# How much do you plan your series?



## RavenOfSummer (Dec 12, 2017)

I'm curious for those who write novel series, to what extent do you plan out your series, and/or how do you go about planning? For example, if you anticipate writing, say, a four-book series, do you plan and outline all four books before you begin writing? Or do you just have a basic idea of where you want to go and, after writing the first book, decide how to go about things for the second book, and so on? Or do you have a firm grasp on the first couple of books, but allow more freedom to see how things go with those and then decide how you want the later books in the series to go? I guess my question is really a version of the plotter vs pantser question, but more complicated because it involves multiple books. 

As a "plantser" I generally do a fair amount of writing by discovery, although I have the main plot points of my story thought out before writing. My current WIP I plan to be the first in a series, and since I'm nearing the end of my first draft I've been thinking ahead to the second book, since I want to be sure I set up the things I want for going forward into book 2. At this point I know the main plot points for the series arc overall, and the specifics of the second book have become more solid in my head. I think I want to have a solid outline of the second book before I dive into getting to the 2nd draft of my first book, just so I can make sure I'm setting up everything I want to use for future books. The third and fourth books are more general ideas in my head right now. 

Just curious how others handle this? What has been your experience, what works for you and what doesn't?


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## Russ (Dec 12, 2017)

On the pure fantasy side, I am writing a tetralogy and have it planned pretty much through to the end, in pretty good detail, although book two could use some more beefing up if I am going to be honest with myself.

In my thriller with fantasy elements series I am looking at, I don't have a definite endpoint, but I do  have the first four novels pretty well plotted with some ideas for later books.

The tricky part about writing a series or trilogy etc, without some good plotting done in advance is that if you have published the first book or two, it is then impossible to go back and put in seeds that lay the foundations for later books.  There are a couple ways around this, you can write most of the series before you publish book one (not my favourite choice) or you can just put in a number of interesting things in the first book or two without knowing if you will pick up on them later, but they can be fuel for those later developments if you need them.  If not, no harm done.


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## Svrtnsse (Dec 12, 2017)

I'm currently working on a series spanning twenty short novellas. My original intent was to write a big massive novel, but as time went by it became clear to me that doing it that way would be too big an undertaking for me. I decided instead to split the novel into a series of shorter stories and write them instead. I'm still telling the same story, only as a series of novellas and not as one big novel.

I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted the novel to be about. I'd started outlining it three times already before changing it into a series, so I had the basics down. Using the previous outline I identified a number of events that were interesting enough that they could be told as stories of their own. 
The next step was to write a brief outline of the various different stories. In doing so I ended up splitting some of them further, which is how I went from twelve stories to twenty.

Once I'd done that I wrote a slightly more detailed outline for each story, and then I did the same thing again, adding more detail with each iteration. I now have a number of fairly well outlined stories that connect together into a longer narrative. I've shared quite a bit of the outline online on my website, and much of the outline can be found through the link in my signature.


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## RavenOfSummer (Dec 12, 2017)

Russ said:


> On the pure fantasy side, I am writing a tetralogy and have it planned pretty much through to the end, in pretty good detail, although book two could use some more beefing up if I am going to be honest with myself.
> 
> In my thriller with fantasy elements series I am looking at, I don't have a definite endpoint, but I do  have the first four novels pretty well plotted with some ideas for later books.
> 
> The tricky part about writing a series or trilogy etc, without some good plotting done in advance is that if you have published the first book or two, it is then impossible to go back and put in seeds that lay the foundations for later books.  There are a couple ways around this, you can write most of the series before you publish book one (not my favourite choice) or you can just put in a number of interesting things in the first book or two without knowing if you will pick up on them later, but they can be fuel for those later developments if you need them.  If not, no harm done.



All great points! That's my biggest fear with a series- writing myself into a corner where later I have a great idea, but I haven't laid the groundwork to explore it. I like your idea of having multiple interesting things you could potentially tease out as the series goes on. I also don't like the idea of waiting until your entire series is completed before trying to get your work out there- it makes sense, but I want to get my work out into the world! 

I have read series where it feels like the author decided to take a totally new direction or to explore something that is not set up in the earlier books at all...I can't think of examples off the top of my head, but as a reader there have been some times where I've felt it's really obvious that they decided to do something they hadn't thought of previously and are trying to fudge the setup of it a little bit. Like, oh yeah, there was also this other thing back then, didn't we tell you? And as a reader I'm sitting there going, "Uh-huh." It takes me out of the story when I notice something like that. So I definitely want to avoid getting into a situation like that, although I'm sure it's possible that other authors pull off that kind of thing with so much finesse that I don't even notice it. 



