On Writing a “Series” (2024)

FAQs

How do you write a good series? ›

Put simply, a series is three or more books that are linked by something other than being written by the same author. The links are common elements that appeal to a certain group of readers and give them a reason to buy all the books in the series.

A book series can be two books or 50 books and counting. It all depends on what type of story you're telling and how long it takes you to tell that story.

High reviews suggest that the media resonates with a diverse range of viewers and possesses qualities like compelling storytelling, strong character development, or other production values.

Ideally, you will work through the elements of your pitch document first, even before writing the script itself. Establish your characters, plot, and structure, and then write the script. It makes writing the script itself a lot easier if you have everything plotted, and ready to go.

A trilogy is a set of three distinct works that are connected and can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, and video games.

A heptalogy (/hɛpˈtælədʒi/; from Greek ἑπτα- hepta-, "seven" and -λογία -logia, "discourse"), is a compound literary or narrative work that is made up of seven distinct works. While not in wide usage, it has been used to describe such examples as the Harry Potter series of books, and The Chronicles of Narnia.

What makes a good book series? ›

A series writer has to make each individual book attractive and compelling while leaving enough open ends to justify a further book or three. They have to create characters that continue to grow in unexpected yet authentic ways which hold our attention, sometimes over hundreds of pages.

Regardless, each book should have an overarching plot, just as the whole series should have an overarching plot. Think of it like Game of Thrones: each chapter is an episode, each book is a season, and all those seasons combine to make an epic TV show series.

Well, it turns out that plotting is even more important when there are multiple books involved! As a writer of a series, you have so much to keep track of. There are multiple characters, plot points, and settings, as well as a connection to maintain between each book.

In writing a series, it's important to introduce characters, their desires and goals, early, so your reader invests in their character arcs. Establish your characters early so that readers know who the primary players are in your series. Your characters' goals are the 'what' of your story.

The format of a TV series/movie typically consists of multiple episodes or a singular feature film. TV series are usually divided into seasons, with each episode lasting around 30 minutes to an hour. Movies, on the other hand, are standalone productions that usually last between 1.5 to 3 hours.

A series writer has to make each individual book attractive and compelling while leaving enough open ends to justify a further book or three. They have to create characters that continue to grow in unexpected yet authentic ways which hold our attention, sometimes over hundreds of pages.