So you want to Write a Series, part I

When I first started my writing life, I was told to start a blog to attract followers to my books. I did so, reluctantly and one of the reasons was I felt I had nothing to offer in the way of expertise. Don’t get me wrong, I know a lot about a lot of things, and I say that without an ounce of conceit. I’m naturally curious and when I want to know about a thing, I research it and study. And yet, I didn’t know what to say to people I didn’t know, who didn’t know me and hadn’t asked me for any advice. That was almost 13 years ago.

Now I have a few new skills under my belt. I just published the last book in my four-book series as an indie writer and publisher. It doesn’t make me uniquely qualified to give advice on writing a series—plenty of people have written multiple series—but I would like to share some of the insights I’ve learned along the way that I haven’t seen anywhere else.

Firstly, if you want to write a series—DON’T! I mean it. They are a headache for people who already have tons of voices in their head from characters screaming that they want attention, that you didn’t get the right voice, that they would never do that, etc. Now add to that continuity. Charles Dickens is a beloved author, was prolific in his time, only wrote standalone novels and even he lost the thread sometimes. It’s exhausting!

But, if you’re like me, and decided that you can take on a little insanity, here’s my advice. Continuity on your own is daunting. I have a series bible and each of my novels have at least two notebooks full notes, scenes, and chapters and I still sometimes forget the eye color of my main character. To combat this problem, I have one consistent reader who remembers stuff I no longer see because, you know, forest-trees bit. I have other beta readers, but one had made himself in charge of all the things I forget, and he does it by not remembering. We all have beta readers or readers in general who read so closely they know your characters better than you do. What you need is a non-reading reader who will write things in the margins like, “Where did this come from?” or “Can you draw a map or something?” That reader is gold because they come with no baggage and genuinely want to understand the story in front of them. Answering their questions will definitely make the story better.