Svrtnsse said:


> I'm currently working on a series spanning twenty short novellas. My original intent was to write a big massive novel, but as time went by it became clear to me that doing it that way would be too big an undertaking for me. I decided instead to split the novel into a series of shorter stories and write them instead. I'm still telling the same story, only as a series of novellas and not as one big novel.
> 
> I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted the novel to be about. I'd started outlining it three times already before changing it into a series, so I had the basics down. Using the previous outline I identified a number of events that were interesting enough that they could be told as stories of their own.
> The next step was to write a brief outline of the various different stories. In doing so I ended up splitting some of them further, which is how I went from twelve stories to twenty.
> ...



What a great idea to break your long story into novellas! And having done so much planning for the story previously seems like it definitely set you up well to know what you're doing with the separate novellas. Actually that's something that might work for me, thinking through my series as though it's just one huge book. I might have to try that! 

I like the idea of having a few big/interesting events that you know will happen in each part of your story, so that that forms the arc of your series that you can plan around. I think I want to have that as my main planning strategy, but at the same time I want to leave room for exploring, especially since I feel that's how I write best. Hopefully I'll be able to strike a good balance! 

Thanks both for your thoughts, much appreciated!


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## Heliotrope (Dec 12, 2017)

I "planned" a big epic series a few years back. That was about as far as I got. lol.

I am a planner though, so while my current project is not a series in a linear sense (like, each book is a continuation of the same story) it is a series in  a Percy Jackson, Indiana Jones, same character new problem sort of way. As I write one I make notes as I get ideas for another. Each story is based on the hunt for a different lost treasure, so if I get a crazy good (I think) idea that doesn't work for The Noche Triste treasure in Mexico, but might work for the Tzar's Jewelled Eggs in Russia, then I have note books for each book to keep all the ideas straight.


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## RavenOfSummer (Dec 12, 2017)

Heliotrope said:


> I "planned" a big epic series a few years back. That was about as far as I got. lol.
> 
> I am a planner though, so while my current project is not a series in a linear sense (like, each book is a continuation of the same story) it is a series in  a Percy Jackson, Indiana Jones, same character new problem sort of way. As I write one I make notes as I get ideas for another. Each story is based on the hunt for a different lost treasure, so if I get a crazy good (I think) idea that doesn't work for The Noche Triste treasure in Mexico, but might work for the Tzar's Jewelled Eggs in Russia, then I have note books for each book to keep all the ideas straight.



Oh wow! Are you planning to get back to your epic series at some point? 

I feel like I've been writing in a similar way in some sense, although I'm less of a planner...as I write I get ideas, both for things within the same book (things that I can add in/change before where I am in the story, or things for later) and for the later books, and I write down my notes of all of those ideas. I want to retain that ability to add and change as I go- for example, the ability to discover something really cool while writing book 2 that I want to have in book 3- but at the same time I want to know enough about where I'm going to make sure that I lay all the groundwork for the things I want to happen later. So, it feels like a bit of a tricky balance to strike! But I think I can do it, maybe by outlining all the books at least in a broad sense, and then being flexible as I write like I usually am with a single book.


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## A. E. Lowan (Dec 12, 2017)

Extensively. Our OneNote files are huge and terrifying to behold, with roughly 500 named series characters to date. _The Books of Binding_ series is a multi-generational family saga in an urban fantasy setting and we are always working up and down the timeline, ironing out continuity errors, ensuring proper cause and effect with plot arcs, and making sure we don't have duplicated names.


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## Chessie2 (Dec 12, 2017)

I don't. The ideas for the sequels come to me as I'm writing the previous book. But I'm not really a planner as a person anyway. Organized, yes. Planner, no.


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## RavenOfSummer (Dec 12, 2017)

A. E. Lowan said:


> Extensively. Our OneNote files are huge and terrifying to behold, with roughly 500 named series characters to date. _The Books of Binding_ series is a multi-generational family saga in an urban fantasy setting and we are always working up and down the timeline, ironing out continuity errors, ensuring proper cause and effect with plot arcs, and making sure we don't have duplicated names.



That is incredible! So it sounds like you are in a continuous cycle of planning and writing, planning and writing...is that right? How many books in your series so far? 



Chessie2 said:


> I don't. The ideas for the sequels come to me as I'm writing the previous book. But I'm not really a planner as a person anyway. Organized, yes. Planner, no.



This response made me really happy  So, it can be done! Non-planners can write a series and survive! This gives me hope 

I love how the responses to this are all over the place!


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## Russ (Dec 12, 2017)

RavenOfSummer said:


> This response made me really happy  So, it can be done! Non-planners can write a series and survive! This gives me hope
> 
> I love how the responses to this are all over the place!



Not only can they survive, they can thrive and come to dominate an industry.

Lee Child writes thrillers that sell unbelievable numbers.  Forbes magazine suggests his "brand" has more value than Stephen King's.  He has written one series  (the Jack Reacher books)  of more than 20 books now and he is the most outrageous pantser  I know.  His approach makes my head spin and sick to my stomach when I even think about writing that way...but it is kinda working for him.


