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megwritesI think there are a lot more "series" in fiction, especially in genre fiction like mystery, sci-fi/fantasy, etc - and my perception is that it's actually increasing over time. I could be wrong, and someone could come to me with statistics that show that the amount of series is the same or even less than it used to be 20 or 30 years ago.
I also think that there are more trilogies than there used to be (this could be a perception).
The place I notice it most, though, is in YA and children's books. Even in my own childhood, I remember how there was a seemingly never ending selection of Goosebumps and Babysitter's Club (I loved both equally, thanks) and other things. It seemed like all books inherently bred more books in the same universe.
I wonder if the same was true for my mother and my grandmother.
And if indeed there is an increase in series, I wonder if this is due to television, if we're shaping our fiction to fit minds that have been molded since early, early childhood by television formats. We think of the world in series, in terms of ongoing adventures because that's how we're being shaped.
But that made me think about old serialized formats of novels, especially those that got printed in newspapers in the 19th century.
I always wonder if that would work again.
I also think that there are more trilogies than there used to be (this could be a perception).
The place I notice it most, though, is in YA and children's books. Even in my own childhood, I remember how there was a seemingly never ending selection of Goosebumps and Babysitter's Club (I loved both equally, thanks) and other things. It seemed like all books inherently bred more books in the same universe.
I wonder if the same was true for my mother and my grandmother.
And if indeed there is an increase in series, I wonder if this is due to television, if we're shaping our fiction to fit minds that have been molded since early, early childhood by television formats. We think of the world in series, in terms of ongoing adventures because that's how we're being shaped.
But that made me think about old serialized formats of novels, especially those that got printed in newspapers in the 19th century.
I always wonder if that would work again.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-09 10:16 pm (UTC)A few older recurring series come to mind: Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Red Randall, and Lassie. Not to mention series based on radio and early TV shows, like the Lone Ranger.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-09 10:43 pm (UTC)