A series with rapid releases might expect more momentum than this, but I didn't want to build that into the model.Īll of the rest of the series sells as a percentage of Book 1. If it's two months later, then 50*.5 more units each month, and if three months later, then 50*.25 more units for each of the three months. If the next release is a month later, then Book 1 will sell 50*1 more units. They are laid out on the right of the spreadsheet. I've tried to lowball all the parameters. Since I'm only interested in the comparative results of different plans, using the same parameters will help cancel out the uncertainty. Tinkering with the parameters will give you an idea about the sensitivity of the results to the initial setting. Those numbers have enormous uncertainty associated with them. Length of series: Even if I write ahead, the various models end up the same beginning with book 10, so 10 books is enough for this evaluation.

That should only be an issue as the release schedule begins to crowd the writing schedule. I assume my partners (cover artist, conlanger) can keep up. Sometimes it might be faster, sometimes slower. Time to write a book in the series: 3 months. As always, I am not responsible for any errors in my assumptions or algorithms - please do your own calculations using your own assumptions. Lots of uncertainty.įor my own curiosity, I built a spreadsheet to help me do the analysis, and I'm sharing that here with you.

Is it better to release the new series books one at a time as they're finished, or to write the first several, and then release them quickly, one right after another?Įasy to say - hard to analyze. Unlike some of my others, this one is open-ended, rather than coming to a natural (if extensible) close after just a few books. I'm just about to start writing a new series.

Release me book series