The Challenges of Writing a Series

[WestCin]

I am a BBW/SSBBW admirer who decided to try my hand at erotic fiction. My stories are not for everyone, but I know there is a small audience.
After my third story, I decided to continue writing using my main character to explorer different sexual situations and aspects of liking bigger women.
I recently submitted my fourth story with “Allyson” the main character, and I have compiled them in a series.
I am finding it challenging to keep continuity throughout the works. Both in characters and setting (a midwestern college town)
Also challenging is keeping the story fresh as a stand alone effort (how many times I have described Allyson’s large breast) and not be redundant in the series as a whole.

If your a series writer, chime in.

https://www.literotica.com/authors/WestCin

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I have two series published here. The first one, "Before They Were Stars", sound similar to what you are attempting. Each stand alone story shares a common theme with different characters, plot, and setting. (Although you said that you are using the same setting)

My other series, "Uncle Sugar Daddy", uses the same characters, setting, and basic plot - just with different character emphasis in each stand alone tale.

 

[Rob_Royale]

Keeping good notes will help continuity. List all characters. Height, build, hair, eyes, lean, curvy or muscular. Notable features or important details.

Then if the story happens over time, create a calendar. The story starts on Friday the first. The second scene on Sunday the third. Then nothing of note until Saturday the ninth. This allows you to include this passage of time in the story. "So, about what happened last Sunday."
All of it helps the story flow and helps you keep things straight especially if it's been weeks since you last touched the story.

 

[ronde]

I have several stories in a "serial" format that all share the same main characters and locations. It's not necessary to completely describe each character and each location in each story. Do that in the first story and then just use gentle reminders in the subsequent stories. To do that, the stories need to be "linked" together in some manner.

One thing that will help is if you tie the series together with the story titles and/or short summary. That helps a reader find your series when you post the next edition. I see you've sort of done that with the title of the series and with the titles of two, but the third title doesn't doesn't read as if it's part of the series. I'm not suggesting that you change the titles or descriptions, but they would be tied together better if each description let the reader know the stories are related, like "SSBBW discovers double dildo fun", "SSBBW discovers oral sex", and "SSBBW comforted by sex with father".

Another thing that will help if your main character is always your main character is to include that character's name in the title. Again, I'm not suggesting that you go back and change titles, but you could have tied them all together if you had titled them as, 'Allyson's Double Dildo Encounter'", "Allyson's Big Storm", and "Allyson's Second Storm'.

If the stories are truly serials, the only continuity you need to be concerned about is the personality of recurring characters and locations. Everything else - plot, minor characters, setting, etc. - will be unique to each story.

Once you've tied the stories together, readers who like Allyson or SSBBW stories will be able to relate relatively short descriptions between stories. You can always add a foreword directing a reader to the other stories as well.

 

[MelissaBaby]

There are a number of free Family Tree sites. Most are customizable enough that you can use one to keep track of the relationships between your characters. And most have a notes option where you can add relevant details.

This is particularly useful if your stories cover a long period of time. My series Mary and Alvin covers about sixty years in the lives of the main characters. I was constantly checking how old each character was at any given point in the narrative.

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

One of the hard parts about series writing is continuity. It's a massive pain in the ass, especially after the story branches and you add a bunch of additional characters. In both of my completed series (and in the one I'm working on now), I have done my best to put together a "character guide" that I use as my main continuity document - it includes the names, brief bio sketches and ages of all the characters in the story, as well as a 'celebrity lookalike' that lets people have a better idea of what I was describing, and helps me remember what they look like too. I also throw in some things to remind me of where things are - like layouts of locations and the like. Finally, I have the date timeline for each chapter, so I have a general idea of how long the thing is going.

I use that internally to double check everything and eventually, when the series is done, I publish it, so folks have it when going through the story.

I didn't start doing this until about a third of the way through my first series, so I know I have some continuity errors in the first half dozen chapters that eventually I will go back and fix. Since then, however, I've kept things pretty straight.

 

[Voyeurkenneth]

I recently submitted my fourth story with “Allyson” the main character, and I have compiled them in a series.
I am finding it challenging to keep continuity throughout the works. Both in characters and setting (a midwestern college town)
Also challenging is keeping the story fresh as a stand alone effort (how many times I have described Allyson’s large breast) and not be redundant in the series as a whole.