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## LWFlouisa (Dec 12, 2017)

I wrote some books in the Uploaded Fairy saga either by outline or pantsing, but each book had to be its own writing method for sake of consistency.


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## Vvashjr (Dec 12, 2017)

I have a basic idea of the ending, and a basic structure of how to arrive there. But I tend to let my characters and plot develop organically as I progress. Especially my characters who might deviate from what I initially had planned for them cos it either just doesnt make sense or the interaction with the other characters or plot clashes.


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## A. E. Lowan (Dec 12, 2017)

RavenOfSummer said:


> That is incredible! So it sounds like you are in a continuous cycle of planning and writing, planning and writing...is that right? How many books in your series so far?



Yes, that is absolutely correct. Thank heavens there are three of us! lol So far we have one out, _Faerie Rising_, with _Ties of Blood and Bone: The_ _Second Book of Binding _due to be released this spring. As for planning, right now we have 8 books outlined and another 12 in the concept phase, with a second, follow-up series in early planning stages.


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## DragonOfTheAerie (Dec 13, 2017)

RavenOfSummer said:


> I'm curious for those who write novel series, to what extent do you plan out your series, and/or how do you go about planning? For example, if you anticipate writing, say, a four-book series, do you plan and outline all four books before you begin writing? Or do you just have a basic idea of where you want to go and, after writing the first book, decide how to go about things for the second book, and so on? Or do you have a firm grasp on the first couple of books, but allow more freedom to see how things go with those and then decide how you want the later books in the series to go? I guess my question is really a version of the plotter vs pantser question, but more complicated because it involves multiple books.
> 
> As a "plantser" I generally do a fair amount of writing by discovery, although I have the main plot points of my story thought out before writing. My current WIP I plan to be the first in a series, and since I'm nearing the end of my first draft I've been thinking ahead to the second book, since I want to be sure I set up the things I want for going forward into book 2. At this point I know the main plot points for the series arc overall, and the specifics of the second book have become more solid in my head. I think I want to have a solid outline of the second book before I dive into getting to the 2nd draft of my first book, just so I can make sure I'm setting up everything I want to use for future books. The third and fourth books are more general ideas in my head right now.
> 
> Just curious how others handle this? What has been your experience, what works for you and what doesn't?



I'm a discovery writer. I do plan to write a series, and I'm laying the foundations for it now. Worldbuilding, characters.

Some scenes in late books are very clear to me. Large sections I have no idea about. I plan to worldbuild thoroughly, but I also plan to let the story lead. All i care to have at the beginning is a general direction, general idea of each book.


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## DragonOfTheAerie (Dec 13, 2017)

I grow stories rather than plan them.


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## Sheilawisz (Dec 13, 2017)

I am quite different from most people that I have known in this community.

In my experience, stories feel like friends that suddenly appear and start talking to me. It's like you were sitting on a bench in a park somewhere, and then some unknown person shows up and you start a conversation. The stranger soon becomes a friend, and you quickly learn more and more about the feelings and background of this person.

To see it in another way: Stories are some kind of spiritual or living creature, they come to me and I tell them.

It's all a very natural process, like breathing. Do I plan a story? Not really, it's all with me. When I was much less experienced in this I would sometimes write a few handwritten notes about characters and events, and that was all. What I do is to let the story flow through my narrative, I allow it to happen naturally and many times the story and the characters surprise me a lot with things that I had not seen at first.

I do not claim that this is some form of Magic, but that's what it feels like.

When I started working on my first Fantasy trilogy, at first I did not know what was happening. However, soon the story pulled me into a wonderful adventure and I just could not stop. I knew that it would be three novels, and three novels it became! Later, a different story that at first I expected to be composed of seven novellas stopped at just five and it felt great like that.

That was many years ago. Today, when I _Click_ with a story I know that it's going to be a new adventure of exploration and enjoyment. I see and feel it, and even then the stories often surprise me with very unexpected things at least sometimes. Other times, everything happens exactly as I saw or imagined it to start with.

It sounds weird to many people, but I have met many others that experience the same as me.


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## ThinkerX (Dec 13, 2017)

Series...I have been working on two of those for a long time.  I have concepts for a couple others that go way back.

Neither of the current series began that way.

The first, 'Labyrinth,' was originally intended as a stand alone short story or novelette, 15,000 words or so tops.  But, I kept adding things, trying to justify this or that, more than could fit in a single tale.  So 'Labyrinth' burst its bounds.  It is currently two books, one 62,000 words, the other about 90,000, with hazy ideas for a third.

