Thanks for inviting me to discuss my trilogy: Murder, Madness & Love, Memories of Murder, and Murder & Obsession, a romantic suspense/thriller with a little horror added for good measure.
Murder, Madness & Love was my first book, so I stuck to the advice all writers understand. Write what you know, and write what you want to read. While I’ve never murdered anyone, I’ve always loved a mystery, a great love story, and a good scare.
I’d always planned a series, and after I’d finished the first book, Murder, Madness & Love, I immediately submitted the manuscript to a publisher. She suggested a trilogy. When you’re on the phone with someone who’s impressed with your work, you just automatically say yes.
To me, a trilogy meant three books linked by one story or plot. For other authors, it’s been a war, a space adventure, or simply the journey of a single character. I decided to use the detective’s love interest to tie these three murder mysteries together. From the reader’s responses, I achieved my goal.
If you’re considering creating a trilogy, here are a few points to ponder.
Before you decide to write a trilogy:
- Make sure each book can stand-alone with a beginning, middle, and an end. Don’t leave issues unresolved (cliffhangers). If you cheat your readers, they won’t come back for book two.
- Know the story you want to tell and how you’ll tie all three books together.
- Commitment is essential. Love your characters; you’re going to be spending a lot of time with them.
The advantages of writing a trilogy:
- Being able to tell an agent or publisher that you have a trilogy lets them know how serious you are about your writing. It will help with your ‘one book wonder’ fear, or am I the only one who suffers from such doubts?
- Setting: while it may be perfect for that first book, you have to go where the story takes you.
- The characters get a chance to grow, especially the secondary characters. Readers, who are attached to the characters, appreciate this the most.
- Opportunities for more books based on secondary characters. Many authors use the standout to continue the story or start a new series.
While I enjoyed writing a trilogy, there are always two sides of a coin.
The cons of writing a trilogy:
- The amount of time it takes.
- Ensuring character features, names, and events stay static.
1. To avoid this issue, keep notes on characters, timelines, and plot issues in a separate file.
2. Even if you’re a pantser this is where an outline is priceless.
3. Reread your previous book to keep your memory fresh. - Keeping important plot details flowing from one book to the other to tie the entire story together. These clues will make your readers go ‘ah ha’ when they reach the conclusion.
- Dealing with characters who have a mind of their own or a setting that loses its luster. If you get bored with your story, so will your readers.
I’d also recommend that you have the synopsis, tagline, and blurb for all three books prepared when you present that first book to an agent or publisher. They’ll ask for them, and you don’t want to have to scramble.
While it’s not necessary to have all three books completed before submission, I advise it. This is the one thing about my process I’d change, mainly to synchronize the release dates.
I enjoyed writing Murder, Madness & Love, Memories of Murder, and Murder & Obsession. I still love my characters and the Alaskan setting, and am now working on a prequel called The Snowman, it’s Quaid’s first case as a Detective, and a 4th Detective Quaid novel called Dark Motives, making my trilogy a series.
(FYI: a set of three books is also considered a series!)
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At one time adventure called to Yoland Renee, and she answered. She learned to sleep under the midnight sun of Alaska, survive in below zero temperatures, and she was privileged to hike both the Brooks and Alaska Mountain Ranges. Yolanda has traveled from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, and the memories are some of her most valued. The wonders, mysteries and incredible beauty that is Alaska has never left her and thus now influence her writing.
Despite Yolanda’s adventurous spirit, she achieved her educational goals and worked for too many years as an accountant. She is married and has two wonderful sons. Writing is now her focus, her newest adventure!
Learn more about Yolanda and her books at her blog, Defending the Pen. She can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Amazon.
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Thanks Yolanda for the trilogy tips. I have started a little bit of my trilogy, Writing a trilogy is a daunting process.
It is, I hope my tips help you accomplish your goal! Thanks Rachna!
My five book series followed a new character each time and I had an extensive timeline following all the main characters.
Hi, Diane, it is an important key to success when writing a series. I think your theme “A Circle of Friends” is perfect! Congratulations on your series!
It was lovely to read your post, Yolanda. We never want to make our readers feel cheated. All the best when you get back into it after your holiday!
Hey, Denise, thanks for stopping by. I know how busy your are getting your own beach getaway ready for permanent occupancy! So envious! 🙂
It’s an interesting conversation, cliffhangers – lots of differing opinions!
Great advice on writing a trilogy, Yolanda. I especially like the part about not having a cliffhanger ending in your books. It’s one thing to hint at something to come, but another if you leave everything up in the air and then for some reason there’s never another book.
Thoughts in Progress
Freelance Editing By Mason
Thanks, Mason, so true, that would really leave the readers burned!
Thank you! This is a great post with very good advice. I’m currently editing my final book in my first trilogy and wish I could have read your post when beginning. Luckily, I have another in the works and this is very helpful!
Congratulations on the completion of your trilogy, it’s quite the accomplishment! I’m not sure I’ll tackle another one, but never say never! 🙂
Patricia, thanks for the opportunity to discuss my books. I like the new look of your blog, very professional!
Thank you, Yolanda, and thanks for being my guest star today.
As a reader, I’m more likely to get interested in trilogies than long series these days. I think characters get stale and plots get overused when a series goes on too long. I’ve stopped reading so many of them after the first few books.
That makes sense, it’s like a TV show that’s lost it’s luster. I’ve stopped watching a few that I used to enjoy such as NCIS. That’s an important consideration!
This is really helpful and interesting advice/background about writing a trilogy. Thanks, both. I think a lot of publishers are doing trilogies these days, especially those who aren’t sure they want to buy into a longer series. So this is really useful.
Thanks, Margot: I think it’s also a good start for a novice who’s not sure they want to tackle a series, but the series can always come later, especially if the readers demand it.
Thank you, Donna. The same thing happened to me, I was really into the book but it ended with no resolution. I wanted to know what happened next but was so angry that I had to buy the next book to find out, I walked away from that author. A cliffhanger can be used to continue a book if done right, like a secondary plot line such as a war (as wars can go on for years) or a background mystery, (an enemy that makes a surprise appearance or the hints of such throughout the story), but the main plot has to have a conclusion. Otherwise it is a cheat for the reader.
Hi Yolanda,
Thanks for the advice on writing a trilogy. And thanks, Patricia, for hosting Yolanda.
Your advice on not leaving a cliffhanger reminded me of the time I was asked to review a book, which was not advertised as a trilogy. When I got to the end, the story was unresolved. As a reader it made me feel, as you put it “cheated.”
Congratulations and good luck on your trilogy. The titles and covers are intriguing.