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CALLING ALL SERIES WRITERS, YOUNG AND OLD (but not too old cuz….then U wouldn’t be on here XD)
So, @writerlexi1216 made me realize it doesn’t look like we have a Series forum yet!! Which is CRAZY!! Because…ummm….we need one!
As I told her, it can be tough to find tips for writing a series, despite their fame! So I figure, why not get together and share our own knowledge (little or big) or ideas!
imma tag some ppl (idk if y’all all write series’ but if u have tips feel free to join and share them)
@gracie-j @devastate-lasting @abigail-m @joy-caroline @issawriter7 @rmarcher @e-k-seaver @kayleigh-ideas @anyone-I-missed @anyone-else @everyone-else @im-serious-please-come-XD
So yup here we go!!!
let the adventure that is writing a series…BEGIN!!! This is gonna be supa fun lol
#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
#ProtectMarcel
#ProtectSebLET THE SHOW BEGIN! I’m looking forward to seeing what everybody posts here! As for me, one thing that I struggle with in writing a series is pacing (ugh), but I think I have a better idea of where to go from here 😉 Those tips you gave me were really helpful!
@godlyfantasy12 Ah yes if you haven’t heard of my biggest project it’s a series that consists of thirteen series- I’m halfway through series number four so I think I’ve got a pretty good handle on things, as of now. Most of it is a mess but, y’know…
So if you watch anime, like I do, there are these things called “seasons” and “arcs”. Season one, season two, arc one, arc two…each of them represent what one book is in a series. Each of them should have their own main conflict which they are trying to solve and an overarching storyline that gets resolved at the end, or somewhat resolved. Each one should contribute to the overarching storyline as well.
So, for example, for the plot of one of my webnovels, it looks something like this:
Arc (volume) one: The original time loop. All the characters are newly introduced with their original alignments/powers. Should setup the background for the previous timeloops and the ones to come. Dema is the main villain, Luona and the others try to apprehend him.
Arc two: Second loop, or reset. Everyone’s powers are different. The plot of the first arc should play out, but in a different direction due to the different powers.
Arc 3: Same as the previous ones, except everyone’s alignments are switched. The plot should be radically different now.
Arc 4: The characters’ powers are switched for this loop. Thus leading to difference in plot.
Arc 5: The characters finally realise what they need to do in order to break the loop, and try hard to do so.
Okay, so that might not be very clear, due to the nature of the time loop. Let me try a couple more.
From a random trilogy of mine:
Book One: Avox and Avon have to deal with Rainan’s attack on the Void. Avon goes to hunt him down, whereas Avox stays back and tries to figure out how to defeat him.
Book Two: Rainan’s past and backstory, all of which is leading up to book one.
Book Three: Avox, Avon, and the others work together to defeat Rainan.
Uhhhh that was for a trilogy, here is a basic outline for the first series I wrote which I’m currently revamping:
Book 1: Kindle finds out she’s a special type of Magic User, seeks to find her friends and family, a special island, and some other supplies while fighting with Aria.
Book 2: Request and Fortune are the main villains of this book, as Oliver, Laurence, and the others try to go on tour as cover to find the rest of the magical items they need.
Book 3: These Magic Users are faced with a gang which, coincidentally, one of their members is part of.
Book 4: Kindle has lost her memory and disappeared. Ishmael is the newest villain that is brought up by the one behind it all.
Book 5: Final arc in which the Magic Users try to defeat the main villain.
So essentially, each book should be a book in its own, with a conflict and your typical plot points, and each installment should contribute in some way to the whole story arc. You should be able to write a synopsis for your series itself.
Hope this helps anyone who needs it…
Lately, it's been on my brain
Would you mind letting me know
If hours don't turn into days@writerlexi1216 Oh yay! Glad I could help! I’d say, don’t worry too much about it if ur in the first stages. If ur in later stages then yea, its time to put some thought into it. But sometimes, depending on who u are, the story works that out some.
So for me, what kinda makes the length of the book is the worlds and storyline, which are practically totally different from each other BUT the characters remain, and still grow, and that’s one of the most important things. Make sure ur characters are still growing. So, I struggle with the idea of this some too because I’m working on a 7 book series, so, keeping my character growing can be tough.
So how im working it is this, my MC, Arabella, grows into something new in each book. So in the first one she really puts her confidence and trust in others (still figuring all of that out), in book 2 she becomes confident in herself, book 3 she has to put her compassion and leadership skills in action, book 4, she discovers her true relationship with God. Book 5, however, is where things take a turn for the worse, so by the end, she’s kinda gone backwards, so the last two books are the end of the adventure, and her completion of growth.