The second is the 'Empire' series.  This tale began with a realization on my part:  decades ago, I spent a lot of time worldbuilding, detailing multiple nations on the primary planet.  But, when it came to actual stories, all the ones I'd envisioned took place either at the borders of the primary nation....or beyond them.  I decided to remedy that.  In my mind, the 'nation preparing for war' thing had been overdone.  The notion of a nation *recovering* from a devastating conflict, even one fought far from the story area, seemed much more interesting.  Social upheaval.  Fortunes being made and lost.  Odd political movements.  Intrigue.  Initially, I had ideas for four stories, with four principle characters, each tale leading into the next, each set in different circumstances.  The original idea had these four characters as employees of a powerful merchant, which is still sort true, though the merchant is also an imperial agent.  The seeds  for two of the tales came from 'Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay' modules (one online and very obscure), both modified beyond recognition.  Another came from a couple books I'd read heavy on both characters and court intrigue.  The last began with a question: what would realistically prompt a normal person to join a genocidal cult?  When I started writing, I realized the fourth book was the wrong place to end the tale, and came up with two more, both inspired by Lovecraft (well, Lovecraft and Chambers).

That said, yes, I did a lot of worldbuilding back in the day.  Alas, only about half of it is useful.  I wrote more recently (as in the past couple years) - histories, descriptions of countries and magic, even a couple genealogies.  But most of that remains woefully incomplete and seldom consulted.  On this site, I participated in various story challenges, using the prompts to flesh out this or that event.


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## DragonOfTheAerie (Dec 13, 2017)

Sheilawisz said:


> To see it in another way: Stories are some kind of spiritual or living creature, they come to me and I tell them.



This. I experience it in this way.


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## RavenOfSummer (Dec 13, 2017)

Russ said:


> Not only can they survive, they can thrive and come to dominate an industry.
> 
> Lee Child writes thrillers that sell unbelievable numbers.  Forbes magazine suggests his "brand" has more value than Stephen King's.  He has written one series  (the Jack Reacher books)  of more than 20 books now and he is the most outrageous pantser  I know.  His approach makes my head spin and sick to my stomach when I even think about writing that way...but it is kinda working for him.



That's very encouraging Russ! I love the phrase "outrageous pantser"  Speaking of Stephen King, I wonder what his process is...I have his book _On Writing_ but have not had a chance to read it yet. 



LWFlouisa said:


> I wrote some books in the Uploaded Fairy saga either by outline or pantsing, but each book had to be its own writing method for sake of consistency.



I see...did you discuss with other authors in the series at all? 



Vvashjr said:


> I have a basic idea of the ending, and a basic structure of how to arrive there. But I tend to let my characters and plot develop organically as I progress. Especially my characters who might deviate from what I initially had planned for them cos it either just doesnt make sense or the interaction with the other characters or plot clashes.



I write very similarly on an individual story basis, so I'm so glad to hear this works for you for a series as well! 



A. E. Lowan said:


> Yes, that is absolutely correct. Thank heavens there are three of us! lol So far we have one out, _Faerie Rising_, with _Ties of Blood and Bone: The_ _Second Book of Binding _due to be released this spring. As for planning, right now we have 8 books outlined and another 12 in the concept phase, with a second, follow-up series in early planning stages.



My head is spinning thinking about so many books! That is incredible. I found the first book on Amazon and want to read it! 



DragonOfTheAerie said:


> I'm a discovery writer. I do plan to write a series, and I'm laying the foundations for it now. Worldbuilding, characters.
> 
> Some scenes in late books are very clear to me. Large sections I have no idea about. I plan to worldbuild thoroughly, but I also plan to let the story lead. All i care to have at the beginning is a general direction, general idea of each book.





DragonOfTheAerie said:


> I grow stories rather than plan them.



I also feel my stories develop through a more organic process...though I'm more prone to starting with a bit more (flexible) structure on the plot side and letting the world develop through the writing. But I feel very similarly in terms of having certain late scenes in mind, and other swathes where my plan as of right now is to see what happens.


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## RavenOfSummer (Dec 13, 2017)

Sheilawisz said:


> I am quite different from most people that I have known in this community.
> 
> In my experience, stories feel like friends that suddenly appear and start talking to me. It's like you were sitting on a bench in a park somewhere, and then some unknown person shows up and you start a conversation. The stranger soon becomes a friend, and you quickly learn more and more about the feelings and background of this person.
> 
> ...



This actually doesn't sound weird to me at all- I experience writing very similarly. I think for me it's kind of an iterative process...the _seed_ of the story is very much like a stranger that comes to me seemingly out of the blue (I love this analogy you use!). This can come in the form of an idea for a story itself (a woman goes on a trip to discover X...), or in the form of a character, or in the form of an imagined world. This part of the process absolutely feels like magic to me...it's something I don't feel I have any control over, but just comes to me. Once the stranger is there, I have to do some work to befriend it. At first this could be imagined as a casual conversation with the stranger maybe...just giving myself quiet time to talk to the stranger, learns what its loves and interests and goals are. So like any relationship, I have to put the time and attention into it for it to grow. At a certain point, I start jotting down notes on paper, so I can remember everything I learn about the stranger. And at a certain point after that, I have to start writing. Once the writing gets rolling, the magic element comes back into it more strongly. I have to put the work in to get there, but at a certain point I am rewarded with the story and the characters emerging as their own distinct lives and voices. Then, I have to go back and do more work to fill in gaps that the magic didn't entirely cover. So it's kind of like magic and work, magic and work, around and around. 

