Today Zoe Archer is here to tell us how to write a back-to-back series. The fourth book in her Blades of the Rose
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How to Write A Back-To-Back Series:A primer in madnessBy Zoë Archer
Step one: Write a book (in my case, WARRIOR
) that could possibly be spun out into a series. Agent submits book to sundry editors. When one editor falls in love with the book and asks if this could be a series, emphatically say yes. Tell her you envision it as a four-book series. THE BLADES OF THE ROSE
Step two: When editor expresses interest in releasing the books back-to-back, giggle excitedly. Pinch yourself, because this moment has been a very long time coming. When editor asks if you can write a full-length 100,000 word novel in four months, boldly declare that you can. Sign the contract. Celebrate with chocolate.
Step three: Realize that you have just committed to writing at least 300,000 words in the span of a year. Wonder if you will have to be committed by the end of the year. Shake off doubt and misgivings. This is what you want, what other authors dream about.
Step four: Write.
Step five: Write.
Step six: Keep writing. Are you still writing? Good. Write on weekends. Write at night. Write, write, write. Become addicted to caffeine for the first time in your life.
Step seven: Forget that you ever communicated with three dimensional people (except your husband and your cats). Write. Finish book, in my case, SCOUNDREL
.
Step eight: Repeat steps four through seven two more times. (REBEL
, STRANGER
).
Step nine: Turns out that, for scheduling purposes, your back-to-back series will be released a little later than initially thought. Accept this calmly and rationally even though your social and hygiene skills vastly deteriorated over the course of writing three books (the last one clocking in at 120,000 words) in a single year.
Step ten: Wait.
Step eleven: More waiting.
Step twelve: Try to prevent a nervous breakdown whilst waiting for your reason for being to be released. Write a sci-fi romance as a means of productively using the time (COLLISION COURSE, Carina Press, April 2011).
Step thirteen: Realize you actually only have a few months until the back-to-back series comes out and you’d better get with the promotion ASAP. Send charming emails to bloggers hither and yon asking if they’d like review copies of your books, and charmingly ask if you can guest blog. Be delighted when bloggers accept your offers.
Step fourteen: Realize that you now have four solid months of blogging and promotion to do, and all in the middle of writing a new book with a new deadline (the forthcoming HELLRAISERS series, Zebra, December 2011). Contemplate substance abuse.
Step fifteen: Blog your little heart out. Blog until you can blog no more. Embrace social media to the point where your spouse has to drag you away from your computer just so you’ll brush your teeth (on account of the deteriorating hygiene skills). Make many, many trips to the post office to mail off prize copies of your books. Become friendly with postal employees, to the point where they think you’re being a little too friendly.
Step sixteen: Look up and realize that all four books are now out. Your dream has come true.
Step seventeen: For the love of God, take a shower.
Zoe has offered a full set of the series to one lucky reader. How do you feel about series that come out back-to-back? Do you like that better than waiting, or do you prefer it to be spread out? Leave a comment here answering the questions and you’ll be entered to win. Contest ends Friday 12/17 @ 11:59pm.
The series:
Love it! Good preparation as I’m writing my first series. Not back to back, but seems, uh, fast to me! Thanks for preparing me for what to expect.
I love it when a series is released back to back. 🙂 Less time for me to wait. LOL
Michelle
kweenmg at yahoo dot com
I love it when a series is released back to back. It’s probably more stressful for the author, but as a reader, I hate having to wait between books.
So, it’s like one of those Twilight Zone episodes where at first it seems like a dream come true, but then it turns out the guy in the suit was actually the devil, and you’re stuck in some alternate dimension, and then the same day keeps repeating, but you were smart enough to save one wish in the bottle, and it all ends happily in the end?
Yay! Sign me up! To enjoy the fruits of such a labor, not to actually write a back-to-back series. Kudos on an amazing job!
I love when series are released back to back, the only bad thing is I feel slightly stockerish following Zoe for the past 4 months.
Hi Zoe 🙂
Wow – you’re amazing!
This post was funny plus poignant.
I enjoy series coming out one-after-another. Like Tessa Dare. Like yourself. I hadn’t really thought of the prodigious amount of effort that entailed on the part of the author.
All I can say is “Thank you”.