For the continuity bit, like others have said, use a tool to keep things straight. I've kept various forms of spreadsheets with age ranges, a timeline of events. Documenting these things can feel like extra work, but it can only help you in the long run. When I'm creatively out of gas writing-wise, I do the documenting thing so it still feels like I'm being productive when I'm not otherwise writing.

The repetitive descriptions is fair. If you're doing standalones as part of a manual series, then I think it's okay to be repetitive. Most people clicking on your story will be a new reader. For your existing readers, they'll likely gloss over the description and be more excited to get into the plot of Allyson's new adventure.

^That said, for existing readers, you can take on the challenge of describing Allyson in a new, creative way if the perspective is coming from another character's POV. Not sure if you've already done this, but like for example, instead of constantly describing Allyson's breasts purely in terms of size, you can convey how her breasts made a character feel, or what they remind a character of, etc.

 

[ChuckWolf]

FWIW, most readers on THIS site are just looking for a story that lines up with their kinks that they can masturbate to; aside from any super-glaring continuity issues, I don't think most readers would notice or even care. Same way you don't fixate on this stuff in porn vids.

Ideally, it'd be nice if it were possible to edit stories after they'd been published, but that may not be technologically possible on this site and, even if it were, you'd have the risk of some writers editing their published work to add inappropriate content that could put the whole site at risk.

 

[Writer61]

I have a couple of series underway. Two have the same male lead, and another that is, at the moment, not connected, but will be in the follow-on series.

The biggest challenge is continuity. I use spreadsheets to help me keep track of timelines, characters, and key events. That's a bit of a drag, but I enjoy seeing how series can be linked, which is usually via crossover characters. Need a businessman? Why not use the one from over there?

Welcome to the 61verse.

 

[SimonDoom]

You're dealing with issues that many writers deal with, as you can see from the comments. I'll tell you how I deal with this, keeping in mind these comments are totally subjective and not intended to be the "right" way to do things.

I write standalone stories as my default. Meaning, I have to have a good reason to write a series. One of the reasons for this is my concept that "first time is best." Once two people have gotten together, you have to think a little harder to find it interesting why they get together again. On the other hand, if you start with a completely new story with new characters, everything is fresh and new again. When you are dealing with a fetish/kink-based story, as you are, and as I do when I write incest stories, this is particularly true.

So why would I write a series instead?

One is when I think I have an appealing story arc that can be told over a series of chapters. Each chapter advances the story in some meaningful way. I did this with my 8-chapter My Mom Is A Hot Mom series, and I think it worked well.

A different sort of justification is if I have a character I really like, and that readers seem to like, and I can keep coming up with fun new kinky adventures for the character. This is a situation like the standard television series. I have not found that this works out as well for me. I get frustrated and bored at trying to come up with new kinky situations for the same character that improve upon the previous chapter, and I get the itch to just start a new story from scratch.

If this matters to you, one thing to consider is that standalone stories get more views, on average, then chapters in a series. If you keep write chapter after chapter of "BBW Rosie and her Adventures," you're likely to see a declining audience with each chapter.

My recommendation is that if you are getting frustrated and feel like you're banging your head against the wall with a series, just abandon it (for a while at least) and start over with a completely new story.

 

[Gamblnluck]

I have two very long series, Slave Camp (32 chapters) and Gotta pay the Piper (now at 62 chapters) Chapters run around 10 to 14K words each. I found I don't need to use all my characters all the time. They come and go. They may be sitting at the dining table with barely a mention and then offer a comment. I see a series like an ongoing tale. At times, I even go back and read something I wrote 20 chapters before to get a sense of continuity.
Yeah, I've made a few mistakes too. Wrong last names (so I tend to not use last names often).

The real problem is to not repeat yourself too often. Yeah, you might have to clarify a detail. But you can introduce ideas in dialog. For your large breasts you want to periodically describe, you can have a rude kid yell, "Damn look at the size of those knockers!" (just kidding).

 

[Writer61]

FWIW, most readers on THIS site are just looking for a story that lines up with their kinks that they can masturbate to; aside from any super-glaring continuity issues, I don't think most readers would notice or even care.

I am sure you are right that most readers don't care about minor continuity issues. But, I HATE them in my own writing.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I have tried to write a few series. My biggest problem is that I tend to get distracted by new ideas or write myself into corners I can't quite figure out how to get our of.
It's bad enough with stand alone stories, but one of my series has been languishing for almost five years at two installments, both highly regarded. I just haven't got back to it because other stuff keeps getting in the way. i don't know how people that have ten or twenty part series do it. I also have stand alone stories that are languishing for the same reason.

