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Dive into the exciting world of writing superhero fiction! Uncover the secrets behind crafting compelling characters, engaging narratives, and unforgettable hero's journeys.
Jul 23, 2019 · This article focuses on how to plan a trilogy of novels, though many of these principles will work just as well for duologies, quintets, or however many books you plan to write. The real distinction you need to make is between these types of series and serialized fiction.
- How to Plot A Book Series: 8 Steps
- Find Your Central Idea
- Find Key Plot Points For Each Book in Your Series
- List Ideas For Your Series’ End Goal
- Decide on The Broad Setting of Your Series
- Study Successful Series’ Plot Structure For Insights
- Brainstorm Characters Who Will Carry Your Series
- Outline Your Series’ Main Events and Themes
- Start and Strengthen Arcs Between Books Later
Find your Central IdeaBrainstorm key plot points for each bookList ideas for each book’s end goal and the seriesDecide on the broad setting of your seriesEvery great series grew from the kernel of an idea. J.K. Rowling, for example, famously said that the idea for her wildly successful Harry Potter seriesformed while stuck on a delayed train between Manchester and King’s Cross, London in 1990. She plotted the 7 books of the series over the next 5 years.
When you’re still learning how to plot a series it’s easy to get lost in details. It’s hard to see the big picture when there isn’t one – yet. That’s why it’s a good idea to draft and sketch an outline of key plot pointsfor each book. For example, here’s a summary of key plot events [spoilers alert] in the first four novels of C.S. Lewis’s Chronicl...
Each book will ideally reach a smaller goal within your series broader arc. Yet unfinished business keeps readers coming back for more. For example, by the end of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone(UK title), the first book in Rowling’s series, Harry has had his first major confrontation with the arch villain, Lord Voldemort. In the first nov...
The entire arc of your series could take place in the space of 24-hours (like the TV series 24), with each book showing a different character’s overlapping experience of these 24 hours. Or else, you could do like C.S. Lewis and have parallel worlds where time passes at different rates. Whatever you choose, plan the setting of each bookloosely [you ...
To gain valuable series plotting insights, create your own summaries of your favourite series’ plot structure. Or find summaries online. Jot down, in note form, the core events of each book. Ask yourself questions, such as: 1. If I look at the series as a whole, what is the related purpose of this book? (e.g. for The Magician’s Nephew: Introducing ...
In learning how to plot a series, it also helps to use a character-centric approach. Characters, after all, are the lifeblood of your story. According to sci-fi author L. Sprague Camp (who wrote over 100 novels), planning series avoids inconsistencies. This is not to say there can’t be earned change, though. If we look at C.S. Lewis’ children’s fan...
This is a process you ideally complete before you start drafting. If you have pantsed your way through the first book or two, it’s also a productive process when revising. A story outline will helpyou see where the plot gets thin or forced. Try to write a one-page synopsis for each book [use the ‘Summary’ section of the Now Novel dashboard to expan...
If you want to write a multi-novel arc, don’t agonize over the sequence of things. As we see with C.S. Lewis, you could start at any point and later write a prequel. Tolkien didn’t intend The Lord of the Ringsas a series but as a single volume. You can work out the connective tissue between books when you are further along in the drafting process, ...
The vast-vast majority of superhero fiction is in comic book form and following up are movies, cartoons, video games, and even live action storytelling. This is because superheroes are a primarily visual medium and you get a large amount of storytelling from watching the heroes at work.
So if you’re interested in writing superhero movies of any sort, keep this in mind: it’s about universal emotional relatability, on a personal level, coupled with a heroic and difficult external challenge that is entertaining to watch, and yet feels real somehow to the world of the story.
Writing a trilogy is no easy feat, nor is it like writing a book or serialized novels. In this complete guide, we break down everything you need to know to write your best trilogy. New features out now!
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Get the knowledge you need to make smart decisions about your series with How to Write a Series. You’ll learn: The three basic types of series; The benefits and drawbacks of writing each type of series; Tips for extending your series beyond your original plan; Ideas for creating spinoffs and expanding your literary universe
