Laying foundations

[Writer61]

One of the things that I like about writing in a universe is the opportunity re-use characters in different stories. My latest submission to 'Adam in Public' includes the first appearance of a character who, 15 years later, plays a significant part in 'The Fall of Laura'. Plus, there is potential to use her as the lead in her own series.

 

[iwatchus]

One of my favorite things in writing A New Life was the crossover characters from my original series. The opening scene in the story is a phone call of a daughter coming out to her mother and the mother admitting she was always a lesbian as well. The call gets described in the series secondhand by the daughter talking to FMC. The new life story is from the mother's side. I got to build much more depth into the character of daughter's lover, who was just starting to develop in the series.

I want to write one just about daughter and lover now, but there are some other stories in the universe that need to be told first to tie everything together.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

I think the closest I might be to this is Barb/Barbara/Barbi (no, not THAT one), a highly successful 20-30 something business woman who unleashes her super slutty side to relieve the tensions of work.

None of the stories are directly connected and do not carry from one to another with that exception.

 

[TheRedLantern]

One of the things that I like about writing in a universe is the opportunity re-use characters in different stories.

I love this sentiment to the point where it's the only way I can write. I need to sketch the setting, the main characters, and a few themes that the setting is meant to explore before I start. Then I write a giant, incoherent vomit draft where I put the characters in and "press play." Then I dissect that to start my setting bible ... timelines, character outlines, locations, potential plots. When that draft has been fully mined, it gets trashed.

Then I'm ready to start writing a story.

If I don't do that work up front, inevitably I run into sections while writing a manuscript where I have to do some world building, and what happens is that the plot becomes increasingly brittle and falls apart, and a rewrite is the only way out. I find that cycle stressful and so I front load the things I think I'll need. That also gives me time to jettison the first few ideas that come to mind for a particular concept, because those are going to be the first things that come to everyone else's mind, too, so they're not all that creative.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

One of the things that I like about writing in a universe is the opportunity re-use characters in different stories. My latest submission to 'Adam in Public' includes the first appearance of a character who, 15 years later, plays a significant part in 'The Fall of Laura'. Plus, there is potential to use her as the lead in her own series.

I don't remain rooted to a universe, but the foundation that you speak of is like a comfortable chair that I frequently settle into when inspired to write something new.

This had led to prequels and a couple of satellite stories.

They have all been well received by the readers so I see no reason not to build further if the opportunity presents itself.

 

[Writer61]

I don't remain rooted to a universe, but the foundation that you speak of is like a comfortable chair that I frequently settle into when inspired to write something new.

I don't see it as a comfy chair; it's an opportunity to weave things together in a complex way that I find satisfying.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I don't see it as a comfy chair; it's an opportunity to weave things together in a complex way that I find satisfying.

If that's the way you see it, great.

Relying on the foundation built with the first story, including characters, settings, and story arcs makes additional stories more comfortable to write and definitely more comfortable for MY readers. There is nothing complex about that unless you struggle with continuity.

Bear in mind that I am speaking strictly of stories within a particular universe and any satellite stories spawned from these. Those are different than episodic series with related themes, setting or characters.

 

[TheRedLantern]

Bear in mind that I am speaking strictly of stories within a particular universe and any satellite stories spawned from these. Those are different than episodic series with related themes, setting or characters.

What's the difference, in your mind?

When someone says "in the same universe," I'm thinking of stories with related settings and/or characters. Marvel or Star Wars would be canonical examples. Same settings, same characters. Most of the time, the themes are the same, too, although that feels more like a marketing guideline than a rule.

What's the distinction from your perspective?

 

[AchtungNight]

A foundation for a character that takes years to bear fruit?

In my case, probably the character Dr. Lindsay “Lisa” Coleman. She was first mentioned in my Law & Order fanfic in 2006. She was referenced again in “Running Down a Dream” and “Passion- Free Katie” in 2009. In 2023’s “Ruleskirter” we finally get the character onscreen. She shows up in several other stories also.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

What's the difference, in your mind?

When someone says "in the same universe," I'm thinking of stories with related settings and/or characters. Marvel or Star Wars would be canonical examples. Same settings, same characters. Most of the time, the themes are the same, too, although that feels more like a marketing guideline than a rule.

What's the distinction from your perspective?

I can use my universal works to describe my perspective:

"His Daddy's Car' would be the foundational piece. It establishes the setting and several generational characters in the family but has a distinctive plot and themes.

"Change" is built on that foundation in that the son from "His Daddy's Car" is the MMC, and his family still play roles, but them and the foundational setting are minor parts to the entirely different story arc. The story ends with a cliffhanger addressed in the next story.

"Searching" brings another generational element to the family foundation established in "His Daddy's Car" with the youngest member trying to hide her true identity from the man she is falling in love with. Again, a totally different theme from the others.

"Elements" focuses upon a cousin who played a minor role in the subsequent stories. The setting is vastly different, several new characters join the cast, and the story arc is again totally different than the others, but it was built on the same family foundation.

In comparison, my series "Before they were stars" follows a common story arc related to the sexual escapades of famous women before they became stars. Different characters, settings and plots for each episode.

My "Uncle Sugar Daddy" series has the same characters in each episode, in the same setting, with different plots.