-K

There’s a certain set of differences between writing a stand-alone novel and writing a series (no matter how long the series is). A lot of things go into the art of crafting a good series, so I’m here to give some tips to make things just a little simpler:

Conduct case studies. Being someone who loves to analyze, record, and organize, this one is a definite must for me. Like most other tips, this one isn’t going to work for everyone who tries it; the point here is finding your own groove. What I like to do is find a few of my favorite series and think about the endings to each book, then record a few things about it (questions asked, questions, answers, loose ends, why I liked it, why it works, etc.) I do this a couple of times and then kind of average things out to see what the common factors are and go from there.

Ask and answer questions. This one is a delicate balance. You want to tie up some loose ends, but leave others dangling just enough to motivate your readers to check out the next book. If you don’t answer any questions, it’ll feel like a pointless read. If you answer all of them in one go, there won’t be a reason to read your next book. If you’re writing the last book in your series, try to answer as many questions as possible; you want to provide a satisfying read.

Keep track of consistency. If your writing style and voice is one way in one book, try to keep that same style and voice the same for your next (unless there’s a PoV change). If you’re just in one PoV, keep your writing style as consistent as possible; if it changes in every book, it’ll be harder to believe you’re writing for the same character. Additionally, keep track of everything. If a character dies, they shouldn’t be in the next book without one heck of a good reason. Characters should retain their personalities and voices the same way regular people would.

Pay attention to arcs. Every character should be dynamic in some sort of way. They should change by the end of each book, and the resulting change in the next should be logical. For this one, it helps if you start off knowing their arc for the entire series; then you can plot out how they get there during each book. But by the end of the series, your characters should be showing some definite change - for better or worse, you decide.

SHINE BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND WREN.

WE’LL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU.