Thinking series
I'm brainstorming today. I need to get started on the second book in my new paranormal romance series -- first books are fairly easy. Second books? HARD. (at least, for me). The first series I did, my vamp one, I never really had a plan for it since I never knew I'd get the chance to go five books with the same characters. This non-planning presented several challenges for me in regards to overall character arcs and other lovely writerly terms. It all worked out, luckily enough, but it wasn't totally easy getting from point A to point Z while keeping each book as stand-alone as possible.
I'm lucky enough to now be at the beginning of two potential series - one for adults and one for teens. The first book is written for both, and my task in the next five months is to write 2 book twos. Basically I want to make things easier on myself by thinking things through up front. But how do you do that? How do you know where your characters might be in five plus books?
I'm basically writing everything down in a series bible -- character motivation and goals, descriptions, potential plot points. It's intimidating! Mostly because I'm one of those people who overthink everything and assume I'm doing it wrong.
So I'm asking my fellow Leaguers -- many of whom have written or are writing awesome multi-book series -- (or any other fabulous person who'd like to answer the question) HOW DO YOU DO IT? Do you have any tips, tricks, or words of wisdom in thinking "series"? How do you approach this specialized kind of novel-writing? Do you take it one book at a time? Do you know how everything's going to turn out or do you let your characters surprise you and take you in new unexplored directions?
Please! Share with the class. I really want to know. (So I can use your tips for my own selfish and nefarious reasons, of course).
--Michelle Rowen :-)
www.michellerowen.com
Comments
The key is to never write yourself into a corner.
For example if we are talking about Reign and Fire about a Demon Princess, questions that can occur include:
How does she cope with the pressures of having to deal with royal duties and going to school?
How does she deal with suitors?
When your father is a king amongst demons what can you do to rebel?
The thing is, if you can give readers a piece about the tale such as a book blurb etc, they'll ask questions, some of which you'll have dealt with, others which you haven't but it will generate idea's and from that you'll figure out where your going.
Likewise ask your test readers what they'd like to see or what questions they have. It should provide some thought provoking material.
Other than that I tend to relax in bed and think things through and generally let my mind work on it as I sleep. You'll be amazed at the concepts that make it through and steer you in the right direction.
I'm looking for the MAGIC ANSWER, people!! None of this hard work stuff!!! ;)
Thanks for the replies so far... :)
And I have a few basic plot ideas for further books, which means I can make sure I'm not inserting a throw-away line somewhere that will render a later story unworkable or whatever. I don't know everything that will happen in those books of course but I have some thoughts on them.
For me the second book is absolutely the hardest. I started the second Demons book eight times before I had a beginning that worked. The second Downside book was like pulling teeth to write. Not I'm 2/3 of the way done with the third and am having a great time again, and think the third Demons book will be just asmuch fun; the story I have planned will be a hoot, I think. :-)
So yeah, it's just like the first third of a book; leave lots of stuff open, really. And I do think it helps to have the overreaching arcs--the romances, the characters' career developments, whatever--in mind as you go along.
Does that help? :-)
Make a deal with the devil so that you'll never run out of book idea's. It will cost you your soul but hey those are the breaks. LOL
Gareth...I think that might be the answer. But I already made my deal to get published. Huh. Perhaps I should have been more specific. ;)
Another thing to do, specifically for book two, is think of an incredible, irresistible, must-write scene that would have to take place at the climax of the story, and then write backwards. Figure out everything that needs to fall in place for that scene to happen. Then when you write all the scenes that lead up to that big one, the big one may end up changing, but it'll do so as part of the natural course of things.
It's rather like sex. You know you want a great climax; the pleasure is in figuring out how to get there.
In fact, I outlined this post before I began writing it.
Okay, I didn't, but I thought about it.