Ciao, SEers. We’re rounding out the year, and everyone is likely in planning mode for 2018. I know the six of us have been discussing it among ourselves. So, I thought this would be a great time to talk about a particular type of planning—plotting a series.

I’ve written both standalone works and series, and there are many similarities. And, of course, as you plot each individual novel within the series, the majority of the steps are the same. But plotting a series requires a few special considerations that we’ll talk about below.

1. Decide on the Theme of the Series
   Each individual novel may have its own theme, but there needs to be an over-arching theme to the series itself. It’s that one core message holding everything together.
2. Pin Down the Setting
   Time and place are important factors in the plotting of a book or a series. Novels set…