There are certainly pros and cons to both. As a reader and as a writer, I prefer series.
After completing Harmony Ends, though, I needed a break from big novels and even bigger story arcs. I planned the next project to be a standalone to give me a creative change and the chance to work on more than one story this year.
You know what they say about good intentions, though…
As I’ve delved into the world of Fangs and Fur, I realize that there is much more to tell than the single story I had first planned. From a business perspective, this decision has few pros and many cons, but if it’s the right call for the story to reach its full potential, then that’s the best call I can make.
Right now, my vision for Fangs and Fur is of two main story arcs spread across several volumes, currently called the “them” arc and the “him” arc (make of that what you will ;D). I will write and publish the “them” arc, and if those volumes are financially successful through publication, I will proceed with the “him” arc.
This plan means maybe I will never get to write the “him” arc. The “him” arc is by far my favorite of all my outlining, but this possibility is an unfortunate and necessary part of writing for a living. Giving myself a concrete midpoint in publication so I can determine this story’s financial viability is a critical improvement I’ve made to my process. I can at least promise that if I decide to end the story at that planned midpoint, there will be a satisfying conclusion with no loose ends.
I hope I get to deliver all I dream of with Fangs and Fur, and I am optimistic I will get to. If that’s not the case, though, the best way to look at it is remembering that I’m full to the brim with excellent stories waiting to be told. Fangs and Fur is my current passion, pursuit, and purpose, and every other story in my head deserves that drive, too—all in good time.