I love the way you describe your writing Sheila! And I'm glad to know that magic has continued for you through multiple series.


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## RavenOfSummer (Dec 13, 2017)

ThinkerX said:


> Series...I have been working on two of those for a long time.  I have concepts for a couple others that go way back.
> 
> Neither of the current series began that way.
> 
> ...



It sounds like you have an abundance of material that is ready to burst into stories! I'm particularly interested in the ideas for your Empire series. My actual professional/academic background is in international politics and international development, with a heavy emphasis on post-war reconciliation in developing nations, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Based on my experience, conflict recovery is indeed a context that is absolutely teeming with stories about the human experience on every level. I hope you'll continue to write these stories- I would love to read them! I'd also like to try out some of the story challenges here. I'm quite new here so there's a lot for me still to explore


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## LWFlouisa (Dec 13, 2017)

I hadnt discussed at the time, but I'm wanting to get more into that routine.


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## Michael K. Eidson (Dec 13, 2017)

Russ said:


> you can just put in a number of interesting things in the first book or two without knowing if you will pick up on them later, but they can be fuel for those later developments if you need them. If not, no harm done.



This is the approach I'm taking.


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## ThinkerX (Dec 13, 2017)

RavenOfSummer said:


> It sounds like you have an abundance of material that is ready to burst into stories! I'm particularly interested in the ideas for your Empire series. My actual professional/academic background is in international politics and international development, with a heavy emphasis on post-war reconciliation in developing nations, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Based on my experience, conflict recovery is indeed a context that is absolutely teeming with stories about the human experience on every level. I hope you'll continue to write these stories- I would love to read them! I'd also like to try out some of the story challenges here. I'm quite new here so there's a lot for me still to explore



The 'Labyrinth' and 'Empire' stories take place in the same world at the same time, and grapple with some of the same issues. 

'Labyrinth: Journal' began with an obscure notion from AD&D - the 'endless labyrinth,' presumably patrolled by all manner of beasties.  I got to thinking about that.  How to build such a creation?  Who built it and why?  In the process the maze shrunk, though its still roughly 800 miles/1200 kilometers across.  The story itself revolves around an aristocratic scion and Traag War veteran who flees into the maze to escape arrest. 

'Labyrinth: Seed' takes up a decade after the end of 'Journal.'  It boasts multiple POV characters, one of whom is not even remotely human.  The story revolves around a group of characters who join a massive military expedition to fend off a barbarian horde threatening the Empires southern marches.  Social and economic themes are explored along the way.  Then things turn seriously weird.

'Empire: Country' begins with a massacre: Lady Tia Samos and her companions stumble across half a dozen dead peasants plus livestock mere moments after they were killed.  Tia is the daughter of prosperous commoners, attractive, intelligent, and educated at the prestigious University of Solace.  Her parents seek to move up in the world, taking advantage of opportunities reserved for the aristocracy.  They decided their best option was to have one of their offspring marry into an impoverished aristocratic clan.  The other three principle characters are Tia's employees: Sir Peter Cortez, hero of the Traag War, bastard son of a minor family (being a bastard, his claim to nobility does not transfer), Kyle, a massive brute of a man, former serf, former legionnaire, and petty magician, haunted by his experiences during the war (think PTSD), and Rebecca, a gypsy from a decimated clan who acts as Tia's bard, stylist, and confidant.

These three books are written, and have been through enough drafts to show to others.  Labyrinth: Journal has been shared with a couple others here; Seed needs some editing but is passable.  After umpteen attempts, I now have a draft of 'Empire: Country' I deem passable.  Provide me with an email address and I shall send you copies.

Beyond those...

I am currently working on the first rewrite and expansion of 'Empire: Capital' - a tale of intrigue and assassination.  After the events of 'Empire: Country,' Tia and company became the star witnesses in the resulting trial, presided over by the Emperor himself (occasionally).  The story opens shortly before sentence is pronounced.  Tia hasn't just been testifying, she's been pursuing Knights with an eye towards matrimony.  Alas, most of the Knights in the palace are either religious zealots (Tia is dating one) or drunken thugs in armor (Tia is dating one whilst attempting to avoid the attentions of another.)  She is also far, far from the only gal at court engaged in this activity. 

