Today Janni tells talks to us about Creating a Series. Welcome Janni.
Creating a Series
by Janni Nell
In the beginning all my manuscripts were stand-alone stories written in the third person. Then I started reading chicklit and fell in love with that humorous first person voice. Allegra Fairweather: Paranormal Investigator was my first attempt at writing in that voice. Apparently it worked okay because the manuscript was accepted for publication. Another first. Then the panic set in. I’d planned an Allegra series – if the first book ever got published. Suddenly I had to make good on that plan.
I already had an idea for the second book, but what about the third (gulp!) and the fourth and OMG I had a vague memory of mentioning ten books in all. Hadn’t thought that one through. Ten! Chosen solely because it was a nice round number. Could I do that many?
I started to think about each book as being a chapter in Allegra’s life. What would she learn about herself in that book? How would she develop as a person? Of course there also had to be a paranormal mystery – one for each book – and the development of her relationship with Casper.
So far each book has been set in a different country, and I expect this will continue. Where possible, I draw from that country’s mythology for the paranormal aspects of the story, but sometimes the mythology doesn’t lend itself well to an Allegra story. That’s when I get the chance to make up my own mythology, which is so fun.
I already had an idea for the second book, but what about the third (gulp!) and the fourth and OMG I had a vague memory of mentioning ten books in all. Hadn’t thought that one through. Ten! Chosen solely because it was a nice round number. Could I do that many?
I started to think about each book as being a chapter in Allegra’s life. What would she learn about herself in that book? How would she develop as a person? Of course there also had to be a paranormal mystery – one for each book – and the development of her relationship with Casper.
So far each book has been set in a different country, and I expect this will continue. Where possible, I draw from that country’s mythology for the paranormal aspects of the story, but sometimes the mythology doesn’t lend itself well to an Allegra story. That’s when I get the chance to make up my own mythology, which is so fun.
For the development of the relationship with Casper, I was influenced by TV shows like “The Nanny”, where the relationship develops very, very slowly. Once the characters have sex in a TV show, the series is pretty much over. Of course, there are good reasons Allegra and Casper can’t have sex, but keeping their relationship bubbling along despite the lack of physical contact is an interesting challenge.
Creating a series means a lot of balls in the air and a lot of years of work. Okay, it’s fun too. Let’s not forget the fun – the absolute pleasure of beginning a story and seeing how it evolves.
Two Allegra Fairweather books have now been released. The third will be published in 2012. I’m currently working on book four.
So will I reach ten books? Who knows? But, no matter what happens, it’s a great ride. Better than I ever imagined.
Creating a series means a lot of balls in the air and a lot of years of work. Okay, it’s fun too. Let’s not forget the fun – the absolute pleasure of beginning a story and seeing how it evolves.
Two Allegra Fairweather books have now been released. The third will be published in 2012. I’m currently working on book four.
So will I reach ten books? Who knows? But, no matter what happens, it’s a great ride. Better than I ever imagined.
~~~
Thanks, Janni
Allegra Fairweather: Paranormal Investigator
South of Salem
Visit Janni at www.janninell.com and www.facebook.com/janni.nell
Ten book? Are you mad? LOL.
ReplyDeleteAm intrigued by the challenge of keeping a relationship bubbling without the physical context. I'm not sure I'm ready to go there yet, so well done you for doing it.
Sex scenes are too much fun :)
Um, yes, I am mad. Been that way for years. :-) I'm also not fond of writing sex scenes so the no sex rule works for me.
ReplyDeleteI saw 10 and thought the same thing as Nicole, but you know if you can do it, go for it....
ReplyDeleteSo glad you are having a fun ride.
E x
Whether I make it to 10 remains to be seen. :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Janni,
ReplyDeletewow, I admire you for the 10 book series, but then Laurann Dohner has 4 (or is it 5??) series with 10 books or more in each, so I know it can be done!! And I totally love your covers, they're gorgeous =)
LOL Nicole beat me to it -- 10 books, are you mad? except that you know we're fellow writing addicts and understand. Great characters deserve lots and lots of stories. Go for it!! 3 books already contracted is awesome :)
ReplyDelete