Our 31 July 2025 RoundTable 360° session was Series or Singular? -Some creatives repeat what works — the author who creates a series; the actor who plays the same character in different productions; the artist who paints only wildlife, landscapes, portraits; the musician who can’t escape the 1-4-5 ¾ structure — rather than exploring/expanding into something new. Other creatives can’t repeat their characters regardless of their efforts.
The former is easier — the brain already knows the pattern so not much new is needed for creation to occur. The latter is more challenging because the created world is new each time. That bumps into audience recognition. Does your audience want the same dish regardless of restaurant, or do they seek out different meals regardless of whether they’ve visited a restaurant once or a hundred times?
This also bumps into “What is repeated?” Authors who can’t create a series character often repeat themes and (in essence) write the same story multiple times. Actors are drawn to scripts/plays where similar situational/relational dynamics on stage/screen. Musicians are fluid yet locked into one or two musical styles. Artists paint cinematic vistas be they backyards or deep space.
Is it really a matter of discovering what your audience wants repeated and delivering it to them? Or continuing the inner exploration which drives creatives to repeat what’s repeatable? Or both?
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