'Empire: Capital' leads to 'Empire: Estate.'  In my view, this is the Empire story that requires the most work.  Basically, Tia and company visit the estate of a powerful aristocrat with an eye towards buying labor (slaves). Slavery is uncommon in this part of the empire - Tia's home province of Equitant is at the center of a sort of industrial revolution (very roughly up to early 19th century tech levels).  However, other characters and forces are in play here, including some thought vanquished.  The tale ends with Tia making a terrible choice.

'Empire: Metropolis' exists in first draft form, as do the next two books in the series.  It takes place in Corber Port, largest city of the Solarian Empire.  Economic chaos and refugees have almost doubled the cities population; it now tops a million souls.  Fierce debates between merchants, aristocrats, artisans, and laborers are common, sometimes resulting in massive riots.  One such riot, some weeks prior to the stories start, resulted in three major avenues into the city being closed, replaced with a tortuous trail through burned rubble termed the 'Snake.' 

All I will say about 'Empire: Spiral' and 'Empire: Judgment' is that the bulk of these stories take place on different worlds altogether and the Lovecraft/Chambers loom large.


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## Fluffypoodel (Dec 14, 2017)

I've planned out quite a bit in the series I'm working on right now. I have character outlines, plot outlines, conflict outlines... then I start writing. I find that I get through a few chapters, maybe 30k words before I have to revisit those outlines and make changes, based on new discoveries while writing. My outline is a work in progress along with my actual WIP. The overall world building doesn't change but it does expand as I strike inspiration or need to solve problems.


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## Annoyingkid (Dec 14, 2017)

Extensively. 

I wrote alot of background over time, turned them into scripts, designed every character in terms of drawing, and a couple of settings, did a first draft of each graphic novel in pencil, and am working on the second and final draft.


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## writeshiek33 (Dec 14, 2017)

I am panster myself so for early stages writes as i go then develop things as i go i use scrivener to to write to keep everything together


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## TheCrystallineEntity (Dec 14, 2017)

The funny thing is, I originally wrote one book, with the notion that I could continue it into a second book. Then I added a third and fourth, and then planned out five more books but didn't get very far. Then, for nearly three years, I worked on making about a quarter of the ideas into one book. Now, one year later, [partially thanks to NaNoWriNo], I've use about a quarter more of the ideas, and suddenly have a five book series [two of which are short story/poem collections] with two more coming and no end in sight.

I recently rescued my old story files from my old, decrepit laptop, but they are a version of Microsoft Word that is very outdated, and I'm not sure how to convert them to the version I have on my new laptop. I'm not entirely sure if I want to look back at my first attempt at a novel, but I'm keeping all of the files anyway.


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## skip.knox (Dec 14, 2017)

I don't have a series, but all my stories are set in Altearth, which has a specific history, so I face some of the same challenges. When I say a thing in one story, all subsequent stories have to live with that. As do I.

So far, my approach has been to leave things undefined for as long as possible. What do orcs look like? Do trolls have kings or war chiefs? Where do elves live? When did gnomes first arrive, and where? And a thousand questions more.

I have a WorldReference project in Scrivener where I keep notes and speculations. This stuff is malleable. But when I write a story, that becomes like one of those pivotal points in the Doctor Who world. They cannot be changed. 

Over time, the more I write, the less flexibility I will have. I'm guessing that this is not unlike planning a series. Once Volume One is in print, there's no takesy-backsy, and the writer may come to rue a choice made in an earlier volume. Consider it a business risk and go forward.


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## Chessie2 (Dec 15, 2017)

skip.knox said:


> I don't have a series, but all my stories are set in Altearth, which has a specific history, so I face some of the same challenges. When I say a thing in one story, all subsequent stories have to live with that. As do I.
> 
> So far, my approach has been to leave things undefined for as long as possible. What do orcs look like? Do trolls have kings or war chiefs? Where do elves live? When did gnomes first arrive, and where? And a thousand questions more.
> 
> ...


Do you have a series bible? Seems like it might come in handy. I have to dig into previous manuscript files and hunt down information that I can't remember. Usually dates and character names.


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## LWFlouisa (Dec 15, 2017)

One peculiarity I'm experiencing is, because everything is kind of pre world built and outlined, I'm not having to outline as much as I used to.


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## A. E. Lowan (Dec 15, 2017)

TheCrystallineEntity said:


> The funny thing is, I originally wrote one book, with the notion that I could continue it into a second book. Then I added a third and fourth, and then planned out five more books but didn't get very far. Then, for nearly three years, I worked on making about a quarter of the ideas into one book. Now, one year later, [partially thanks to NaNoWriNo], I've use about a quarter more of the ideas, and suddenly have a five book series [two of which are short story/poem collections] with two more coming and no end in sight.
> 
> I recently rescued my old story files from my old, decrepit laptop, but they are a version of Microsoft Word that is very outdated, and I'm not sure how to convert them to the version I have on my new laptop. I'm not entirely sure if I want to look back at my first attempt at a novel, but I'm keeping all of the files anyway.


