Tricks to Rework Your Novel Into Trilogy · Author’s Enjoyable Zone

Tricks to Rework Your Novel Into Trilogy – How To Write the Future podcast, episode 155

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“Be right here, be now. Be along with your mission because it exists proper now.” — Beth Barany

On this episode of How To Write the Future podcast, host Beth Barany solutions a readers query on “Turning one novel right into a trilogy.” She shares recommendation on the way to begin the method all the way in which the way to take pleasure in your finalized, polished guide. Beth additionally dives into matters resembling overcoming imposter syndrome, world constructing, and the way to keep your writing momentum.

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Concerning the How To Write the Future podcast

The How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who wish to write constructive futures and efficiently deliver these tales out into {the marketplace}. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers. We cowl ideas for fiction writers. This podcast is for readers too if you happen to’re in any respect interested in the way forward for humanity.

This podcast is for you you probably have questions like:

– How do I create a plausible world for my science fiction story?

– How do I determine what’s not working if my story feels flat?

– How do I make my story extra attention-grabbing and alive?

This podcast is for readers too if you happen to’re in any respect interested in the way forward for humanity.

Transcript for Tricks to rework your novel right into a trilogy

[00:00] Introduction and Host Background

Hello everybody. Welcome again, or welcome to this podcast, How one can Write the Future. I’m your host, Beth Barany, and I’m an award-winning science fiction and fantasy novelist, in addition to writing instructor, creativity coach, podcaster, and filmmaker.

I run this podcast as a result of I imagine that with our creativity and our need and keenness to write down tales, we will remake the world. And my imaginative and prescient and my hope and my mission is to assist us revision how we wish to be, how we wish humanity to be. And my hope is that it’s for constructive, optimistic futures, not a simple job, and there are numerous nuts and bolts that go into writing a great novel, a great science fiction and fantasy novel.

[00:55] Listener Query: Turning a Huge Novel right into a Trilogy

And I acquired a query from one in all my purchasers, Hugh, and he requested me: How do I flip this large, I imply large, over 100 thousand phrase epic fantasy novel into three books.

In order that’s what we’ve been engaged on collectively and he introduced that query out for extra suggestions.

But in addition in case any one in all you is wrangling with this query: how do you flip a very big novel into three books or possibly extra?

So we got here up with a bunch of questions and I’m gonna undergo these right now and hopefully these will assist you in your mission as nicely.

[01:33] Contact and Help Info

Now I’m gonna simply say, you probably have any questions on this subject, you may contact me.

And the way to do this is with the present notes, and the way to write the longer term.com.

You can attain out to me, write me a notice, ship me a voicemail. I’ve a factor arrange for that, and simply ask me a query. Or you may ask me a query on the socials tagging my title, and attain out. Ask me your query.

And likewise, simply so you realize, I’ve been operating this podcast for almost three years as I document this. That is Might thirteenth, 2025. And I do that as a result of I care very a lot about this subject. I’m a writing instructor and a inventive, and I wish to share my knowledge and information with you. When you like what I do, please like, subscribe, all of the issues, go away a evaluate.

And I welcome donations. I’ve a tip jar. You’ll see the hyperlink for that within the present notes as nicely. When you wanna assist us, that’s positively one other manner you are able to do that. And actually the best factor that you possibly can do to assist us is like and subscribe. That’s actually stunning. All proper, and thanks to your assist.

So let’s get on with the present.

[02:38] Beginning the Course of: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Immediately we’re gonna discuss, as I stated, how can we flip one novel right into a trilogy, which is the most typical factor in science fiction and fantasy. Boy, can we love our collection. I do know I do. I like studying collection and I write collection. One thing that you just would possibly discover as you think about that is you might need numerous fears about shifting one guide into three books. And also you may be hit instantly with imposter syndrome.

So do you’re feeling such as you’re an imposter, if you happen to wanna transfer this one massive novel into three books?

Yeah, that may be one thing that you just face. And the way do you deal with that?

Considered one of my favourite authors, I’m fairly positive that she did this. And so there’s numerous methods which you can deal with breaking one massive novel into three elements. And the novelist I’m considering of is Elizabeth Moon, and it’s her Deed of Paksenarrion.

It’s an epic fantasy saga.

Once I learn that, I noticed there’s an choice about turning a giant novel into three novels if you happen to simply minimize it. I actually needed to have books two and three lined up in order that I might learn, simply learn the remainder of the story.

There was no ending on the ends of books one and two. It simply stopped.

I’m right here to let you know that if the prospect is so overwhelming, you suppose, how might I do that? And, oh, who am I to do that? You can simply chop the guide into three equal elements and publish it that manner. Why not? If that’s your ardour, I say go for it.

