Writing a Series by Susan Sleeman

Writers often think in terms of one book, but for some reason I’ve never thought that way. I’ve always approached my plots based on an overarching theme that would contain a series of books featuring different protagonists.

Why you ask? Readers like series books. Period. They love them. Whether it’s the same main character book after book, or different leading characters, readers love to see people grow and change. Experience spiritual change and growth. To come in and out of character’s lives. To watch the character fall in love. Have children. Maybe even grow old together.

Publishers also like series books. In today’s ever-changing publishing environment, publishers want an author to commit to them just as they are committing to the author. Publishers invest time and money growing an author’s reader base and it’s a much better investment if they spread the cost between several books.

Those are business reasons behind writing a series, but let me give you three reasons why you as an author might want to try this approach.

1. You get to know the characters very well and have a chance to reveal what makes them tick over the course of several books. Revealing bits and pieces book by book to pique the reader’s interest is such fun. Foreshadowing the main character for the next book not only reveals the character in an interesting way, but it also makes the secondary characters in your current book so much richer.

2. Once you research the main characters for the series, your work is done for several books. In my Homeland Heroes romantic suspense series, I had to dig into and discover the past of six leading characters in detail before I began the first book. A lot of work you say? Yes, at the beginning of each series there is a lot of work, but when it comes time to write the books, each one gets easier and easier because you know the characters so well. The last book, practically writes itself. Okay, I’m exaggerating here to make a point, but the time spent up front is well worth it in the end.

3. Writing a series is like spending your days with old friends. From the moment you sit down at your computer to the time you turn it off for the day, you spent your time with people you know. People you care about. And what could be more fun as a writer than that?

So I’ve shared my feelings about series, what do you think? As a reader do you like them? As a writer to do write them?

It's the intel every agent fears--terrorists have been smuggled into the country, intent on unleashing the most deadly attack since 9/11. With the threat imminent, FBI Agent Kiley Dawson and ICE Agent Evan Bowers are charged with taking down this terrorist cell. The only problem is Kiley blames Evan for the death of her former partner, and she can barely be in a room with him. But with millions of lives on the line, she has no choice.

If it wasn't for a bad call Evan made, Kiley's former partner would still be alive, and Evan has to live with that guilt for the rest of his life. When he starts falling for her, the agent's death seems an impossible obstacle--but it's also the last thing he needs to think about. As the terrorist plot targets Kiley's family, the two are pushed to the breaking point in a race to save countless lives.

Readers like series books. Period. They love them. Whether it’s the same main character book after book, or different leading characters, readers love to see people grow and change. Experience spiritual change and growth. To come in and out of character’s lives. To watch the character fall in love. Have children. @susansleeman @seriouslywrite

Writing a series is like spending your days with old friends. From the moment you sit down at your computer to the time you turn it off for the day, you spent your time with people you know. People you care about. And what could be more fun as a writer than that? @susansleeman @seriouslywrite

SUSAN SLEEMAN is the bestselling author of over forty novels with more than a million books sold. She writes romantic suspense novels that are clean with inspiring messages of faith. Readers love her series for the well-drawn characters and edge-of-your-seat action. She graduated from the FBI and local police citizen academies, so her research is spot-on and her characters are real. In addition to writing, Susan also hosts TheSuspenseZone.com. She has lived in nine states but now calls Oregon home. Her husband is a retired church music director, and they have two beautiful daughters, a very special son-in-law, and an adorable grandson. To learn more about Susan’s books sign up for her monthly email that includes exclusive excerpts, giveaways, and other goodies. http://www.susansleeman.com/susans-newsletter/

Or stop by any of these locations on the web. 

Website - http://www.susansleeman.com

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/SusanSleemanBooks 

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/susansleeman 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/susansleeman/ 

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4053429.Susan_Sleeman 

BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/susan-sleeman 

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Susan-Sleeman/e/B003ANF6Z8 

Review Site - http://www.TheSuspenseZone.com

Five Reminders When Writing a Book Series By Carla Laureano

Carla Laureano

Have you written a series? If so, did you interconnect the characters in an intentional way? Award-winning author Carla Laureano is here with tips for planning ahead so you can avoid pitfalls. Enjoy! ~ Annette



2020 has been a big year for me in terms of series completion. Not only did I release the last book in my Supper Club series, but the long-awaited third book in my MacDonald Family series, Under Scottish Stars, released after a long five-year wait! While it’s always nice to see a group of characters get their happily-ever-afters—they begin to feel like family when you’ve lived with them for so long—it’s also bittersweet to know that you have to move on.

