I just finished a story where the main character was blown up in the last scene. Has anyone else ever considered something that drastic to ensure no sequel requests?
Granted, "Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)" ends with all life on Earth being killed, but that didn't prevent what ended up as three sequels to that movie (the second in the original Planet of the Apes series.)
As stated, killing off all the characters should do the job, but if you don't wish to do that, then just simply write badly, as that will also have the same effect.
If personal pride does not allow you to write like a four year old, then simply make any male characters gay and who also hate the Marine Corps. Oh, and make them support, Kamala is it? Anyway that side of American politics.
The problem will always be, the better you write, the more content readers will want from you.
I just finished a story where the main character was blown up in the last scene. Has anyone else ever considered something that drastic to ensure no sequel requests?
In the novel "First Blood," both Rambo and the sheriff die at the end. That was the impact the author was looking for. Both the Korean War veteran and the Vietnam War veteran lose — no winners.
David Morrell addressed that in his book on writing. When he sold the rights to Hollywood, they insisted on not killing off Rambo. He objected but gave in. He said he made a lot of money by giving in. I think there are 5 Rambo movies.
But back to your OP. I wouldn't kill off a character just to prevent sequel requests. Who knows, someone might request a prequel. Or even worse, a sequel that learns the death was staged and the character is really alive. Or the reader might want a sequel about another character in the story. Think spin-offs of TV shows.
Just do what's right for the story. If a reader requests a sequel, politely say no.
Or even worse, a sequel that learns the death was staged and the character is really alive.
Not a new trope. It was used by Arthur Conan Doyle 125 years ago, after Sherlock Holmes "died" at Reichenbach Falls.
You could make the story circular, so it ends exactly where it started.
I remember a crime drama TV series like that. The professor assisting the police detective had a mental illness making him an unreliable narrator.
Stop Press: Bugger me sideways, Google just found it for me: 'Perception'.
AJ
Killing off a character (or all of them) still allows you a do-over sequel or a time-loop sequel, at minimum.
The most reliable way of ensuring there are no requests for a sequel? Write a story no one wants more of.
Or a dream sequence terminating. Who shot J.R.?
That was actually season 3.
You are thinking of the entirety of season 9, after Bobby was killed so Patrick Duffy could leave at the end of season 8, then his returning in season 10. Where all of Season 9 was a bad dream of his wife.
Or, in the opposite direction, give the protagonist a happily ever after such that there's no need for a sequel.
Then there is abandon the pen name. I'm fairly sure one of the SOL authors most requested to continue his work has moved through three pen names and has abandoned all three.
I'm missing something. Why are sequel requests a bad thing?
One can simply say, "No, I'm not going to write one."
I'm missing something. Why are sequel requests a bad thing?
It largely depends on the story.
I have written sequels myself. But many stories I have written also simply stand on there own and there will be no sequels.
Why are sequel requests a bad thing?
I don't understand why this question hasn't prompted a discussion about whether sequels can ever be as good as the original work ;-)
AJ
Getting a request for a sequel is one of the biggest compliments an author can receive. Whatever the author did, the story was compelling.
I don't write sequels although I receive many requests. By the time a story posts on SOL, I'm already deep into another project.
I just finished a story where the main character was blown up in the last scene. Has anyone else ever considered something that drastic to ensure no sequel requests?
I think one of the funniest stories I had requests for a sequel for had it end with the main character dying.
Now granted, that was a "do over", but having the main character die next to his girlfriend who was already dead I thought was a clear sign the story was done and there would be no more.