What to do when my serial goes from farce to more serious?

Gregg Bell

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I've written three books in a serial called "Navy SEAL Misadventure" serial. It's a farce and self published. Many reviewers (despite an over-the-top silly tagline, blurb and cover) were somehow expecting realistic books and they especially savaged Book One (Oops-A-Navy) to the point that its review average is only 2.7. Book #2 was still silly but more story based and book #3 even more so. Book #4 is way more authentic and although still humorous, the humor is less silly, and the book holds together as a thriller. (It's called Everglades-A-Navy and all four books have the "A-Navy" endings. Oops-A-Navy, Dupes-A-Navy and Yippee Ki Yay-A-Navy.)

So I'm wondering how to proceed. I could publish this book #4 as a stand alone and abandon the series. Or I could publish #4 as the beginning of a new series, even keeping the title and branding of the cover and the "A-Navy" title. Maybe call the series the "Navy SEAL Adventure" series. Or maybe I need a new cover and new title? Or maybe I need to hang with the series? (I do have plans for a Book #5 Rogue-A-Navy.)

Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks.
 

SwallowFeather

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I'd probably start a new series if it was me. Lose the connection with those bad reviews. I'd also probably get rid of any branding that connects you with the old series... which would include the cover if it has a distinctive style, and the title which is very distinctive. It's hard coming up with a new title gimmick but it's probably worth it. You don't say what kind of readership you've gotten, though, and that would affect the decision.
 

Gregg Bell

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I'd probably start a new series if it was me. Lose the connection with those bad reviews. I'd also probably get rid of any branding that connects you with the old series... which would include the cover if it has a distinctive style, and the title which is very distinctive. It's hard coming up with a new title gimmick but it's probably worth it. You don't say what kind of readership you've gotten, though, and that would affect the decision.

Thanks a lot, SwallowFeather. I appreciate it.
 

MythMonger

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I think that any reader that stuck with the first three books would be expecting more of the same. If you go all serious on them, then you'll be giving them something entirely different.

ETA: one way it could work, though, is if your characters have grown. I keep thinking about MASH and how that series evolved from one that was primarily comedy to primarily drama. However, the corny title should definitely be dropped. Unless you can think of a serious title that also incorporates A Navy (no dash) as a sort of transition title
 
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Gregg Bell

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I think that any reader that stuck with the first three books would be expecting more of the same. If you go all serious on them, then you'll be giving them something entirely different.

ETA: one way it could work, though, is if your characters have grown. I keep thinking about MASH and how that series evolved from one that was primarily comedy to primarily drama. However, the corny title should definitely be dropped. Unless you can think of a serious title that also incorporates A Navy (no dash) as a sort of transition title

Thanks a lot, MythMonger. I've decided to start a new trilogy. The characters will the the same but whereas I was calling the last trilogy "Navy SEAL Misadventure series." This one will be "Navy SEAL Adventure series." And it will be a decidedly more serious, more authentic, realistic book. New title would be Navy SEAL Everglades Rescue.

I don't plan on mentioning any connection between the two trilogies but it will obviously be there if anybody reads the third book in the first trilogy. I'll do a little more explaining about the backstory in this book but I think it should be okay.
 

frimble3

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Ah! That explains the different look to the new prototype cover! More realistic.
If the first three are a trilogy, this seems a likelier place to start a second, more realistic, series. People are used to trilogies - if you had only done two comedic books, they'd expect this to be more of the same. If you did four comedic ones, this one would lead them to expect more.
The more realistic cover would help, and maybe a series title a little more 'different' than 'Navy SEAL Adventures'?
'Navy SEAL Tales', 'Navy SEAL Incidents, Stories, Exploits, etc.' Not so close that an inattentive reader might think it was the original series.
 
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Gregg Bell

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Ah! That explains the different look to the new prototype cover! More realistic.
If the first three are a trilogy, this seems a likelier place to start a second, more realistic, series. People are used to trilogies - if you had only done two comedic books, they'd expect this to be more of the same. If you did four comedic ones, this one would lead them to expect more.
The more realistic cover would help, and maybe a series title a little more 'different' than 'Navy SEAL Adventures'?
'Navy SEAL Tales', 'Navy SEAL Incidents, Stories, Exploits, etc.' Not so close that an inattentive reader might think it was the original series.

Thanks frimble. Good to know about the trilogy closure thing. And I'm still debating a new series title.