Skip to main content

A Series is Different


 Right now, I’m working away on a five-book series about the brothers of the hero of The Bargain. Five duke’s sons who certainly deserve their own love stories. Nathaniel, Viscount Hightower, the responsible eldest. Sebastian, the dashing cavalry major. Randolph, the ambitious churchman. Robert, the suave town beau. James, the naval officer, back from sailing the South Seas. I’m finding, though, that writing a series is different from crafting a stand-alone story in many ways.

            Keeping track of all the details, for example. When books are connected, I have to make sure I know who said what, when. With The Bargain already out there, setting the scene, I have to make sure I follow through on what it promised. And keep the names and dates straight. And watch for spoilers. I’m up to my ears in charts for the six brothers and their respective love interests, not to mention other family members who enter and exit the plots. Where did I say Sebastian was when Nathaniel went to Brighton? When Robert and James meet up in London, what’s the season? I don’t want to find that I set a scene in July in one book and August in another!
            Of course, there are great advantages to series writing as well. I have a cast of established characters for each book. No need to develop a whole new set, with all their quirks and history. And some events suggested by the first book have been great fun to expand. I also get to revisit couples from previous HEAs and tell everyone how they’re going. Probably my favorite, I can drop hints about what’s going on with absent brothers, which will later be told at length in their books. I’ve been enjoying that!
All in all, I think I like the world of series writing. What’s your favorite thing about series?

Comments

  1. I love writing series because it's fun to create a world. As a reader, I love seeing characters after the HEA.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Jane. I love series because secondary characters can get the HEA they deserve. <3

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love reading series. Love to become involved with the main characters, their world& families and secondary characters. It's nice to see the original characters throughout the series and to guess who gets the next book.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love to see glimpses of folks that I got to know in the other books and finding out how they are doing. Sounds like you are taking great pains to make sure you keep things straight, that is always appreciated but a LOT of work! Good luck on the stories, sounds like it should be a great series!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment