For those who aren’t aware, I write series. I write almost exclusively in series. Even when I tried to write just one book, it ended up being a series. So I know a thing or two about writing series at this point. You want to write a series? First question.

What type of series?

There’s two major type of series. Depending on your story, your planning and structure are going to vary wildly based on which you decide to go with.

Finite series

The first type, and the type that I am more comfortable working in, is the finite series. These are identified as books that build to a final conclusion. There’s often a narrative that runs strongly throughout and builds through the books, and it will follow one or many character’s journeys throughout the whole narrative as they change and grow.

Most often I’ve been seeing these as trilogies in traditional publishing, or the 7 book series that’s become really popular with indie.

Infinite series

This is also known as serialized fiction. These are book series that have the potential to go on forever. The characters don’t ultimately do a lot of growing or changing because the series is often intended to be read in any order. The focus isn’t as much on the growth and development of a single plot or character, but on the problem introduced at the start of the book, which will be resolved by the end. It’s a bit like a sitcom, but as novels.

There are exceptions

I am trying to generalize for ease here, but there are absolutely exceptions. The soap opera serialization format, for instance, combines the two in that the series goes on forever by design, but they have a rotating cast to ensure that stakes can be continually raised and time can pass so there is progression.

What’s your intent?

Ultimately, determining what kind of series you’re going to write depends largely on your intent. Do you want to write a lot of different stories with the same group of characters or in the same setting that have some connection? Do you want to write a single epic that can’t be contained in a single book?

For me, that choice is easy. I write stories that I feel are too large to be contained in one book, so I write a finite series. My characters undergo a lot of change and growth throughout that aren’t as conducive to an infinite format. And, most importantly, I like having an ending.

You can change your mind!

If you start with one format, you can absolutely pivot to another! There will be a bit of a bump, and if you’ve got an audience they may have some difficulties with it, but your tactics can absolutely change as you find a narrative format that works best for your stories.

I want to hear from you!

Do you have any questions about writing series? I’m looking to write a whole lot about this and I’d love to answer anything you have been wondering about.

Tropes, those common conventions, those little bits of narrative that are common enough that people recognize them to the point they can be shorthand for some people, they are everywhere. And while it seems the trend is to subvert them, I’ve been taking some time to reflect on my stories to see what I use commonly and if I’m okay with that.

After all, what else am I doing these days?

Reluctant Hero and Refusal of the Call

Examples: Looking Glass Saga, White Noise, City Without Heroes

I’m good with this one. I like the idea of someone doing things not because they want to, but because they have to or because circumstances dictate it. I’ll be writing outside of this one eventually, but for now I’m having a lot of fun with it.

Plot Irrelevant Villain

Examples: Looking Glass Saga, Tales from the Twisted Eden Sector, White Noise

I write mostly about self discovery, so my antagonists are largely not a key factor in the story. They drive the plot along, sure, but the actual conflict usually comes from the characters trying to figure themselves out more than trying to defeat the big bad.

Chekov’s Gun

Examples: Looking Glass Saga, Tales from the Twisted Eden Sector, White Noise, City Without Heroes

I’m always a little sad when people don’t notice my foreshadowing, but I do love laying in hints in small bits early in the story to be uncovered in their full context later. Just you try and rip this trope away from me. This and red herrings, I will keep hold of this until I die.

Bittersweet Ending

Examples: Tales from the Twisted Eden Sector, City Without Heroes

I don’t like bows, what can I say? I like to think I end things on a hopeful note, where characters are ready to move on, but not on a firmly happy note. There’s always fallout that has to still be dealt with, but the characters are now prepared to deal with it. So I’m good with this one too.