Definitely keep the files. They can be converted. A couple years ago I did the same thing with a few 20 year-old story files, and I'm trying to remember how I converted them. I'll send you a PM when my more tech-oriented wife gets home and maybe we can get those converted for you.


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## TheCrystallineEntity (Dec 15, 2017)

Thank you kindly!


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## Demesnedenoir (Dec 31, 2017)

I’m writing a trilogy that will expand into a series that runs to the end of the world...   The gods only know how many books that’ll take, heh heh. I use the term waypoint writer. I know key events, in particular how things end. I also know necessary waypoints that will occur, but how the characters and world get there is often in the air.


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## Insolent Lad (Dec 31, 2017)

I just finished up a trilogy (third/final book should be out in March) that built on a previous trilogy. The first trilogy was definitely planned out and a bit of a continuing story; the second group of three books came a bit more haphazardly, each featuring a different main protagonist, and this latest novel is not at all the one I thought would tie things up (though it does, in its way). So I've done it both ways. It looks like there will be another related series coming eventually, based on what I had originally planned for the sixth book. I mighty even plan it out...


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## TheCrystallineEntity (Dec 31, 2017)

When I first started seriously writing, way back in 2013, I originally just wrote one book. Then a trilogy. Then I was planning a nine book series. Then, between 2015-2016, I started all over again, combining a huge section of my ideas into one book. Then, in a year, I effectively wrote four more books [with help from NaNoWriNo], and I'm planning two more for next year, coming to a grand total of seven books. It was an adventure, that's for certain.


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## Lisselle (Jan 9, 2018)

Hi, I have finished my Trilogy, and I don't really plan. At the moment I am doing a final re-write of all three, making sure I have enough threads, details and saturation of my World to carry through to books 4,5,6,7,8 and 9, without the unrealistic sudden addition of facts or information needing to be added later on, which would jar the reading process. (I hate that!)

Book 1 was an idea I had when I was seventeen, and in 2009 I began writing. It evolved very organically, and from there, books 2 and 3 developed. I dreamed the end of book 3 in April 2017, because I was absolutely stuck on how to consolidate the climax with the conclusion.

I have mapped out the next six books, yet these are vague guide-lines. I carry a notebook with me everywhere, and jot down ideas. I daydream about my stories a lot, and see scenes and images that I know have to be included, and these become hinges upon which plots can develop.

My characters create their own stories a lot of the time, and while I have a general idea of who will love, who will succeed or fail, and who will die, they often surprise me with the directions they take.

I write every day, so my immersion into my World is intensive. In many ways I live there more than in my real life, and my thoughts are mired in my story, so the development of story-lines is an ongoing and enjoyable process. Oh, and every book seems to be easier to write, which is strange. Maybe it is because I now know all the Characters, they have all grown, as have I, and their World is now familiar to me.


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## TheCrystallineEntity (Jan 9, 2018)

^What you've described here is very similar to how I write.


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## TWErvin2 (Jan 13, 2018)

I plan out an overall arc and jot notes...basic events and consequences for different books, but I don't do detailed outlines for all the planned books.

My SF series (_Crax War Chronicles_), I know the ending now. Actually have written parts of the final scene, but that will be in the 5th book. I have only completed two thus far. In my fantasy series (_First Civilization's Legacy_), there isn't as solid of an overall story arc planned, but I do know the main plot for two books yet to come, and how events in the first three books instigated or point to what happens in subsequent novels. With these series I have striven to write the books so that they stand alone well enough that a reader could pick up any one and begin reading. With a series, as it gets longer, I think that is proving more difficult.

With the current WIP, an new series (LitRPG) I do not have the ending of the series figured out, although I know the characters' goal. Whether they reach it and how? We'll have to see.


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## Gurkhal (Jan 14, 2018)

I haven't come to the point where writing a series is reasonable for me to attempt but as I'm attepting to finish longer pieces than minor short stories I am plotting it out fairly well.


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## Feith (Jan 26, 2018)

Generally, I don't plan at all. I type up random ideas for the series and scenes as I go along, and I find that approach typically works best. I mean, for my current series, I wrote a scene that ended up half-way through book two, a scene that's going to (probably) end up in book 4, and of course a billion other scenes that didn't make the cut. Then I build my story based around those randomized scenes and end up with a pretty decent structure, editing and cutting and revising as I go along. Sidenote - originally, I thought the story would just be a single novel, but now, three years later, it's looking more like a 4-book series of novellas. So yeah, I don't "plan" like all the "how to write" books tell me to, and it's worked out pretty well,


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## JBryden88 (Jan 27, 2018)

Beginning and ending.

