One thing I would suggest is have patience with it. See where it takes you. One book I thought was a trilogy I have turned into one story with three parts. Another book I thought was standalone turned into a series potential. My current one will have series potential but not the way I originally planned. My original story allowed for a resolution to my children I hadn't planned. They won't go forward to the next book - I had planned on dealing with one per book. Each story needs to stand alone but contain something that someone who has read the previous stories will appreciate on a deeper level. What i find works well in other series I have read is a central story arc that goes right through all the books whilst somehow resolving at the end. Harry Potter and Narnia did this particularly well. I find Discworld and Pern great stories but they don't have the same connected feel.
Oh, I have. It's been in the works for a few years. I have an outline of what my current main character goes through. It's been written down, detailed and I've shared some of it with my family and friends, and their excited to read it. I've been very careful not to rush through it at all. I let it sit in my mind and develop on its on. But basically its all generally been planned on. I have the first draft of book 1 finished, I'm going back and adding all the nessisary details, description, do some editing. I hope to finish book 1 by the end of the month Yes, each of my books I've outlined stand out. I know its really ambitious, but I've counted maybe 15 books based around this one character XD I have a central story arc that progressed throughout the series as well as sub-plots.
I've only written the first one, but I have a detailed outline for each book in a six book series Just coming up with the outlines has been really fun. When I have more time, I'll definitely go back and do the whole thing properly. Sad thing is, I don't think it's publishable. Not as it is, anyway. I have the same MC throughout, besides the last book which follow her children. In the first book, she is rather innocent and a little childish (at age 15), but in the next book she has made a drastic change, and discovering what made her that way was interesting (for me). It's a fantasy with a touch of sci-fi
Outlines are really good to use and can be fun. I think its better to write something just for fun or at least start out that way. I've read many reviews where authors didn't really expect to publish their work or expect it to do well. I'd suggest just focusing on the storyline, make sure it comes out how you like and you can always attempt to get it published later. I know my first ideas with my series weren't impressive at all. I actually struggled on the events for book 1 and at what age to present the main character. Sounds interesting. I wish you much luck!
I didn't really mean patience with planning - don't do that lol More just let the stories tell themselves. I have found books I didn't know I wanted to write and included other ideas in one book.
Character development is vital, especially over a number of books. The longer the story, the more events with occur during the duration. Events shape and change us as people in real life, and this is, or should be the same for fictional characters. I like to have an early idea of my characters before i begin. Know what flaws to give them (ones they don't know about, but become aware of during certain events) Thus knowing stuff, they don't means i can throw out an obstacle so they can progress, develope, evolve. Or at least try. Some characters can be stubborn. I'd prefer to see a character fall from grace or surprisingly see someone betrayed as *sigh* evil, turn around and be *sigh* the benefactor of Godly good (though not by such graceful means). Rather than see a character who see's his father being say slaughtered and seeks vengeance though hate and rage (continue for a number of books blind by said emotions seeing nothing else no matter what else happens) finds who they are after, and kills them. The end. Vomit I love, The Dark Tower series. Roland, the Gunslinger, who never really develops from beginning to end (though, this is debatable - But it is also quiet deliberate to keep him as he is). His lack of development as a being, pretty much is his own doom. (That said, Stephen King, who made him like that (Roland), is pretty much character development in its own. But in a way for which you only discover it until you read the last page.)
Hmmm...I'm surprised Cogito hasn't posted on this yet, with his usual (good) advice that it's better to write the first novel first, and then see if there's enough room to grow a series. Of course, IIRC he usually means if you are serious about trying to get it published. But it's probably sound advice even if you're writing for fun. As it happens, my current project is breaking a few guidelines I usually follow, including this one. It started with me breaking another, which is to always sketch out a rough outline of what I want to do before I start. I didn't, and in addition I was working on a concept I'd never tried before, a futuristic dystopian novel. Instead, I started with one character in a situation and let him take me where he wanted to go. By the time I was about 100 pages in, ideas were flying at me from all over the map and I went back and started over, this time knowing it would have to be a series. That said, I am still following Cogito's advice, and just concentrating on the first novel. Then we'll see where we go from there.
Well I've done both I let the story flow and tried various directions until it felt right and true to the original concept. Exactly. I'm treating my characters as if they were real people. And heroes are just born heroes, they have to prove themselves. Each story has a positive or negative impact on them. In the first 3 Dune books, you can see how Paul grows from a young boy to an experiance man. We all wonder as kids who we will be when we get older. So, its no different for fictional characters. That's very good advise actually. But the particular story I'm writing, its meant to be a series. Each book can stand on its own, but they need each other to complete the arc and complexity of both the characters and the story. I remember thinking just prior to starting work on my series, "why stick with just 1 world when you have an entire universe." The imagination is meant to be unleashed, not limited. -that sounds kind of cheesy but I think you know what I mean.
My wishes are to get mildly popular with the novel I'm working on right now, and maybe a collection of short stories. After I'm done with those and they get published (hopefully :]) I'll write a series. Something like Dark Tower, LOTR, Harry Potter interests me, a YA series.
