Next project!

Well, yes, this is a valid point. Most stories start with a core idea and a core cast of characters, and readers get attached to that main idea and those main characters and it's perfectly reasonable and understandable to want a certain series to remain focused on its initial theme, to stay true to its 'spirit' so to speak. I do understand that position, and, as a reader myself, I share it. On the other hand, as a writer, I do feel that a story should evolve in time, including more scenarios and yes, bringing in more characters in some capacity or another. Usually, this need to broaden the scope of the story starts becoming urgent for me once the initial 'concept' of the story line has been sufficiently developed, which tends to happen after a solid few chapters. Still, the point of adding more characters and 'side-plots' isn't to create another story, but to create the potential for the series to keep going and going and going: simply put, I don't think any series can go past chapter 8 or so without evolving in some way or another. At least, it can't go on much longer without getting stale, writing-wise, meaning that I get bored with it, I lose interest in the characters and have less and less ideas, so the overall quality of the series (not to mention my enjoyment in writing!) decreases. As for the two specific stories you mentioned: yes, the Ellie side-story in LSBB was a bit of a stretch (or an experiment), I agree, but I still liked the Ellie character and I wanted to see if it was possible to let her have her moment in the spotlight. Her side-story was never meant to be a whole other story within the story, but yeah, all things considered it might be worth moving that whole thing into a different series of its own. Still, I did have to try and see how that idea would be received. In the case of Loopholes though, the situation is very different. In that series, Tessa's sisters were meant to be the stars from the very beginning, at least in my mind. The story wasn't meant to be just a prequel to Buttfuck Buddies, even though it was bound to have that vibe to it too, but rather it was meant to introduce Sally and Sharon (and Tessa, of course) through Nick, so that Tessa, Sally and Sharon themselves could become established as main characters. Obviously, Tessa and Nick's story arch picks up again in the final chapters of Buttfuck Buddies, which leaves Sharon and Sally out. A true prequel to the whole Nick & Tessa story, set years before, when Tessa and Nick first met, is still a project that I might focus on at some point, and that indeed would need to be a whole different series, but I don't think that's necessary for Sharon and Sally. Since Loopholes is set in the summer before Sharon and Sally go to college, at which point Nick and Tessa go their separate ways once again, it would be perfectly logical to keep following Sharon and Sally and see what happens next. Could that be done in another series with another title? Yes, certainly. But is it necessary to do so for any reason of internal consistency, continuity or anything of that sort? No, not really. And that's why I thought that Loopholes could keep going with its title and with two of its main characters from this point on. I know it's a loooong answer, but you did raise some fairly complex and important points there, so I had to address them thoroughly! Anyways, thanks for the feedback, I do value this kind of observations!

ZenZerker

I know the poll is closed, but I respectfully think that the story titled "Little Sister's Big Butt" should be about Tyler and his big butt having little sister. If there was another chapter that was only about those two, I and I think at least a few other's would be more wiling to vote for it. The Ellie-Brothers story should be a spin-off, and I also think that the Loopholes story focusing on the twins should also have a different title. I guess my point is that instead of taking one story and trying to squeeze another story into it, make two separate stories instead.

ElectricLemonaid

That's understandable, Jennifer is a pretty magnetic character!

ZenZerker

It is sooo tempting to go with LSBB, but I will stay the course with the lovely Jennifer for now...

John Ess

Consider it done!

ZenZerker

I would like to add my extra votes to It Doesn’t Take A Genius