So I'd say, from my limited miserable experience, the biggest challenge for a series is a long term cohesive plan, and the dedication to get it done, oh wait, I just got an idea for another story...

 

[Voyeurkenneth]

I am sure you are right that most readers don't care about minor continuity issues. But, I HATE them in my own writing.

Me as well. I think it's the perfectionists in us that want every detail down right, even if others don't care for them. I'd figure most creatives are like this to some extent--a director shooting 50 takes even though one of the takes is probably good enough.

 

[Writer61]

So I'd say, from my limited miserable experience, the biggest challenge for a series is a long term cohesive plan, and the dedication to get it done, oh wait, I just got an idea for another story...

I know that feeling. To keep things under control, I try to limit myself to working on one main story with a second, from another series, that I can switch to if I get stuck on the first. Other ideas are captured in a Word document.

 

[SamBomb]

I am a BBW/SSBBW admirer who decided to try my hand at erotic fiction. My stories are not for everyone, but I know there is a small audience.
After my third story, I decided to continue writing using my main character to explorer different sexual situations and aspects of liking bigger women.
I recently submitted my fourth story with “Allyson” the main character, and I have compiled them in a series.
I am finding it challenging to keep continuity throughout the works. Both in characters and setting (a midwestern college town)
Also challenging is keeping the story fresh as a stand alone effort (how many times I have described Allyson’s large breast) and not be redundant in the series as a whole.

If your a series writer, chime in.

https://www.literotica.com/authors/WestCin

I have so many notes for a series.
If i mention a character, i have a spot to have all characters, if i had details, i put it in there. Mention a time/place, I mark it down. I also keep things like a calendar. A character says let's do this friday, well, when friday comes in the story that needs to be there?

That way, later on, everything fits. Also I'm a giant OCD nerd, so kind of my thing.

Also, I haven't done that kind of series. I only have one where it's a clear start and end point, building toward something, so I wouldn't know how to keep a similar story fresh. Sorry.

 

[WestCin]

You're dealing with issues that many writers deal with, as you can see from the comments. I'll tell you how I deal with this, keeping in mind these comments are totally subjective and not intended to be the "right" way to do things.

I write standalone stories as my default. Meaning, I have to have a good reason to write a series. One of the reasons for this is my concept that "first time is best." Once two people have gotten together, you have to think a little harder to find it interesting why they get together again. On the other hand, if you start with a completely new story with new characters, everything is fresh and new again. When you are dealing with a fetish/kink-based story, as you are, and as I do when I write incest stories, this is particularly true.

So why would I write a series instead?

One is when I think I have an appealing story arc that can be told over a series of chapters. Each chapter advances the story in some meaningful way. I did this with my 8-chapter My Mom Is A Hot Mom series, and I think it worked well.

A different sort of justification is if I have a character I really like, and that readers seem to like, and I can keep coming up with fun new kinky adventures for the character. This is a situation like the standard television series. I have not found that this works out as well for me. I get frustrated and bored at trying to come up with new kinky situations for the same character that improve upon the previous chapter, and I get the itch to just start a new story from scratch.

If this matters to you, one thing to consider is that standalone stories get more views, on average, then chapters in a series. If you keep write chapter after chapter of "BBW Rosie and her Adventures," you're likely to see a declining audience with each chapter.

My recommendation is that if you are getting frustrated and feel like you're banging your head against the wall with a series, just abandon it (for a while at least) and start over with a completely new story.

Thanks
Developm

You're dealing with issues that many writers deal with, as you can see from the comments. I'll tell you how I deal with this, keeping in mind these comments are totally subjective and not intended to be the "right" way to do things.

I write standalone stories as my default. Meaning, I have to have a good reason to write a series. One of the reasons for this is my concept that "first time is best." Once two people have gotten together, you have to think a little harder to find it interesting why they get together again. On the other hand, if you start with a completely new story with new characters, everything is fresh and new again. When you are dealing with a fetish/kink-based story, as you are, and as I do when I write incest stories, this is particularly true.

So why would I write a series instead?

One is when I think I have an appealing story arc that can be told over a series of chapters. Each chapter advances the story in some meaningful way. I did this with my 8-chapter My Mom Is A Hot Mom series, and I think it worked well.