But there are particular considerations that go into writing a multi-protagonist book series that determine whether you and your readers give it a tearful “goodbye” or a relieved “good riddance.” And the planning starts before you put the first word on the page.

1. Realize that your characters’ lives start before they appear on the page and continue after the reader closes the book.

It’s easy to act like your characters don’t exist until they appear in your book. But the richness of an interconnected series comes from a sense of shared history among all your (eventual) point-of-view characters. Before you begin writing, make sure you understand their shared backstory. Otherwise, series books can come off as a procession of stand-alone stories about people who just happen to cross paths once in a while. And while interconnected stand-alone books have their place, they’re not what a series is about.

2. Know your characters well, even if they aren’t the main focus of the current book.

It’s tempting to put all your focus on the main character of the current book and treat the other series characters like window dressing. But part of what makes a series work is the feeling that the other characters are just as interesting as the protagonist of the current volume. It’s what keeps readers intrigued about the next story in line and coming back for more.

3. Don’t be afraid to be a little mysterious.

Just because you know your characters well doesn’t mean you have to spill all their secrets. Once you’ve got a secondary character’s backstory figured out—and hopefully know where their story is going in the future—hints are a powerful hook to keep readers moving through future volumes. It’s enough to make readers wonder what the whole truth is . . . and get them to pick up the final book in the trilogy.

4. Realize that once it’s on paper, you’re stuck with it. Make sure that you can live with—and work around—any plot twists.

It can be tempting to throw in shocking plot twists for the good of the current book. But if the main character’s best friend gets hit by a car and falls into a coma—and that best friend is supposed to get her own love story in the next book—you need to understand how the accident and coma impact her arc. Don’t paint yourself into a corner by introducing elements that will be hard to work around in future books.

5. Have your exit strategy planned from the beginning.

The last book in the series is particularly tricky, because not only do you have to write a fully formed story for your protagonists, you also have to wrap up the stories of the early books’ characters. Have an idea of how you’re going to bring them full circle early on. If they’re scattered across multiple continents, you’re going to have to get them in the same place so readers can say goodbye: make it a plot point. If they’re struggling with real-life issues that arose after their happily-ever-after, make sure that the main character is somehow involved so that the reader can see the situation through his or her eyes. And plan how you’re going to tie off loose threads, either in the course of the last book or through an epilogue. There’s nothing worse for a reader than investing attention in characters whose story seems to have no adequate conclusion. A series ending should leave a reader with a happy sigh and the feeling that after the last page is turned, all will be right with the characters’ world.
While writing series can be trickier than their stand-alone counterparts, they allow for a richness of story world and an emotional investment on the part of the reader that is without equal. A little planning and foresight early in the series can pay big dividends in creating a satisfying, long-term reader experience.

“The richness of an interconnected series comes from a sense of shared history among all your (eventual) point-of-view characters.” Planning ahead for writing a series. #SeriouslyWrite #amwriting @CarlaLaureano

~~~~~

Under Scottish Stars

Releasing July 7, 2020

Recently widowed Serena MacDonald Stewart focuses on her children to the exclusion of her career, her art, and her sanity. When her brothers ask her to oversee the family guest house on the Isle of Skye, it’s a chance to dust off her long-ignored business skills and make a new start. But her hopes for a smooth transition are dashed when the hotel manager, Malcolm Blake, turns out to be irritating, condescending . . . and incredibly attractive.

Malcolm Blake gave up everything—his home, his girlfriend, and his career—to return to Skye and raise his late sister’s teenage daughter. With few job opportunities available on the island, he signs on as the manager of the MacDonald family hotel, which he’s soon running successfully without interference from the owners. That is, until Serena shows up, challenging his authority and his conviction that there’s nothing missing from his new life on Skye.

Before long, Serena and Malcolm have to admit the spark between them is more than mere irritation. But as single parents, there’s more on the line than their own hearts. Will their commitment to family be the thing that draws them together or the only thing that could keep them apart?

~~~~~

Carla Laureano is the two-time RITA Award–winning author of Five Days in Skye, London Tides, and the Saturday Night Supper Club series. She is also the author of the Celtic fantasy series The Song of Seare (as C. E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons.