Now, if you happen to’re confronted with the concept of making three books which can be related and you must learn them so as, however you’re like, how am I gonna do this? There’s no manner I might do this. Who am I to have the ability to do this?

I simply wanna encourage you that sure, it’s a difficult job and it’s possible you’ll not know the way to do it, and the one technique to determine it out is to undergo it.

With any massive inventive endeavor– I can converse from firsthand expertise– I didn’t know the way to write a novel, after which I wrote a novel as a result of I did it. I didn’t do all of it in sooner or later. I solely did it step-by-step.

The truth is, that very first novel, I solely spent sooner or later every week on it. It did take me a very long time. It took me 5 years and I completed it.

All that to say, simply since you don’t know the way to fully clear up the issue, doesn’t imply you may’t begin proper now since you don’t even have to resolve all the issues. You solely want to resolve the subsequent drawback. No matter is subsequent for you, after which it is advisable clear up no matter reveals up subsequent after that.

So principally, imposter syndrome, I feel one of many causes it comes out is as a result of folks suppose they should have all of it found out earlier than they begin, however really most individuals don’t. I’ve but to fulfill anyone who’s figured all of it out earlier than they begin. One other technique to deal with imposter syndrome is to take heed to lots of people’s tales.

I really don’t know Elizabeth Moon’s story about how The Deed of Paksenarrion was simply chopped into three elements. It very nicely might have been a choice by her editor and writer. The truth is, I guess you that it was. That’s my guess. So collect tales, ask folks how they did it.

And, I are likely to plan my books separately, however I write in collection. However I additionally didn’t know that guide one, Henrietta the Dragon Slayer, which is for these watching on video, which is behind me. I didn’t know that once I completed E-book One which there can be a E-book Two. It took me a short time to determine that out. After which whereas I used to be writing E-book Two, I noticed your entire story that I needed to comprise within the second guide can be its personal factor. And I couldn’t really get to the remainder of the story. And so there clearly needed to be a 3rd guide. So I did create endings, for each.

Lemme see if I can simply, my desk is on wheels, see, and there’s guide three, the crimson cowl. So I’ve Henrietta the Dragon Slayer, Henrietta and the Dragon Stone. And Henrietta and the Battle of the Horse Mesa. However I didn’t conceive of all three directly. I actually did it separately.

So all that to say, let me transfer my desk once more.

All that to say that you just don’t need to have all of it found out whenever you begin. So I’d be actually curious to seek out out for individuals who would possibly really feel imposter syndrome, what’s under the floor. What are you evaluating your self to?

Imposter syndrome is usually about comparisons, and it’s actually not honest to match ourselves to anyone else. We don’t know their journey. We don’t understand how they acquired there. We don’t know the place they have been once they began versus the place we have been once we began. So it’s completely apples and oranges for my part.

And that is one thing that I’ve to, um, coach myself on repeatedly. Like evaluating myself to anyone else is absolutely not honest to me. So whenever you examine your self to anyone else, and even some good imaginative and prescient of the way you suppose you ought to be, that’s actually not honest as a result of it’s not considering who you actually are proper now.

So we wanna work along with your strengths and work with the place you might be proper now and take the subsequent step. That’s all it is advisable determine proper now–is the subsequent step, and ultimately you’re gonna get there.

All proper, in order that was with my teaching hat on for positive. And right here’s one other teaching associated query. It’s such a giant subject of turning one massive novel into three books, right into a trilogy.

[08:16] Sustaining Momentum and Avoiding Stress

Hugh requested: How do you keep momentum and keep away from feeling stress after the primary guide is completed? May you wish to end two or all of them after which publish over time?

In order that’s a very nice query and this reply will serve for anybody who’s engaged on a collection and possibly has deliberate and written them forward of time.

Do you launch them separately? Do you wait until every little thing is gorgeous earlier than you even attempt to publish?

So after all there’s numerous colleges of thought on this and it actually, for my part, actually, this actually depends upon your digestion. What are you able to abdomen? What are you able to deal with?

So for some folks, it is going to be very satisfying to undergo your entire course of of 1 guide and convey it to shine after which publish after which going again and doing it once more with the subsequent one and so forth and so forth.

When you’re a starting author, that may be one of the best ways to achieve momentum as a result of there’s such an incredible, unimaginable launch that occurs whenever you publish a guide and whenever you undergo that complete course of and there are such a lot of choices that it’s virtually higher to only get it out the door. Be taught all which you can, after which take that information that you just’ve discovered from that total means of sprucing and revising and making your guide stunning– stunning cowl and being actually pleased with it and letting it go in order that, you might have room to make all these new choices for the brand new guide and do this separately.

[09:47] Be Right here. Be Now.

Now, how do you keep momentum and keep away from feeling stress after the primary guide is revealed?

In order that type of comes again to my, one in all my core teachings, which is: Take a deep breath and be within the current time.