A different sort of justification is if I have a character I really like, and that readers seem to like, and I can keep coming up with fun new kinky adventures for the character. This is a situation like the standard television series. I have not found that this works out as well for me. I get frustrated and bored at trying to come up with new kinky situations for the same character that improve upon the previous chapter, and I get the itch to just start a new story from scratch.

If this matters to you, one thing to consider is that standalone stories get more views, on average, then chapters in a series. If you keep write chapter after chapter of "BBW Rosie and her Adventures," you're likely to see a declining audience with each chapter.

My recommendation is that if you are getting frustrated and feel like you're banging your head against the wall with a series, just abandon it (for a while at least) and start over with a completely new story.

Thanks for your comments.
I do like my character, and I am cognizant of the need to develop her and what she is all about. More than a horney fat chick. Which is admittedly what she is.
I didn’t originally start out to write a series. I have numerous story ideas and sexual situations that any woman can be in. Then it dawned on me that I could have the one character experience different situations in different settings.
The continuity tips are what I expected and had started doing.
I just hope I’m on the right track and each new story brings an aspect of my character to light. Not just the same girl fucking the same guy again.

 

[Cagivagurl]

One of the biggest challenges... IMO... is breaking the shackles...
It can feel like you are recreating the same scene, writing it over and over...
Trying to keep it fresh, you add another character, and it becomes convoluted.
It can become drudgery going back to it...

Cagivagurl

 

[Bramblethorn]

Keeping good notes will help continuity. List all characters. Height, build, hair, eyes, lean, curvy or muscular. Notable features or important details.

Then if the story happens over time, create a calendar. The story starts on Friday the first. The second scene on Sunday the third. Then nothing of note until Saturday the ninth. This allows you to include this passage of time in the story. "So, about what happened last Sunday."
All of it helps the story flow and helps you keep things straight especially if it's been weeks since you last touched the story.

If you're really feeling enthusiastic and like technical solutions, Scrivener can be useful for this kind of thing. It's a bit of a learning curve but it really paid off for my second, more complex series. Some of the things it can do:

Structure a long story into chapters and scenes:

Attach a synopsis and notes for each scene - I used this for dates to keep the chronology straight:

You can also attach other documents e.g. information about a story location, though I haven't used this yet.

Add tags to each scene, so that fifty thousand words later when I want to check what I've written about some minor character I can find it easily:



Write a bio for characters (it provides a template with reminders of some things one might want to record):

 

[WestCin]

I like it.
I kind of do this in my head weeks prior to writing.
I think of a general idea for the story and play out the beginning in my head and kind of randomly add tho the storyline mentally as the days go by.
It would probably go faster on the app your suggesting.

 

[Writer61]

I have had mixed experiences with Scrivener. Not currently using it, but might give it another go for my next project.

 

[Writer61]

If you're really feeling enthusiastic and like technical solutions, Scrivener can be useful for this kind of thing. It's a bit of a learning curve but it really paid off for my second, more complex series. Some of the things it can do:

Structure a long story into chapters and scenes:
View attachment 2547582
Attach a synopsis and notes for each scene - I used this for dates to keep the chronology straight:
View attachment 2547583
You can also attach other documents e.g. information about a story location, though I haven't used this yet.

Add tags to each scene, so that fifty thousand words later when I want to check what I've written about some minor character I can find it easily:

View attachment 2547584

Write a bio for characters (it provides a template with reminders of some things one might want to record):
View attachment 2547586

Which template do you use?

 

[pink_silk_glove]

I am finding it challenging to keep continuity throughout the works. Both in characters and setting (a midwestern college town)
Also challenging is keeping the story fresh as a stand alone effort (how many times I have described Allyson’s large breast) and not be redundant in the series as a whole.

The continuity problem is because you are writing and publishing as you go with no plan. If you plan out the series (or just a longer story) and then write it all and make sure that it is edited to your satisfaction, that will solve the continuity issues.

If you can't keep the series fresh, it probably shouldn't be a series. I also detect that you are conflicted between whether or not these stories are stand alone entities or part of a story arc. Continuity should be much less of a problem in a series of stand alone stories than it would be in a longer story arc situation.

My suggestion is to do much more planning and foundation work first, rather than publish every bit the moment that it's pumped out.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Which template do you use?

I think it was Fiction - Novel.