As Christianity is not as prominent as it used to be in the West do you think it would be a good idea to give my story a title from the Bible? I have a few titles from "scripture" but after the decline of Christianity (and, more importantly and sadly, biblical literacy) I am worrying no one will understand the reference. I am not religious myself, but it fits with the theme of the story (one of its characters is an angel in disguise, albeit in the service of a female Goddess) and just think it might be an interesting idea.
Most people will get it. Even non-Christians will get it in most cases, because they are educated. The number of people in the U.S. who identify as Christians is still around 80%. As a general rule, I don't think altering your work because you're worried that the general populace isn't clever enough to get it is a good idea. Readers are often quite clever. The ones who get it will appreciate it. The ones who don't won't care (or if they do they'll look it up).
It may put nonreligious people off, thinking it is going to be of religious content. It may disappoint religious people -having been attracted by the title- because it is not of religious content. What I mean is the title could attract the attention of the wrong audience - whereas the reader you wish to attract may be put off by the title imo. The film The Ten Commandment - was about The Ten Commandments. See what I mean.
It probably depends on the verse. Lots of stuff from Ecclesiastes, for example, would make fantastic titles for a wide range of books. Leviticus, you might have a more narrow audience with that one.
Though Christianity as a religion is on the decline in the West, it is still there, and strongly, as a culture. Consider this. It's been a couple thousand years since the masses have believed in Zeus et al, yet their fables are still told, and allusions to Greek/Roman mythology. -Frank
That was what I was most worried about. Especially when it isn't necessary it gives me pause, even if I really like the idea. Personally, I love listening to old hymns...the pure fervor and passion religion inspired in people (especially in those days when there was such certainty behind it) can make for extremely moving music. But some people are put off by the religious references and can't stand to listen to it, no matter how beautiful it is. As to the 80% of Americans being Christian, I think that must mean nominally...a lot of paper Christians don't really know anything about the Bible. And that's just the States. I'm from Canada. It's more religious than Europe is but much less so than the US; probably most people I know are atheist. It's not that most readers aren't clever, but, well...just from polls they've done the amount of ignorance at the content of the Bible is staggering. Which I honestly think is a little sad. As a non-Christian, I don't care for the same reason many people might, but I just find it kind of unfortunate that we are throwing the baby out with the bath water and losing a huge part of our cultural heritage. Much of the Bible is not of "great quality" in a literary sense, but the influence it has had on Western literature is still staggering. If you're not familiar with it, you'll find it very difficult to appreciate basically all Western cultural output at least up to the 1960's, and the indirect influence is still omnipresent. *sigh* I guess that tirade was a bit off topic, but you see what I'm saying. (Needless to say, I'm part of the "teach the Bible as literature crowd").
I join you Jonias, in your regretfulness. But, I largely feel the way I do because the King James version is absolutely, and inarguably, a literary work of the very highest merit.
I don't think it matters, as long as the quote works in context. I mean, how many people who saw Stephen Fry's "Moab is my washpot" knew it was from the Psalms? They probably guessed it was some sort of Biblical allusion, but no more. And if you call something "All Tears from Their Eyes" does it matter that it's from Revelation?
This depends entirely on which titles you choose. Consider when it is important that people get the reference, and when it is not - "All Tears from Their Eyes" above is a good example of when it likely doesn't. The title is evocative enough in its own right to make it seem appropriate even to the naive reader (assuming the content of the chapter matches the flavor of the title, eg. a sad chapter for "All Tears from Their Eyes"), and easy to tie into the events in your work. However, if the title is only relevant to the chapter if the reader understands the reference, then you'll have to think of whether it is worth the trade-off of some people maybe not understanding it (eg. A happy chapter under "All Tears from Their Eyes", somehow made understandable if you get the reference).
You should do it. It's easy to find information today, so those who don't know the reference can search it. Another example of a scripture title is "The Quick and the Dead" which was a western movie by Sam Raimi (I didn't much care for it). If you are using the title as an allusion to the story itself, then go for it. If not, then I'd advise a different title.
My worry would be which translation to use? The Catholic church uses a different translation than they used to, but the KJ is what many people think of as the classic text. Yet the "classic" is full of translation problems and political issues inserted at the time. Would a correct and accurate translation even be recognized as the verse? It could be very interesting to quote verses that inspire cult members or whatever to actions that are crutial to the plot, or just to explain why they are so crazy. Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you. —Judges 19:24 And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.—Judges 19:29 Here's one that can be applied to someone who's having a bad day: Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.—Deuteronomy 28:19
I suspect it depends on the verse - most people might not get an obscure reference but: Through a Glass Darkly or All Flesh is Grass or Father Forgive Them or Two together shall have Heat. All give off an image suitable for certain types of stories.
Write what you feel. If the titles fit the imagery of what you're writing, use them. Don't think too much about what people will 'get' or won't get.
More how you use them, but I think that's what you meant from what you went on to say. Well, a poignant resolution to a sad situation. Or am I already assuming knowledge that the context is "He will wipe all tears from their eyes"?
I don't think people will expect the book to have religious content just because the title references a Bible verse - it all depends on what verse you choose. If you pitch some verses here, we could tell you if we think it makes the book sound religious.
