Writing a Series
Hello Smut Fam!
I'm very excited to continue reading the first draft of my manuscript for BOUND this week. I read and lightly edited about half of it last week, and my oh my! I'm incredibly happy with how the book is coming together and the plot is unfolding.
The timing couldn't be better for me to share with you my experiences around writing not just a book, but a series. Tackling a series might sound ambitious, but, for me, I love delving into the finest details around character, setting, and plot. With a series, I have a lot of freedom to really get down into the nitty gritty, since I know I'm going to have multiple books to develop everything in.
When I first started writing FOUND, I knew it would not be a standalone book. I was meticulous and intentional in planting the details for a storyline that would extend beyond a single novel. My writing style is unique. I use a lot of imagery and vivid description, so between fitting in all those elaborate tidbits and embedding subtle clues, I wrote long book with over 143,000 words!
That's a lot of words, especially for a book in a genre dominated by shorter novels. Thus, I faced a huge challenge when it comes to writing a series: knowing when to stop. Finding the best place to break the story - where one book can finish and another can begin - is so much tougher than I ever imagined.
When I sit down to write, there's so much story I want to develop, details I want to include, and spice I want to add! I'm learning that I will always write more than I will use in a single book. Which is okay! It's all part of the process. This is where editing will come into play. I know there will be a lot of savage edits before a book is ready to be published!
In my previous blog post, I mentioned that writing a book is a lot like navigating a labyrinth. Truer words were never spoken! As I'm working on the first draft of BOUND, I know I'm also writing, cutting, and editing content that will get inevitably find its way into another book of The FOUND Series. I have an abundance of ideas - it's just a matter of organizing them into the appropriate story space.
This brings me to the next challenge of writing a series: the ending. FOUND has a very inconclusive ending! This is intentional... even though I empathize, as a reader, with how frustrating it is to experience an ending that isn't an ending at all.
Many books in series have endings that are conclusive. The series could stop there, and readers wouldn't really be missing out if there wasn't another book to follow. My series, however, is designed differently. I want the books in The FOUND Series to flow seamlessly. I want for the story to be so captivating that each book to pours into the next. Sounds great in theory, especially if all the books in the series have been released so that readers may binge them. But... mine haven't. So, reading FOUND without being able to chase it with the book that follows feels like the ultimate tease.
How very naughty of me!
How many books will be in The FOUND Series? As of right now, I have four planned. I also have several ideas for off-shoot novels that I can't wait to develop. I've already written a large portion of one such book!
I write a lot. There are times when my lusty side is particularly inspired, and I'll craft indulgent, smutty scenes. Other times, I focus entirely on plot to propel the story forward. Then there are still other times when I feel the need to delve more into character, and my writing sessions will be dominated by character development. When it comes to writing a series, you can never really have too much content in your arsenal. It's better to have too much that needs editing out, than to struggle with figuring out what to put in. Inspiration is my strength - editing is... not. But challenges help me grow. And I am growing every day.
I welcome all facets of my writing journey - even the ones that push me outside my comfort zone. It's all worth it!
Until next time, happy reading, Smut Fam!
xxx Ellie