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Step 1: Map out the plot. The first thing you want to do is solidify the ideas you have for your series’ plot. Write down a brief outline of all the key events you have in mind so far, forming a rough chronology. Don’t worry too much about structure or order just yet; we’ll get to those below.
- Determine The Type of Series That Best Suits Your Story
- Plan... But only as Much as You Need to
- Dive in and Expand Your World
- Leave No Character Unexamined
- Make Sure Each Book Satisfies on Its Own
The first thing to do is figure out which kind of series suits your story idea. This will affect the way the following tips apply to you. Think about the series written by your favorite authors. Chances are that they all fall into one of these categories 1. Serial:featuring one overarching narrative told in several, chronological installments 2. Ep...
Not every type of series requires the same amount of prior planning. For instance, if you’re a committed free-writer, you’re probably interested in writing an episodic series, as it’s not necessary to have an overarching narrative connecting the different books. Authors writing serials, on the other hand, typically know how the whole thing will end...
While there are many differences between the three types of series, one thing is consistent: they all need a well-crafted worldin which the stories unfurl. Here a couple of tips to bring the universe of your series to life.
When we said characters are important, we don’t just mean the protagonists. They no doubt deserve the largest portion of your time, but they don’t exist on their own. Throughout their journeys, they’ll interact with many others, from enemies to friends, who’ll bring out the worst or best in our protagonists, so these side characters must have some ...
When actually draftingtheir books, a lot of series writers fall into the trap of writing filler novels. Sure, your books are part of something bigger than each individual title, but readers will buy them one by one, so you have to make sure each one is complete and unique. Otherwise, you risk losing the audience’s interest. This means that: 1. Each...
- Know what makes writing series different. Writing a series is different to writing a standalone book for a number of reasons: Series have multi-novel continuity (this separates a book series from a book cycle) – characters and/or settings, and/or conflicts return.
- Choose a central conflict that sustains interest in your series. From Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache mystery series to Rowling’s fantasy epic Harry Potter, intriguing series have conflicts and characters whose development span multiple books.
- Create a fictional world readers will long to return to. Readers of Rowling’s fantasy series are eager to return to her fictional world because: It is rich in imaginative detail: Rowling thinks of every detail, from how bank vaults are guarded (by dragons) to the woods used to make magical wands and their properties.
- Outline your series in advance. If you tend not to plot usually, this can work for a novel. When you write a novel series, however, an outline is especially useful, as it helps you retain a bird’s eye view.
- Choose the type of series you want to write. One of the first things to consider if you want to write a series is what kind of series you’d like to write.
- Map your story concept. The amount of planning you need to do will largely depend on which type of series you choose to write. Serials typically require the most foresight, and authors of this kind of series usually know how the whole thing will end before they finish writing the first book.
- Plan key plot points for each book. With the big picture in mind, you’ll then need to figure out which key events take place in which books. None of your books should just be “fillers;” they need to do something to move the plot forward without losing sight of the bigger picture.
- Broaden your horizons. Simply writing “Book 2” at the end of your title won’t be enough to keep readers hooked on your series. If you recycle the same storyline, settings, and tropes over and over again throughout your series, you’re not going to make many sales.
- Genre. Pick a genre that can sustain your characters over several books. Some genres are tailor-made for serialization—mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, romance, are all good choices.
- Character. Series are all about your characters. These are the book people your readers are coming back to see. They must be compelling, unique, and engaging to such a degree that readers really care about them, worry about their troubles, and want to see them get what they need.
- Central Conflict. Keep conflict going. Fiction is fueled by conflict. No conflict, no story; no story, and your readers will move on to someone else’s book.
- Setting. Let’s do a little exercise. I’ll toss out a character name and you match that character to the city they’re from. Easy Rawlins. Spenser. Sam Spade.
Nov 22, 2018 · How to plot a book series: 8 steps. Find your Central Idea, decide what type of series you are going to write. Decide if it will it be an episodic series with one central story over many volumes (i.e. every story is self-contained). Brainstorm key plot points for each book.
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3. Outline the series, then outline the books. The simplest way to deal with the metanarrative issue when learning how to write a book series is by outlining the series as a whole first. Then, you can outline each book with its own mini-arc that contributes to the greater story.