And some characters are going to be static, meaning they don’t change much, or they don’t have any change. So remember not all of ur characters have to have giant arcs. I’ve got 2 characters, one of which is pretty much completely static, and the other whose change is little, and most of it comes in the first book.
So hopefully this helps too! (And id recommend reading a book called Save The Cat Writes A Novel, its great! It does have stuff from other books, so some mature stuff, but I skipped through some of it. The main thing is her Beat Sheet technique, I think you’ll find it helpful for both individual books and the overall series)
#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
#ProtectMarcel
#ProtectSebSo I think it would be good for me to create a bit of an overarching arc for each character and then print it out, just so I have it. And as ideas come I can change it.
BTW, I love talking about my WIPs in case u didn’t know so ill probs run my arcs/plots by y’all if thats okay! And maybe generate some ideas for book 4 (cuz I’ve got little to no idea for the plot on that one…)
#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
#ProtectMarcel
#ProtectSebOooooh, girl, this is GENIUS!!!!!!! I’ve tried writing sequels before and man it’s sooooo much harder, so I can’t wait to see what everyone else has got!! One of my biggest struggles (’cause I’ve been plotting out the sequel for Into the Lamp) is trying to figure out a good balance of kind of telling the same story again without actually telling the same story. Or like satisfying the readers. Does that make sense?
Anyway, here’s a great resource on writing sequels that has really helped me! https://goteenwriters.com/2020/08/05/my-process-for-writing-a-sequel/
God gives His hardest battles to His strongest soldiers.
TeenWritersNook.comGirl, I feel you!! I could talk about my WIP for literal hours (if not days)! And yeah, I’ve already spoiled some of it on the plot twists forum… so sorry about that lol
That’s a good idea about printing out character arcs! I may copy you and do that myself! 🙂
I haven’t had much experience writing series yet, but I’ve read plenty of them, and three things that I notice work are:
1# The character’s arc is split into two sections.
2# The love interest doesn’t confess anything in the first few stories.
3# And an ongoing fear.
Not that these observations mean a whole lot, but they seem to keep the pacing flowing pretty well in my opinion:)
Ooooh, Into the Lamp has a sequel in progress? EEEEK! That’s neat! By the way, I’m so sorry I haven’t gotten back with you about reading it! I’m a suuuuper slow reader sometimes, so it takes me longer than most people. It has nothing to do with the story, though–the story is ah-may-zhing!! Just wanted to throw that out there lol
And yeah, I feel for you on that struggle! I’m sort of going through the same thing right now… That makes total sense!
Haha, YEP!!! I’m super excited about it ’cause I’ve got a few ideas I’ve been wanting to work on.
Plus I’ve actually sorta missed writing about Colin…surprisingly. XDTHANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aww, girl, that’s TOTALLY 100% okay!!!!!!! Seriously!! I don’t have a deadline or anything like that!! It’s really all good!!! I”m just soooooooooooo happy to hear you’ve been enjoying the story and all!!!! That means sooo much to me!!!!! I was REALLY hoping you’d like it!!!!! <33Yeah, it’s been really hard. Aw, I’m sorry!! I hope you get it figured out! YAY!!!
God gives His hardest battles to His strongest soldiers.
TeenWritersNook.com- Rank: Eccentric Mentor
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@godlyfantasy12 Well, this is such a great topic that you’ve done it twice! A few months ago, you started the topic “Writing a Series,” which can be found here: https://kingdompen.org/forums/topic/writing-a-series/
There’s some great series-writing advice on there too!
Anyway, y’all know I’m on book 3 in a six-novel series, so if anyone has any questions, I’d be happy to help!
@gracie-j Whoops! XD! Well hopefully this one will stay up so I can remember it 🤣
#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
#ProtectMarcel
#ProtectSebBtw, for those who wanna make one, I used Google docs, and actually I used their Pet Sheet Template, and exchanged the picture to represent my character and deleted the other stuff to make my own thing. So here is Ara’s, let me know if yall wanna read more!
Arabella Fable Character Arc Sheet
Book 1 Arc
Learns to see people for who they are, not who they pretend or seem to be. Puts full confidence in her friends, and slowly begins her climb into being confident in herself.Book 2 Arc
Put in the middle of a rebellion, Ara gains confidence in herself and her abilities, with the help of her friends, old and new. She begins to see that she does have the strength to fight and to overcome her anxieties.Book 3 Arc
Brings her compassion to the forefront and grows her leadership skills when she has to step up in order to protect a little boy. She begins to see that past mistakes and defects don’t have to bind you, and she realizes she can overcome her own scar and past.
Book 4 Arc
Discovers the reason The All (God) chose her, and comes to grips with his decision and her destiny, no matter how long it takes. She truly unlocks her love for God, and sees how she shine his light and show his love, and that she has been doing that all along.
