If you have ever been curious on how to create a series bible for your fiction series, I hope today’s blogpost will answer some questions for you.

We’ll dive into what is a series bible and tips on how to create a series bible for your fiction series in today’s video and article below.

Listen to the video or scroll down to keep reading below…

Tips on How To Create A Series Bible

Let’s dig deeper into some tips on how you can create a series bible for your fiction series.

1.What is a Series Bible?

If you’re writing a series of fiction books, you will want some sort of way to keep track of the details in your stories.

This could be a notebook, some post-it notes, or google docs, etc.

You just need some place where you keep all the information for your novel — so you don’t forget important details.

This is especially true, if you are writing a longer and more complex series with more than one character — at that point it will be important to have a series bible to help you keep track of the many details involved in your story.

Side Note: A mistake I made as I recently wrote Book One in my women’s fiction clean romance was to not keep track of one of the side character’s names. What happened, was at the start of the book I named her Sally and then by the middle of the book her name was Sarah… oy ;(  Anyways, so this has been a real-life learning experience for me as well.

One of the reasons it’s important to write down details of characters and setting in your series bible, is because it’s important for readers — that your story world stay’s the same. For example, if your character’s hair color is brown at the start of book one and then that same character’s hair is blond in book two, there might be some readers who will write you an email to let you know.

I’ve learned the hard way, that it’s much easier to create a series bible at the beginning of your fiction series, instead of waiting until you are already writing book two or three.

So, let’s move on to talk about some tips on how to create a series bible.

 

2.How to Create A Series Bible.

The important thing about creating a series bible for your fiction series, is that this needs to be easy to search– for you. It needs to be a way of keeping track of your book details that will be useful and helpful to you.

Because writers are each unique, how you create your series bible, will look different for you than it would be another author.

I tend to use a notebook for all the details for my series.

It can be helpful if you use a paper notebook(or binder) that you add tabs as a way to organize. On each tab, you could write each important character’s name, then add one or more or the locations or settings in your series. Doing this will make it easier to search for the details you’re looking for in your series.

If you choose to use a digital format to create your series bible, make sure the system you use is searchable in some way.

Make sure it’s easy to access.

Careful you don’t lose it.

Easy to carry around and can grab it and go.

There are a lot more different methods.

Notebook or binder system.

Decide what your organization system is going to be.

I have also started using Notion… which is an online tool to help organize your projects. You can get started for FREE HERE.

It’s helpful if you can create a folder — and then have a page dedicated to each character in your story.

Appearance
Backstory
Relationships
Family names
Places in this world

Beta Readers can search your documents to double check that your character information is consistent.

Evernote — can be used in a similar way.Anywhere you can store information — you can use for a series bible.

 

3.Tips on What to Track in Your Series Bible.

Here are some ideas on what might be helpful to track in your series bible.

The facts in your world.

It is helpful to track every recurring character in your book — main characters/ side characters.

Hair color / eye color / height / accents /

Appearance — what’s unique?

Commonly used phrases — how they talk / common phrases.

Or something other characters have to say about this character.

Relationships that your characters have with other characters.

What are their skills?

Brainstorm and write down their backstory.

Their personality — bubbly or outgoing; quiet / analytical.

 

Write out book Summaries

Create a template for each book in your series/ story world.

Include a full summary of the book.

Main story arc; subplots; story threads; character arcs; villains; the relationship to the overall series arc; word count of each book

A separate page for each major story thread; subplot and for overall series arc progression.

Setting

Track recurring locations and settings; this can be as broad as section for the “world” itself down to as detailed and specific as the bathroom in the restaurant on the corner.

Anything that will come up multiple times in your story should be noted, including description, identifying terrain or landmarks.
The culture of a place, commonly seen weather, businesses or buildings and more.

If you mention the trim color on the heroine’s house — put it in your series Bible.

You can also include maps. Floor plan of house.

 

Culture and Government

Culture — culture in the town — different than the culture in a city.

