One of my favourite things to do is to sit down and binge read an entire series of books. Ten or more at least. I love to get lost in the incredible world and characters. It’s 1am and you can’t put the book down because it’s so damn good, and you know you have twenty percent left, and another five books to go. No way you’re going to finish it tonight, but still you can’t put it down.
It’s a unique pleasure, and an intense feeling of obsession that is almost definitely not healthy–but I love it anyway.
But as a writer, it doesn’t always feel as good. Yes, I love using the same characters, and visiting them in their world, and discovering their secrets. But there are limitations. Rules.
Rules that CAN’T be broken.
Your werewolf pack that’s living underground In the sewer to hide from their nemesis the Vampires, can’t exist in the same world where the Werewolves walk among them, equal, and free.
You have to pick – and stick to it – one set of rules. Or you risk breaking the world or overpowering the characters.
Its hard.
But not everything has to, or needs to, be a series. I enjoy reading standalone, especially ones that are quirky.
When I edited Wishing for Truths–after Earth Bound, and Second Sight screamed their whole Series idea in my head–I made the very deliberate decision that this would not be a series. There wouldn’t be any more, or at least none that are planned–never say never.
I also wanted to keep it short. That way I could create something small that could exist anywhere, with none of the limitation of the worlds I had already created.
I could do whatever I wanted.
Keeping it short also means I am not stepped out of the series I am writing for too long, but it gives me that freedom to shake off the world temporarily, creating something new, fun and different.
As I keep writing I learn new things all the times. Learning to take the time to let an idea out, especially when its loud, will hopefully help me keep the magic of writing a series alive, and stop the rules from breaking the world by accident.
I look forward to learning more as I go.
My newest release Wishing for Truths is out for pre-order now. You can buy it here:-
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