Now granted, nobody should take my advice because I have not finished a single project... I have one completed rough draft, and a bunch of incomplete drafts of different projects. That said, I always plan how I want a series to end, and how it begins. The rest I let happen organically and I try to write what makes sense. I *can't* follow outlines or notes. When it's time to rewrite that's one thing, but when I'm telling the raw story, I might know the end game, but if that end game is way down the road it affords me the freedom to just... explore so to speak.


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## Gribba (Jan 28, 2018)

My current project became a trilogy by accident (at this point in time)... I had no intention of making it a series but as I wrote more and more it became clear it would become more than just one book. 
I write chapters all over the place depending on where my head and ideas are at the time and then I put them together as a finished story. I have a rough idea for each chapter that I am working on, where my character is and the story they are going through, so it is a matter of assembly after I am done. This way I can follow each character through his/her story and development. Each chapter has only a few word 'sum up' of what it is about and when I put the chapters together into a finished story, the chapters finally get numbers and get distributed into the books they belong to.
I feel like the plan for the books is already in my head, subconsciously, but I focus on writing the first book even if some of the chapters end up in the other books, I just wing it...


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## Danavin (Jan 30, 2018)

When I first came up with the basic idea for a book I set off with the intention of writing _a book. _I knew where the story began and where I wanted it to end. I remember reading something about having a few sign posts or plot points along the way to help keep the story moving in the right direction but that was about it. Well, that and a bit of world building so my story would have a setting. But as I started writing my story ended up being much larger than I imagined it would. At first I wasn't worried because there are a lot of huge fantasy novels out there but as the word count continued to climb I found myself making decisions to limit the story, knowing it was getting too long, rather than letting the story go where it wanted to go. I didn't have an outline other than the few sign posts I'd set up and typically began each chapter with a paragraph or two of what I wanted to happen in that chapter. The first draft ended up being 275,000 words. As I started editing and revising I also started looking into getting it traditionally published. That's when I learned that as a first time novelist it was going to be almost impossible to get something that large published. Most publishing companies are looking for novels between 80-100k words, with upwards of 120k permitted for fantasy. I suppose I could have plodded ahead and self-published it but I had the goal of traditional publishing so I made the decision that if I wanted to realize that goal I'd have to figure out how to fit it into the established word count constraint. That was when my novel became a series. So as far as having what would end up becoming four books pre-planned, I essentially set off anew with 4 partially written books. I found suitable places to split the story into separate parts but now find myself with another challenge in getting my series traditionally published: the first book is not a stand-alone novel. I have what resembles more a large book in four parts, sort of like the _Lord of the Rings_. I guess all that to say that I am not a huge plotter or a fan of outlines, but I did take notes about future plot points as they came to me. Everybody is different in what method works for them so do what works best for you.


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## Yora (Apr 7, 2018)

I am not really a fan of long stories. As audience I have a hard time sticking to anything for long before something else catches my attention. And as a creator I don't have much staying power either. Yet at the same time, I can get very deeply invested in worlds and concepts and most of the time consider it a waste to have an amazing world created and then only using it once.
So the structure I have chosen for me is an episodic series. One story at a time, that each is a complete work that can stand on its own, regardless of whether I end up doing only one or twenty.

While I might not stick to the same protagonist all the time,  there is one character that has taken form as something close to my ideal fantasy adventure hero. And for her I planned out a three stage character progression. I know where she comes from and where she will end up eventually. And I feel like this enables me to create stories at any point on that progression in whatever order they come to me while maintaining a continous character development. I know what her motivations, strengths, and shortcomings are in each stage of her life, which is a solid base to chose what kind of difficulties she will be dealing with and how she grows from them.


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## Helen (Apr 12, 2018)

RavenOfSummer said:


> I'm curious for those who write novel series, to what extent do you plan out your series, and/or how do you go about planning? For example, if you anticipate writing, say, a four-book series, do you plan and outline all four books before you begin writing? Or do you just have a basic idea of where you want to go and, after writing the first book, decide how to go about things for the second book, and so on? Or do you have a firm grasp on the first couple of books, but allow more freedom to see how things go with those and then decide how you want the later books in the series to go? I guess my question is really a version of the plotter vs pantser question, but more complicated because it involves multiple books.
> 
> As a "plantser" I generally do a fair amount of writing by discovery, although I have the main plot points of my story thought out before writing. My current WIP I plan to be the first in a series, and since I'm nearing the end of my first draft I've been thinking ahead to the second book, since I want to be sure I set up the things I want for going forward into book 2. At this point I know the main plot points for the series arc overall, and the specifics of the second book have become more solid in my head. I think I want to have a solid outline of the second book before I dive into getting to the 2nd draft of my first book, just so I can make sure I'm setting up everything I want to use for future books. The third and fourth books are more general ideas in my head right now.
> 
> Just curious how others handle this? What has been your experience, what works for you and what doesn't?



If you're going to pitch, you need to have an outline.

You can always change it as you go along.


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