The Challenge of Writing Five Overlapping Books

This was written several years ago, but I thought it might help those writing a series, especially one that overlaps.

When I first began writing The Circle of Friends, I did not envision a five-book series. However, halfway through the first book, I realized that several of the secondary characters possessed stories that begged to be told. I created outlines for four more books, and at that point, realized I’d set myself up for quite a challenge.

The five books in the series overlap while also moving forward in time. With the exception of the final book, each begins during a point in the previous story. It was imperative that I maintain consistency with the characters and ensure that the overlapping scenes were similar in detail. The perfectionist in me wouldn’t tolerate such mistakes, and I knew readers would notice lapses in continuity.

Since the main characters appear across multiple books, I needed to stay consistent with their personalities. To do this, I created a detailed profile for each one. I recorded their personality traits, background information, strengths & weaknesses, family, and friends. I even noted material possessions such as vehicles. It would not do for the Mitsubishi to suddenly turn into a Toyota in a later book.

I then took all five outlines and merged them into one master timeline. This was divided into years and months, covering the entire eight-year span of the series. Major events in each character’s life were recorded in the appropriate location, and I even went beyond the boundaries of the actual books, giving each person an in depth past and/or future. This provided me with a quick, at-a-glance outline that covered all ten main characters. Even if I was working on just one character’s story, I always knew what the others were doing should they be required to enter the storyline. This alone probably prevented the most mistakes.

Since the ten main characters are friends, there were several interesting crossover situations. I found myself constantly referring back to an earlier book when a scene was repeated later in the series. Dialogue was the easiest, as I could simply lift and insert, but it still required adjustments. To keep it fresh, I focused on the new character’s perspective, expanding or shortening the exchanges as needed. I did not want perceived continuity errors pulling readers out of the story, nor did I want them to grow bored with a familiar scene. Talk about a fine line!

My greatest challenge came from a scene repeated in three books. The main characters from each book were all present and it was a pivotal moment for everyone. In fact, the stakes escalated with each book! Book III carried the greatest consequences for the main characters. However, I discovered that switching the point of view with each story provided a unique opportunity to view the same scene from a new perspective. Each character responded differently to the situation, especially in terms of their feelings. Even on my third run through this scene in Book III, I was able to retain the tension, and the intense, emotional response of the main characters really carried the scene.

Five overlapping stories were difficult to write, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching things unfold from another viewpoint. Characters who were offstage during a portion of an earlier book were suddenly thrust into the spotlight for their story. Those readers disappointed when one book comes to an end will be delighted when that character reappears in later books. Considering the stories move forward in time, readers will also discover what happens next in their favorite character’s life. Of course, once they reach Book V, the storyline ends and The Circle of Friends comes to a close.

Or does it…?

Only time will tell if I’m up for that challenge!