Foundation of a Novel Series by Mary Davis

Mary Davis

Hey writers! Annette here. Have you ever written a series? Or maybe you've considered it, but haven't known where to begin. Our guest today, Mary Davis, has some great tips for getting started with that all-important foundation. Read on!

FOUNDATION OF A NOVEL SERIES

By Mary Davis

Oh, series. How do I create thee? Let me count the ways.

The foundation of a series is that “something” that connects the stories. In general, these connections fall into three main categories: character/s, locations, and themes.

 

CHARACTERS

◆               A single character (or small group) who has different experiences.

◆               A family where each story focuses on a different member.

◆               A group of friends or a club.

LOCATIONS

◆               A community, a town, a state/region, a shop, a church, island, etc.

THEMES

◆               A theme can be knitting, gold rush, cooking, Pony Express, Texas Rangers, mail-order brides, Amish, events, etc.

◆               As well as various other aspects that can connect stories from book to book.

◆               Sometimes, a publisher comes up with a series. These are often theme connected. The theme could be as simple as similar titles, and other times a common story element.

This last one is how my current The Quilting Circle series came to be. A publishing house started a series of both contemporary and historical stories to be written by various authors where a quilt played prominently in the story. My agent asked me if I’d like to submit something.

Oh, boy, would I! I love quilts and have made several. This was a perfect fit for me.

Whenever I’m asked if I have any stories with a particular element—such as quilts—or if I’d like to submit to a series with a particular theme, my imagination goes WILD! BONKERS! The ideas tumble and roll around in my head, spilling out faster than I can write them down. I no sooner get one story idea partially scratched out when the next one urges me to jot it down so it’s not forgotten. Then the next one, and on and on.

I quickly came up with three historical and two contemporary ideas, as well as one generational idea. Sadly, none were contracted. But in the shell game of changing agents, my new agent said I had enough ideas I could create a quilting series of my own.

Ooh. I liked that idea.

Unfortunately, my collection of stories wouldn’t fit smoothly together into a single series. Oh, I could’ve forced them, but that would have been a disservice to both my stories as well as my readers. However, one of the ideas stood out as making a great backdrop for a series, The Quilting Circle. As the series title suggests, the quilting circle and the ladies who populate it connect the stories, with Aunt Henny, the matriarch of the group, at the helm.

Though it took a while, it did finally get contracted. It’s not my first series. I’ve created others that centered around families, places, friends, and themes.

I like series, both to write and to read, because once I get to know the people in the first story, I already have a jumpstart for the next one and the next. Sometimes, side characters demand to have their stories told. They can be such prima donnas, but fun.

Once the foundation is determined, the stories can vary greatly as long as they keep that connection.

~~~~~

THE WIDOW'S PLIGHT 

The Widow's Plight by Mary Davis

A sweet historical romance that will tug at your heart. This is book 1 in the Quilting Circle series. Washington State, 1893

When Lily Lexington Bremmer arrives in Kamola with her young son, she’s reluctant to join the social center of her new community, the quilting circle, but the friendly ladies pull her in. She begins piecing a sunshine and shadows quilt because it mirrors her life. She has a secret that lurks in the shadows and hopes it doesn’t come out into the light. Dark places in her past are best forgotten, but her new life is full of sunshine. Will her secrets cast shadows on her bright future?

Widower Edric Hammond and his father are doing their best to raise his two young daughters. He meets Lily and her son when they arrive in town and helps her find a job and a place to live. Lily resists Edric’s charms at first but finds herself falling in love with this kind, gentle man and his two darling daughters. Lily has stolen his heart with her first warm smile, but he’s cautious about bringing another woman into his girls’ lives due to the harshness of their own mother. Can Edric forgive Lily her past to take hold of a promising chance at love?

  

THE WIDOW'S PLIGHT  released in ebook on July 1, and is already out in paperback.

~~~~~

MARY DAVIS is a bestselling, award-winning novelist of over two dozen titles in both historical and contemporary themes. She has five titles releasing in 2018: "Holly & Ivy" in A Bouquet of Brides Collection in January, Courting Her Amish Heart in March, The Widow’s Plight in July, Courting Her Secret Heart September, & “Zola’s Cross-Country Adventure” in MISSAdventure Brides Collection in December. She’s a member of ACFW and active in critique groups. Mary lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband of over thirty-three years and two cats. She has three adult children and two incredibly adorable grandchildren.

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