As I've mentioned, I'm working on a massive series and I found myself creating characters, then jotting down information about them, only to lose that information.
So I created a wiki to keep track of everything. It sounds really complicated, but it really isn't. As I get closer to publishing, I'll share the Wiki link with you. Suffice it to say, my wiki is my secondary brain when it comes to keeping track of hundreds of characters, many locations, and a plot that spans several years.
I do something similar for every book I write. I keep a little book notebook about the book and I split it into sections: Who, Where, Notes, Timeline, Details. I cut out pictures of houses to use in the book, floor plans, pictures of people, and jot down anything I want to in this book. I have one for every mystery I wrote, and it's come in so handy -- it's a secondary brain for each book where I can turn to find out my details.
Someday I may part with some of those old notebooks, but for now, I still enjoy browsing through them. It's like falling into the past and remembering the angst of writing and the fun I had when the book released.
My wiki is very like that, only it's digital, not paper. And believe me, it's come in handy to make sure nothing falls through the cracks!
J L Wilson
(jayellwilson.com)
Showing posts with label writing a series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing a series. Show all posts
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Writing a series by Barbara Edwards
Going back to go forward is a constant in writing a series.
I was lucky when I started my Rhodes End Series to get some good advice about
keeping records. I have diligently kept a Book Bible for each novel so I have
details about my characters, places, timelines available for reference.
I really thought I had a good handle on information until I
started Book Four.
It’s set in Rhodes End. Since I created Rhodes End, I should
be able to picture it in my head. And I can. Except for some minor details. Is
the library stone or brick and why didn’t I made a note? Which book did I
mention it in?
Oh boy. No its okay. I can work with this.
I plan to combine my book bibles into one as I write Book
Four. With the way my mind works its easier to work on the fly. As I need info
it will go into the new reference.
 |
| http://amzn.com/B002TG4NFG |
So when I mention Mel Petersen, the female police officer,
from Ancient Awakening, I’ll put her facts into an alphabetical list of
characters. Another thing I didn’t do along the way.
Many of the characters from Ancient Blood, like Lily Alban and
Cole Benedict, are going to be running around the plot. http://amzn.com/B002TG4NFGThey need their own
spot.
I just forwarded the first edits on Ancient Curse to my
editor at The Wild Rose Press, Amanda Barnett, so you won’t be familiar with
the heroine Rainie, but the hero is one of the series secondary characters, who
I’ve given his own story, The Broker.
Here’s a taste from Ancient Curse:
After touring the various collections in his
mansion, Thomas Broquette had led her to this flowery bower. Nearby roses
filled the air with their sweet scent. She frowned at an ornate sculpture
dominating the center of the old-fashioned herb garden. It resembled a sundial
but the hour symbols were wrong.
The ancient mosaic tiling decorating the face
practically vibrated with violent emotion. She turned from the object with a
silent vow to avoid touching any part of its evil surface.
She focused on Thomas Broquette, dragging her
attention from the chaotic vibrations.
His white-on-white shirt and sharply pleated
black slacks reminded her he’d been a successful businessman.
“The flower-beds were part of Mason’s
concept. He was a complicated man. As you’ve seen his other collections fill
the place, and I want to dispose of them.” Thomas gestured towards the
surroundings.
She studied him closely. Although he was
older than her, he was too young to be retired. He affected her the same way as
his home—a combination of fascination and dread.
When his hand brushed the elaborately
decorated sculpture, Rainie shuddered. The thick stone pedestal crawled with
astrological creatures. Instead of numbers the face displayed tortured patterns.
She bit her lip. Something about the
elaborately figured faceplate niggled at her memory. She’d have to research it
on-line. The dial or gnomon that would indicate the time was missing. She
didn’t need to touch the carving to know it had been part of some hideous
ritual.
She swallowed her warning. He obviously didn’t
feel the dark vibrations oozing from the surface. She eased a step further
along the path, but her ability to feel the violent history remained.
“Dating antiques is my specialty. Every
collectable is tested, some require a tiny scrapping for advanced chemical
tests.” Sweat pooled between her breasts. The fight to hide her anxiety was a
losing battle. The headache throbbed in her temples, the usual result of using
her talent.
His easy nod indicated she should continue, but
his gaze studied her with the interest of a large tiger for potential prey.
“I’m extremely careful to keep them
unmarred.”
She worked to relax while she held his stare.
At first she’d thought his eyes a plain brown, but they were rimmed by golden
stripes that matched the tiger’s eye stone in his heavy signet ring.
“While a few may have a verifiable
provenance… Oh I could go on for hours about the various methods.” The last
thing she wanted was questions about unorthodox methods.
When he dropped his gaze to the heavy manila
folder he held, she surreptitiously swiped her forehead with her forearm. Much
as she longed to back away, she resisted the urge.
“I’m not questioning your ability,” his
gravel-rough tone had grown familiar during his phone calls. Her stomach
knotted, but not with fear. His rough male baritone resonated along feminine
nerves she’d thought long buried.
Her gaze traveled over his wide forehead,
deep-set eyes, and high cheekbones. His hard features weren’t handsome in the
classical sense, but attracted her anyway. She ached to touch him like one of
the objects she studied to discover what he concealed behind his shadowed
regard.
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