For example: Divergent by Veronica Roth — how the world works; the ruling government; the culture of each district, etc.

Track any ruling or mysterious organizations, rules or laws in your world, the culture of any faction or place and the attitude of the ruling government — if it’s important to your story world.

 

Fantasy system and/or Technology — science fiction

What are the rules for your world?

Who has access to it?

How does it work?

What are the consequences to using it?

Are there flaws or dangers that are unknown to some? Anything you write into your story world about the magic system, technology or other paranormal or speculative element that will affect future books should be included here.

Think about writing down any tools you used; important books or ways of gaining knowledge.

What types of weapons are used? For example: star wars and the light saber.

Objects or jewellry that are important:

Does your main character wear a necklace that is significant in some way?

Are there other objects like cars; boxes; books; or kitchen table that’s considered important to the story?

Give these items their own quick note or page — so you can reference them….
Could add a picture of the object — if it’s important.

Timelines

Timeline of each book

Main character’s backstory — when the characters’ meet each other for the first time.

Villain — how they first met the hero and their backstory.

Glossary and text guide:

Write down how you style the text of your story. This can include use of capitalization; italics, the way names of corporations are written, how a town is spelled, the way dreams or text messages are indicated.

Phrases for different characters

You want your series to be as consistent as possible.

 

Some other Ideas that might be helpful:

 

1. Ask yourself what are you personal priorities?

Every story or series doesn’t need an extensive or detailed series bible. Maybe all you need is a simple Word doc with list of characters and few details about the setting.

Do you want to add images? Think about what will be the most helpful for you.Some series, will need very detailed notes on the world; rules; and magic systems; but creating your series bible can be a balancing act. Determine your personal needs and priorities before you begin, so that you can match the right system and software to your needs.

2.Create Templates for this you always mention in your series.

It’ll save you time and help keep things consistent if you use templates for how you’ll keep notes on each important object.

Templates can be used for details like: characters; settings; and each time you add a new character to your series bible — add another template.

 

3.Get a good idea of how you’ll layout your organization method and be consistent.

Take a few minutes to decide what you’ll track and how detailed you want to get.
Decide when you’ll write down new information; where you’ll keep your series bible (google doc; word; scrivener; Evernote, etc.)

Your overall rules and method for creating your series bible.
It can help to understand how you want to track things ahead of time — because then it’ll make it easy for you later — when you’re ready to add new information.

4.You can also create a color code for each book.

For example book 1 is Green; Book 2 is Blue; Book 3 is yellow; Book 4 is purple; etc.

That way when you enter information for book 4 — the information will be written in purple and you’ll know at a glance that this information is specifically referring to Book 4.

BE sure to create a key for your system and post it somewhere at the start of your series bible — so you can glance at it quickly and be reminded where everything is in your series bible.

5.When you finish each book, update your your series bible.

When you jot down all changes you made to characters/setting/rules of the world, etc., after you finish writing each book — it will make it so much easier for you later on.

Because when you get to writing book 3, you’ll be able to look back in your series bible — to see what was published in book 1 and 2 of your series.

Sample of a Character Template:

NAME:

Eye color
Hair color
Height
Date of birth/age
Personal style
Identifying marks
Parents
Other family ties
Culture
Common phrases & gestures

People often say they are
First appears in book
Special skills; abilities or knowledge
Early life –> Wound or Ghost

This character is passionate about:

Create a template that fits your needs and genre.

Think about what information you may need to think about down the road as you are writing the next book in the series. 
What might play a role in how this character interacts with other characters or the story world in general.

Create a similar template for any other information you will track — places; businesses; objects; skills, etc.

The work you put into this — will pay for itself in the long run — because your story will stay consistent throughout your series.

Once you get ready to write the next book in your series, read through the summaries of the characters and the setting you wrote about in the first book in the series.

I hope some of these ideas have been helpful for you as you begin to plan your fiction series.

Question For You: What do you find most helpful in your process as you plan your fiction series?

I would love to read your answers below! 🙂

Happy Writing!