Be right here, be now. Be along with your mission because it exists proper now.

And it’s actually nice really, as soon as E-book One is completed, say you determined to publish E-book One after which you might have E-book Two and it feels daunting, ’trigger you then gotta climb that mountain once more of enhancing and revising and all the selections, to only actually digest all that you’ve got discovered and actually assist your self combine every little thing that you’ve got discovered so to take this new mission, which can really feel such as you’re on the backside of the mountain once more, however really you’ve already gone by means of this with one guide, and it is possible for you to to use classes discovered to this subsequent guide.

However don’t anticipate it to be good.

Actually, for some writers, they’re quick learners. They’re gonna combine actually quick, and the subsequent guide shall be a lot better than the primary guide.

Or possibly you gotta get three books underneath your belt or 5 books underneath your belt earlier than you’re feeling like you realize what you’re doing. Like me.

That’s the way it occurred for me, it took me a bunch of books to really feel like, oh, now I perceive the method. So actually don’t examine your self to me. Simply take what you realize, and draw a circle round your self and reside within your individual bubble about what it’s that you realize and that you are able to do.

And that’s all that issues. Actually evaluating your self to some imagined previous, current, or future model of your self shouldn’t be gonna be useful.

So that’s my important instructing: come again to your self and to your self within the current and work with what’s in your vitality area and in your understand how and in your information and expertise, and likewise the type of sources that you’ve got. The folks you realize which you can attain out to for assist and the entire wonderful sources that reside in web land, of which there are such a lot of.

[11:43] Why do this?

So one of many core questions on turning a novel right into a trilogy is why would you even wanna do this?

And it has quite a bit to do with bandwidth for you as an writer, if the story feels too formidable to edit, you would possibly wish to do that. If the story feels very unwieldy to market, you would possibly wanna develop it into three elements.

These are the 2 important explanation why you’ll wanna take an enormous novel and chop it into elements, right into a trilogy.

[12:11] Beth’s Suggestions

So what do I like to recommend?

I actually advocate that you just do what feels possible to you. I’ve revealed a novel that’s over 100 thousand phrases, and that’s guide three in my Henrietta the Dragon Slayer Trilogy.

For these watching at residence on video, I’m shifting my desk once more, so you may see The crimson cowl Henrietta and the Battle of the Horse Mesa.

And, I’ve a guide I’m engaged on proper now that’s 135,000 phrases, and am I gonna chop it into items? In all probability not, as a result of I can deal with it. I can deal with the bigness, I can deal with the tales.

Really simply contemplating this proper now, I might even put into the guide elements one, half two, half three, however I most likely received’t.

We’ll see. We’ll see what the beta readers suppose. We’ll see what the response is from my early readers, my critique companions. In the event that they’re like, oh my God, that is an excessive amount of, then I’d think about placing elements within the guide, however I’m really, I don’t wanna, publish it as a number of books. I don’t must.

My capability is I can do that. And, earlier on in my profession, the primary Henrietta was solely 260 pages, and the second Henrietta guide was 300 pages and clearly the third Henrietta guide’s 500 I imagine. In order my expertise grew, I used to be capable of write longer books, and really feel assured about releasing them and advertising and marketing them.

[13:40] Precedence

So actually what’s the precedence?

When you’re confronted with an enormous manuscript that you just don’t know the way to edit, however you wanna be enhancing, precedence is ask your self: do I wanna flip this into three books and work on each individually? Discover if that feels precedence, as a result of if you happen to’re caught and also you’re not shifting ahead, it may very well be as a result of the mission is just too massive, and that’s another excuse why to interrupt it into three elements.

[14:04] World Constructing and Consistency Throughout Books

How do you guarantee consistency throughout all three books?

What a terrific query. So, to reply this query, I’m gonna discuss world constructing, and retaining monitor of your story world.

So what does consistency imply?

When you imply all of the names of issues and your tradition and your world constructing and your character.

So to begin with, you wanna hold monitor of all of the story world components.

After which second, you wish to have some trusted critique companions or an editor or beta readers, or the entire above, that will help you keep constant.

One of many issues my critique companions will say is, oh, no. Janey wouldn’t do this, or Henrietta wouldn’t do this. They usually assist me keep trustworthy. As a result of your early readers, they’re gonna begin to take possession of your characters and assist you keep on the straight and slim of who these characters are. So it’s actually fantastic to have devoted beta readers who you domesticate over time. In order that’s one thing to consider as you begin constructing, as you begin on the point of share your work with others, is begin to put it on the market that you really want some devoted readers and beta readers who can provide you suggestions simply on the story itself. And critique companions ideally who can provide you suggestions on craft, otherwise you rent an editor, which is a value and an funding.

