If you take a look at some of the most successful and wealthiest authors in the world, you would notice that they have one thing in common. These writers have written a book series at least once in their careers. This is because writing a book series is a very fulfilling and financially lucrative endeavor.
But writing a book series is easier said than done. It usually takes a lot of thought and effort before you can make a book series good enough to catch the public eye. So before you set out on writing a book series, you should have a plan.
Here are 5 great tips for starting a book series of your very own:
- Know your target market
Before you set out on creating a book series of your very own, you should first know who you are writing for. This is why you should identify your target market. What is a target market you ask? A target market is the demographic that you have the best chance of selling your book to.
By knowing your target market, you will at least know how to cater to their tastes and effectively market your book. All in all, knowing your target market will make the book marketing process a lot easier.
- Write about something that you care about
Aside from knowing your target market, it is also important that you do research before you choose a topic to write about. Remember that there are a multitude of books out there, so before you even think of writing a book series, you should do as much research as possible. First things first, you should choose a topic that you are truly interested in.
Don’t choose a topic just because it is trending. Remember that trends change fast and you might lose interest in the writing process, if you choose a topic you don’t really care about.
- Create a compelling main character
When writing a book series, one of the most important things you can do is to create a truly compelling main character. This is important because your main character is the main focal point of the entire book series. Your readers will see the story unfold through your main character’s eyes.
Take for example renowned author J.K. Rowling’s beloved character, Harry Potter. For decades now, the character of Harry Potter has captivated a multitude of people. But why do people love Harry Potter so much? It’s because they saw him evolve as a character.
They saw him grow from a skinny and neglected child, to a courageous young man. They saw him take on challenges, and despite his obvious fear he was able to overcome them. These qualities of vulnerability and courage were what endeared him to millions of readers.
So if you are going to write a main character, you should do your best to make your main character as relatable and likeable as possible. Remember that your main character can mean the difference between your book series doing well and complete and utter failure. So take your time and come up with the best main character possible.
- Have a rough summary of your book series
One of the most difficult parts of writing a book series is the fact that it can get chaotic in the long run. Which is why it makes sense to keep a rough summary of your story so far.
The summary does not really need to be too detailed. The important thing is that it helps you keep track of the ever evolving storyline. So make your summary as simple as possible.
Don’t weigh it down with unnecessary details. Just stick to the most relevant data, which are the characters, the events, the conflict and the steady progression of events. All in all, by having a rough summary, you will be able to efficiently keep track of your storyline, no matter how complex it gets.
- Don’t rush the process
As it was stated earlier, writing a book series can be a challenge. Not only are you expected to put in a lot of work into the writing process, you will also have to compete with other writers on a regular basis. Which is why you should take your time with the writing process.
Don’t just rush into it. Take your time coming up with a concept. Take your time writing the characters.
Take your time with every aspect of the process. That way, once you do release your first book in your book series, you will do it from a place of strength.
The BookVenture Company hopes this article was useful.
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