by Heidi McCahan, @HeidiMcCahan
A series Bible is a written or digital document designed to track all the pertinent details of a screenplay, TV show or a book series. Character and setting descriptions, family trees, significant landmarks, names of restaurants and other small businesses, maps, and characters’ birthdates are some components that belong in a series Bible.
The series Bible concept is borrowed from the screenwriting community. If you create a series featuring a fictional place populated with characters that resonate with readers, ideally their affection for your work will grow and they’ll become devoted fans. It’s hard work developing a series Bible. The long-term benefit equals satisfied readers, which often leads to more book sales.
Mitford. Deep Haven. Cedar Cove. Stars Hollow. Virgin River.
What do these places have in common? I’m so glad you asked. These are some of my favorite fictional communities. I’ve devoured the novels and binge-watched the shows. If they were real geographical locations, I’d visit often.
Which begs the question: what’s the secret sauce that keeps me and thousands of fans coming back for more?
Consistency.
Our goal is to give our readers what they want: an emotional connection with fictional characters. I write romance novels set in small towns. My audience expects the descriptions of the coffee shop and pizza restaurant to remain consistent from book to book. Readers are on a vicarious field trip to these worlds we’ve created, and it’s our job to deliver what we’ve promised. For me, that’s a satisfying romance with a small-town setting they’ll love from the first visit in book one to their last when the series concludes.
Maintaining accurate descriptions in your series Bible helps you present your audience with a consistent, cohesive story world. If you keep your series Bible updated, hopefully you’ll avoid common errors from book to book (for example accidentally changing a character’s name or bringing a character onto the page who met their demise in a previous novel).
If readers feel as though they’re returning to the story world they originally fell in love with in the first book, more than likely they’ll be satisfied with their experience and keep reading. Consistency and cohesiveness will serve you well.
Increased productivity and peace of mind are two more ways creating a series Bible benefits your writing life.Taking the time to log the details as you’re writing will help as you add more books to the series. If you’re drafting book four and can’t remember anything about that secondary character in book two who is now the hero of your current work in progress (and you don’t have a series Bible) it takes extra time to go back and find those important details. I promise your readers didn’t forget. If you don’t present the character the same way you did initially, you risk disappointing your readers. Hearing about our mistakes is never fun. Putting in the extra effort to develop your series Bible will help gain peace of mind, knowing that after you turn in a manuscript, you’ve done your best to eliminate the risk of discrepancies.
Can you write a series without compiling a Bible to track pertinent details? Absolutely. Will you regret your decision halfway through book three? Probably. Truth telling time: I’m in the middle of writing a six-book series and didn’t start my series Bible until I’d finished the manuscript for book 2. Not a brilliant choice. I’m dealing with the fallout of my procrastination now because I have to stop writing temporarily, re-read what I’ve written and document all the crucial information before moving forward on the next book.
So do as I recommend, not as I’ve done.
Happy writing, my friends! May your detailed series Bible delight your readers and convert them into superfans.
Sometimes it takes two good reasons
To give love a second chance…
The moment the sweet-faced twins arrive in Alaska, Eliana Madden is smitten. They almost make her forget that their father, Tate Adams, broke her heart. Now Eliana has agreed to help Tate take care of the twins for the summer. Could this be the start of healing the rift between their families…and the beginning of a new adventure for them all?
Heidi McCahan began dreaming up stories as a little girl. Now she writes uplifting inspirational romance novels set in small towns. Heidi is a huge fan of coffee, dark chocolate, and reading books with happy endings. She’s originally from Alaska but currently lives in North Carolina with her handsome husband, three amazing boys, and the world’s greatest goldendoodle. Heidi’s next book, The Twins’ Alaskan Adventure, releases June 2022.