I’ve had a series in the works for a while now (spoiler, it’s about dinosaurs). I’ve been really slow in writing it, but I have been reading up lately on tips for how other authors write their series.
Elizabeth Spann Craig has a post about evaluating a series, and deciding how long a series should be. Some things to consider are whether you as the author have fresh ideas, if there are natural subplots, and if there are new elements that can be added.
David Wood talked on The Creative Penn about how he started with one novel and now has 22 books in just one of his series. His advice is to write a series “if your goal is commercial success.” He adds:
I think your best choice is to sort amongst the various genres you enjoy reading, pick one that looks commercially viable, that you’re enthusiastic about.
Don’t be mercenary and pick something you hate just because it has potential. But pick something you love that has potential and, yes, commit to writing a series. It buy’s you more lottery tickets than writing a single book does.
When it writing a series, world building is very important. Live Write Thrive recommends writing through your character’s eyes. And Madness of a Modern Writer has a list of world building topics that can help. Topics include Earth, Tools, Continents, Stars, Wetlands, Metals, and more.
Are you working on a series? If so, please share your experiences and any tips in the comments!
The Pegasus Quincy Mystery Series, a small town police procedural set in the American Southwest. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B073DMDZFF and http://www.amazon.com/dp/B075TTQ53Z. Book three to be released in January, 2018