Love & Best Wishes,
Rob
OMG, I relate to this post so much that I almost cried. But in a good way. My hat is off to you!!!
As one of those mad readers who can ONLY read a series once they’ve all been released, for the love of G-d and all that is holy, please, please, please release them back to back!
I’d rather allow the author time to write them all and then release at once even if it means waiting two years for all than to have to wait two years or more to collect them all to read.
When they’re released too far apart, I’m no longer invested in the characters the way I once was.
I had never heard of a 4-book back-to-back release till yours. Reading through the specifics, no wonder you went a little crazy!
Great job, though! I hope you regained your sanity.
I definitely don’t dislike series coming out back to back. Less waiting means no pain if there are any cliff hangers. But I really like when there is a happy medium between back to back and a wait- some where between a few months but less than a year? Just enough for the suspense to build 🙂
the[dot]distant[dot]light[at]gmail[dot]com
I love it when a series comes out back to back. Sometimes the wait for the next installment is just to much and there are so many other books out there to grab your attention in the mean time. annhonATaolDOTcom
I love back-to-back series. I have pretty much zero patience, especially when waiting on things I enjoy, so I want my gratification to be as instant as possible. Although seeing how much work it is now, I am, and will be, much more appreciative. Thank you, Zoe! And all you other back-to-back authors, too! You’re aces!
~Coley
ntelhiard (at) gmail.com
I’m guessing that lovely and poised photo of you is from the ‘before’ file, isn’t it?
I like back-to-back because I can get my reading groove on, but I do like the other pacing too, so I have something to look forward to.
Just sent a copy of WARRIOR out for a Christmas present. Husband almost kept it for his.
I prefer a series that comes out back-to-back even though it gives me a less plausible excuse for not having started to read the first book by the time the last book has come out.
I was just waiting until I had all of them in my greedy little hands before beginning….
Seriously….
Why do you doubt me?
love, love, LOVE back-to-back series. Although, I do feel for the author putting one out.
I love back to back series! I’m a really impatient person so this works best for me.
I love it when a series is released so close together. It really keeps the interest and focus up. Even us old gals can remember details from month to month! But I don’t expect many of the series I read to be released that way. Zoe’s column not-withstanding, I strongly suspect authors have lives that preclude the kind of insanity frequent back-to-back releases would present. Enjoyed the column! Thanks. (Email in profile)
I don’t want to wait two years for the next book, but I like a little breather between books. But yes, back to back is better than waiting.
You’re on a roll, Zoe!
It’s definitely better when a really good series comes out fast…cos you just don’t want to wait so long for the next book.
I’m following a high fantasy series and I’ve been waiting nearly three years for the next book. I’ll have to reread the one before to refresh my memory about what’s been going on…sigh!!!
Valerie
in Germany
Back to back makes it harder one way, but in the end it is the best way cos I hate waiting. I truly do, it drives me insane.
I love when an author releases a series back-to-back. I don’t like to have to wait for the next book, so this is wonderful to me. I’ve seen where an author releases the first four of a series, then after they do well, they begin releasing more books every 6 months to a year. By then I’m hooked and don’t have any choice but to eagerly wait for the next book, so it works out well for them. I hope you get to do that as well Zoe. It would be awesome to see more Blades of the Rose books in the future.
Barbed1951(at)aol(dot)com
honestly, I don’t know which way I prefer – I mean it’s great to read books back to back, but sometimes waiting for a book is fantastic too…you can dream about it and imagine what could happen… no, I can’t decide *g*
would love to read Zoes books – I’ve heard fantastic things about Warrior and it’s on my wishlist for quite a time…
greetings, Ina
I actually like both ways. Sometimes it might suck to wait say a year but at the same time i love the suspense and being able to look forward to it.
thanks for the contest, been meaning to pick up this series! 😀
van
Littopandaxpress(at)yahoo(dot)com
I love a series that comes out back to back!
I think especially if the books are very intertwined, back-to-back series are the way to go! I’ve heard a lot about Zoe Archer and would love to try her books 🙂
I usually like when they come out back to back because I don’t have to wait a long period of time to read the next story. Also, my memory is terrible so when I have to wait many months I forget what was happening.
I like when series come out back to back so that I can go from one to the next when the story is fresh in my mind! Especially if it is a great series…I have no patience in waiting! 🙂
Thanks for all the comments, everyone. Glad to know my madness and poor hygiene were not in vain.
