. Have you ever read the Shopaholic books? It goes (in the first book): MC has problem with spending. MC realizes this is wrong, starts to get finances in order. But in the next book, she's completely reverted back to stage one, and forgotten the lesson she learned at the end of the first book.
Maybe that's what she's saying to avoid.

Elektra said:

MC has problem with spending. MC realizes this is wrong, starts to get finances in order. But in the next book, she's completely reverted back to stage one, and forgotten the lesson she learned at the end of the first book.

Click to expand...

Oh, I see. Boring because it's too much like Real Life