Series Craft 101 (6 page)

What book was your first introduction to your genre?

Why should fans of (genre) movies read (genre) books?

Opinion Questions

What do you see as the future of the writing industry as a whole?

What stereotype about writers do you think is wrong?  What stereotype has some truth to it?

What contributes to a writer becoming successful?

What are your pet peeves?

What makes you cry?

What makes you laugh?

             
In addition to marketing, social media sites are a great resource for keeping up with industry changes and events.  The following are groups and pages I follow in Facebook and Twitter:

Writing-Related Facebook Pages:

HuffPost Books

Wow!  Women on Writing

Writer.ly

Writer’s Digest

Ice Cream for Zombies—tips on how to write better fiction

Publisher’s Weekly

Author Mingle

The Book Doctors

Writers and Authors

Writers’ Workshop

Penguin Group

Keep Writing

Captain Grammar Pants

The Creative Penn

              In thinking about who to follow on Facebook and Twitter, start with a search of authors you admire.  You can also follow pages related to your genre, local libraries, bookstores, city event pages, and media.  Many publishing company employees and literary agents have accounts and often give friendly advice—with the understanding that they don’t want to be bombarded with queries through social media unless they ask.

              Whether through online communities or local groups, interacting with fellow authors will help your skills grow faster and should provide an encouraging environment in what used to be a very solitary career.  With local groups, you have the advantage of immediate and face-to-face feedback, as well as the opportunity to share resources for regional events.  Online groups take away the problems of geographic location and varying work schedules.  It’s great to develop friendships through both options.  Seek out writers with more experience to help stretch you, and reach out to help other people with your strong points.  In this way, everyone wins.

             
This concept extends to other creative fields—artists, marketers, musicians, website designers—anyone who you may want to collaborate with as your series grows.

Creating a novel series can be a lifetime project, and there is joy in the journey.  It can also become an opportunity to do something extraordinary for your own life, for your family, and for the community around you.  As I learn more through the experiences of developing my own series, I want to help as many other writers as possible.

If you have questions about an area I didn’t cover
in this guide, you’re welcome to contact me at
[email protected]
(Use the subject line:  “Series Craft question” to avoid being mistaken for spam—I do try to answer questions personally and will try to help you or refer you to a book or source that can.)
  You can also follow me and send questions via Twitter @patriciagilliam.

The Hannaria Series Book 1: 
Out of the Gray
(2009)

When Hannaria's ambassador is targeted for assassination by a human terrorist group called the Earth Independence Party, two teenagers find themselves drawn into the situation from different vantage points.

The Hannaria Series Book 2: 
Legacy
(2009)

The Hannaria Series continues with Adam Verin and Jernard narrating the second book in the series. After confronting Kressler and the EIP, Jernard is visited by an old friend requesting help to rescue his wife and children from a race of ruthless aliens. After resigning from his position with the EIP, Adam's life is threatened by his own father and former colleagues who now consider him a traitor.

The Hannaria Series Book 3: 
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
(2010)

While scrambling to protect their human allies on Earth, Jernard and his family race to gather evidence against another Hannarian who is intent on killing them--and who has been manipulating the EIP to accomplish his larger goals.

The Hannaria Series Book 4: 
Something Like the Truth
(2012)

When a group of serial arsonists begins attacking locations on Hannaria, Jernard and his family are brought up on charges of treason and accused of being connected to the group's leader.

The Hannaria Series Book 5: 
Where the Oasis Blooms
(2013)

Discovering Wynn being tortured by Glaven, Michael Dermott attempts to rescue him. Rica and Alex learn more secrets of their families' pasts while Rica abilities continue to develop.

The Hannaria Series Book 6: 
Into the Ashes
is currently in progress.