I really like it when a series comes out back to back, especially when I love the series.
Holy Crap Woman, ARE YOU INSANE??? Insanely talented and determined, yes? Congrats on all your releases. You are an inspiration.
I love it when a series is released back to back. I don’t have to wait if there’s a cliffhanger and I don’t have to reacquaint myself with the characters and world the author has built.
I definitely prefer a series released back to back. It would definitely save me some sleepless nights thinking of various possiblities for my favorite characters 🙂
Since I have no patience, I like when the books come out back-to-back. It’s easier to remember previous characters the closer the books come out.
joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com
LOL I loved the post Zoe. What an amazing feat you accomplished in the close time span – and then heading torward the cycle again with the new series for Dec 2011. I really enjoyed Warrior and looking forward to the rest of them. Also, looking forward to reading more about your Hellraisers series.
I personally do love back-to-back series and being able to keep reading right through. If it is one I am enjoying though, I’ll manage the wait for those that are spread out more.
Pam S
Zoe, you’re such a kidder.(har,har) We know Step 17 wasn’t take a bath. It was splash on some eau de toilette and keep those fingers on the keyboard. How else can you have a new series coming out December 2011?
I love reading series books back-to-back. Keep it going girl! 🙂
Wow! Amazing achievement. And I have to say, everybody’s been talking about the Warrior series, so I guess your editor knew what she was doing.
Personally, when I really, really love a series, I don’t mind waiting–in fact, it can be a thrill (like with the Harry Potter series).
I’m looking forward to reading Warrior!
Love series that come out back-to-back! No waiting? Yes, please! 🙂
Good preparation. I love a series that comes out back to back. you don’t have to wait for months for the answers you are dying to know about. This series is on my to be read list and honestly I am so excited to read it!! I have heard nothing but great things about this series!! Way to go Zoe!!
Most definitely I prefer back-to-back, it’s just better for momentum. Sometimes the wait between books is close to a year… which I find crazy.
I enjoy series that go back to back. I tend to forget books if there is too long of a break in between then I have to read the prior book again before moving on to the next in the series. And there’s not enough hours in my life to keep doing that. LOL!
I prefer back to back release of a series. That way the reader don’t forget about the series. On average, it takes me two days to read a book. No matter how much I like a book, by the time the sequel comes around, I may have forgotten the previous one anyway (leading to questions like who are these people? why are they there?). This is exacerbated if the release dates are further apart (still shaking a fist at Bruce Coville for his nine-year lapse for a children’s series).
But I do feel for you poor writers who have to give up showers and such to keep readers like me happy. THANK YOU!!
ironss[at]gmail.com
I like back-to back books. Yet when it’s over, there can be a long wait for the author’s next book or series.
I love the back to back series – I hate waiting for books to come out! What I don’t love is when the last book in the series is a Hardback and the previous ones have been paperback so you have to wait a year for the paperback ($$ and matching collection) or pay extra to read the book early. Fortunately that’s not the case here!
I love series that come out back to back because I don’t like waiting for new books by my favorite authors. It’s always more exciting when authors I like release books in consecutive months.
abbydillon16@yahoo.com
I’m kind of spoiled becos by the time I got on the Twilight and Harry Potter train the last book was out so I read them back to back and really felt for those that had to wait for the author to write the next one.
That being said kudos to Zoe for writing them back to back cos that can’t have been easy – altho’ she makes it look so.
I love back-to-back series’! IT saves me from waitíng. But it can also make a reader quite greedy ;-)! Wanting more and more in short time!
Since I am an extremely impatient person, I prefer to having a series come out back to back.
Robyn
I love back to back releases!! It’s so hard waiting on a new release that’s a year or more away. In between that time I read a ton of books so the characters and story I am waiting to continue get’s lost in the shuffle and sometimes find myself not as into the series because I am overwhelmed with all my other books or frustrated because I feel like I’ve lost some info and may need to find time to re-read some of the other books before I can pick up the new one. I don’t mind releases between a month to six months, but a year or so away makes me anxious. I really don’t have patience 🙂
june111@att.net
i love to read back to back series, it’s easier for me to remember the story before the next book that i read.
uniquas at ymail dot com