Tips for Writing a Book Series Readers Love

Is there anything better as an author than a reader saying, “I love this book so much! I can’t wait for the next one!” or “I never want to leave this world or these characters”? A great book series keeps readers coming back for more—and turning pages late into the night.

But writing a successful series takes more than just a good idea. How do you plan a multi-book arc? How do you know if a story should be a series instead of a standalone? And how do you keep everything consistent from book one to book six (or beyond)? Let’s break it all down.

Should you write a series?

Whether to start writing a series or just start with one book depends on your publishing path.

For traditionally published authors:
It’s not usually recommended to debut with a series, unless you already have a book deal for a multi-book series, which is rare. At most, a publisher might take on a duology or ask you to pitch a standalone book with “series potential.” They will want to see how your first book does before giving you a deal for book two. That means your book should work as a complete story on its own, but leave the door open for sequels if it sells well. Once you’ve proven yourself with your publisher, it’s easier to pitch a whole series.

For indie authors:
Writing a series is one of the smartest moves you can make. With self-publishing, you control how many books you release, how fast, and when. And your backlist (previous books) becomes your best marketing tool. This is why many indie authors start off with publishing a series, because if readers love book one, they’ll likely read the entire series and every book you’ve ever published, if you have other series or books in your backlist (though it helps if they’re all in the same genre too).

Tips for writing a successful series

What type of series are you writing?

Start by figuring out the structure of your series arc. There are two main types:

Dynamic (or continuous) series

These follow one long story arc spread across multiple books. Each book has its own plot or mystery, but they build on each other and must be read in order. Think Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas or the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. You can’t jump in at book three and expect to understand what’s happening.

Static (or standalone) series:

These feature books that are set in the same world, often with recurring characters, but each story is self-contained. Readers can start with any book in the series and still enjoy the story. This works especially well for mystery or episodic crime novels, like Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series or Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. While there may be some minor character arcs or references to previous events, they’re not essential to following the plot in later books.

Structuring your series

Once you’ve chosen your series type, it’s time to plan how each book fits into the bigger picture story structure. For dynamic series, you’ll want to think about how the stakes build across the books. Consider:

• What is the overarching story conflict?

• What smaller conflicts or villains will show up in each installment?

• How will each book raise the stakes and move the series arc forward?

If you’re using something like the Save the Cat! beat sheet, you might even create one for the series as a whole, alongside individual beat sheets for each book.

Outline character arcs and subplots

Whether you’re a plotter or a discovery writer, all writers do some level of brainstorming before they write. 

You don’t need to outline every detail right away, but it helps to brainstorm key pieces:

• Character arcs: Where do your characters start? What growth or setbacks will they face? What’s the emotional journey across the series?

• Subplots: Will you include romantic threads, family drama, political intrigue, or side character storylines? Which plotlines will develop across multiple books?

• Series themes: Are there recurring ideas or emotional threads tying the series together, like redemption, found family, or survival?

Keep a series bible on your fictional world

As your series grows, so will your cast, settings, and story threads. You may be able to re-read earlier books when writing a sequel at first, but once you're several books deep, that becomes harder to manage.

A series bible is your best friend. It's like a story bible, but for the entire series. This is where you track everything, including characters, locations, the overarching plot, timelines, major events, magical rules, worldbuilding quirks, and more. It can be a spreadsheet, notebook, Notion page, or any system that works for you. The goal is to keep things organized and consistent.

Don’t stress about checking every tiny detail while drafting. Just get the story down. You can revise for consistency later—your bible will make that much easier!

Add recaps without the info dump

When writing sequels, readers will need reminders of the plot points, but too much backstory at once can slow the pace. Keep recap details brief and natural.

A good rule of thumb? One or two lines to refresh a reader’s memory. Include just enough to jog their brain without boring longtime fans. If you're writing a static series, be sure new readers can follow the current book without reading earlier ones—just don’t overexplain for those already familiar.

For example, in David Baldacci’s Memory Man series, the main character has a unique trait: hyperthymesia (perfect recall). Rather than explain his backstory in every book, Baldacci uses one line like: “Because of his traumatic brain injury, Amos Decker remembers everything.” It’s short, informative, and seamless.

Ready to write a book series?

There’s a lot to consider when writing a series, but it’s also an incredibly rewarding experience. Series give readers more of what they love and give you the space to explore characters, relationships, and worldbuilding in depth.

With the tips above, you’ll be better equipped to plan, write, and maintain a book series that keeps readers turning pages and returning for the next book!