Book 5 Arc
Arabella is tested like never before in the things she’s learned and grown through, but when what seems to be betrayal rises, and she’s met with opposition like never before, she wonders if it’s enough, and begins to go backwards.
Book 6 Arc
On the other end of the betrayal, Ara begins to descend into a very dark place. She slowly begins to make amends with all of her friends, and they decide to finish the battle once and for all, but their efforts are dashed. And one persons sacrifice threatens to either tear apart or bring together what’s left of the broken group.
Book 7 Arc
Fueled with a passion to avenge their fallen friend, Arabella finally rises to her full potential, taking everything she has learned and overcoming all of her worries in order to become who she is destined to be. Using her compassion, she restores a broken soul, leading to the final showdown between her and the one behind it all. In the end, while she hasn’t fully defeated the evil of the world, she has restored peace to many torn lands, and has fulfilled her destiny.
#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
#ProtectMarcel
#ProtectSeb(And you don’t have to make it as detailed as mine, or u can make it more detailed. But I’d enjoy reading s0me about yall’s character’s too I think!)
#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
#ProtectMarcel
#ProtectSeb- Rank: Eccentric Mentor
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Ooh, what a fun topic!
Obviously right now I’m working on two companion novels, The Apostle’s Sister and The Anointed. There’s actually a third book about Paul I want to write someday. I’ve never told anyone about it and this seems like a good place, so here’s the gist:
Since TAS closes at the beginning of Paul’s 2-year first imprisonment in Rome (Acts 28:30), I would like to write a novel exploring his last years following that first imprisonment and Caesar Nero’s uncharacteristic acquittal. After that acquittal, Paul was a free man for about two years until the Great Fire of Rome.
It was Caesar Nero himself who burned Rome in order to build himself a bigger and better palace. He even played the fiddle, gleefully, as the city burned and the ashes settled in suffering. Everyone knew what Nero did. Everyone knew it was he who burned Rome. But once the excitement passed and Nero realized what would happen to him if he were accused, he found a perfect scapegoat in Paul. Both Jews and Gentiles hated Paul, and the Jews had a perfect plan to get him executed for good. They worked with Nero’s wife to bring that about, and Nero pronounced his accusation: Paul had set fire to the city of Rome.
Paul was immediately put back into his familiar chains and forced to return to Rome, where Nero left him in the darkest, dirtiest, gloomiest dungeon. There he was sentenced to spend the remainder of his days until his second trial before the evil emperor. The trial, obviously, was very unfair. Everyone, certainly including Nero himself, knew that Paul was innocent. But Nero had to blame somebody. He ordered Paul be taken back to the dungeon, there to stay until the soldiers slashed off his head.
At a Roman trial a person was allowed to bring along a friend who would plead for their acquittal. Not one of the Christians of Rome came with Paul to stand before Nero. Not even Luke came. All his friends abandoned him, including a young man named Demas. (2 Timothy 4:16)
Demas was converted by Paul during the first Roman imprisonment of two years. He was a very close friend of Paul’s, and for many years served as his faithful companion. (Colossians 4:14, Philemon 24) But in the end, Demas became just like the others and “went to Thessalonica, being in love with this present world.” (2 Timothy 4:10)
I’ve always found Demas fascinating. I feel like he was kind of Paul’s Judas. It’s really easy to hate someone like Demas. I know I certainly did hate him the first time I read about him. How could he abandon Paul as he stood pleading for his life? How could he abandon a man who had been nothing but his friend, who had treated him with nothing but kindness?
But then as I thought about it, I began feeling sorry for Demas instead of hating him. In the end, it was his loss. Paul was executed, yes, but he was executed knowing he belonged to Jesus. Demas went safely back to Thessalonica, but lost his best friend and lost Christ in one fell swoop. I started to wonder how Demas must have felt when he learned of Paul’s fate. Did he feel guilty? If so, I feel sorry for him. I couldn’t imagine the guilt, knowing you rejected someone who did nothing wrong but love you, and let them die without knowing you really did care.
Anyway, I started thinking a lot about Demas and wondering what led him to reject Paul, and how he felt afterwards. Maybe he didn’t leave Paul just out of fear of being imprisoned and executed, too. Maybe he left because he felt unworthy of Paul’s love and friendship. Maybe he felt he was too great of a sinner, and Paul was too good to condescend to be around someone like him. So he ran from his friend’s love.
I would really like to explore this in an entire novel – a novel from Demas’ perspective, telling his side of the story of why he left Paul.
I’m so sorry this response turned out so lengthy, I commend you if you made it here 😂
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