Otherwise you do some mixture of that. And they’ll all assist you keep constant as a result of it’s a lot. It’s a lot. I’m gonna share on the display now some photographs from my story world constructing file within Scrivener for, this one is for my Janey McCallister Area Station Thriller collection.

And you may see, I do numerous issues and I hold monitor of numerous issues, together with place names, character names, character traits, customs, logos, gosh, so many issues, the entire 9 yards. It’s additionally the place I brainstorm and the place I wrote my first draft.

[16:05] Growing Character Arcs in a Trilogy

So right here’s a very nice query. How do you develop character arcs that span three books?

It’s a very nice query. One thing to think about is your style, primary.

The expectation for epic fantasy is there’s going to be a giant change of character, massive transformation from the start to the tip of the three books, and meaning– the change could be radical additionally in every particular person guide.

Epic fantasy usually has the expectation of plenty of adjustments and plenty of transformations.

You possibly can think about: the place would you like the character to be by the tip? And are they gonna undergo some radical transformations by the tip of guide one after which possibly one other by the tip of guide two?

After which possibly on the finish of guide two, because it’s the midpoint between–it may be a giant turning level.

Consider, Empire Strikes Again, a really massive turning level on the finish of that film. In order that’s developed as a convention, and also you’ll see that in numerous storytelling sagas, the place two thirds or three quarters of the way in which by means of the saga, by means of the epic, they’ll be such a drastic change.

The reader’s like, I don’t understand how the principle character’s gonna come again from that. Don’t they should accomplish this massive objective? I actually don’t understand how they’re going to get there.

So that you finish guide two with that actually dramatic hook. In order that guide three is absolutely, the stakes have gotten even larger.

So that you wanna consider your character arc when it comes to transformation, but additionally as they modify, the stakes must get larger.

So each. They should develop to have the ability to meet the larger problem.

So that you would possibly wanna consider: what’s the massive change by the tip of E-book one, the place the reader’s like, wow, now what? Now that their life is totally accomplished, a 180, now what? After which they go on to guide two. And guide two is like wonderful and a lot transformation and alter and challenges.

And you then gotta finish with like a, oh no, you make us actually frightened to your character. They’re confronted with a very onerous selection. You can even go away it on a cliffhanger. Or they’ve accomplished one thing actually dramatic that you just’re like, how do they arrive again from that?

So that you see, what I’m going for shouldn’t be solely would you like your character to alter, particularly, in, in fantasy, however you additionally need it to be dramatically related up with the plot.

Now, not in each style or subgenre will you might have dramatic character arcs. Possibly your character simply will get older and wiser and makes some adjustments that mirror their maturity.

Possibly your character solely shifts a little bit bit and each few books do you might have a dramatic arc. And that’s extra what I’m doing with my Janey McCallister Area Station Thriller collection.

Like in numerous detective tales, she doesn’t change a complete lot from guide to guide, however over the span of the entire collection, she can have shifted. There’ll be some factors within the larger collection the place she has shifted. So I’ve a giant shift that’s gonna occur in E-book 5, and that I lead as much as, by the point you’ve learn all 4 books and, I’m not gonna let you know what it’s.

So one thing that I did is once I wrote each the Henrietta books and the Janey books, I didn’t actually know consciously what the character shift was within the first draft, however I made some choices within the revision part, however I didn’t know what the subsequent guide change arc can be till I acquired to these edits and wrote that guide.

So that you don’t really need to know all of it forward of time. I might say belief your instinct and spot the change doesn’t need to be linear. It may be up and it may be down like a change for the higher and a change for the worst. Or it may very well be a change professionally, it could zigzag, it might appear like actual life.

However what you would possibly wanna do is simply monitor the character change from the start of the guide to the tip of the guide, after which whenever you’re confronted with the subsequent guide: go, how do I make this totally different? How do I give it a brand new feeling in order that we’re not rehashing the identical adjustments? We now have some new adjustments.

What are the brand new adjustments that my character could be confronted with?

And you then simply do this one guide at a time. You don’t need to have the entire collection found out.

You possibly can have a tough thought, which is absolutely enjoyable, and which is what I had for Henrietta the Dragon Slayer. I knew by the point I had revealed E-book One, I knew that in some unspecified time in the future I didn’t know when but, she was gonna need to be this new function in life that was very totally different for her. However I didn’t understand how or once I was gonna get there, and that’s why I needed to write guide two earlier than I acquired to guide three.

[20:37] Frequent pitfalls to keep away from when increasing a trilogy

So what are widespread pitfalls to keep away from when increasing a trilogy?

I might say repetition, the place it feels such as you’re rehashing related dynamics between characters and character arc.

So that you wanna problem your self and also you wish to get assist too with editors and beta readers and the like, to be sure to’re doing one thing recent within the different guide and within the remaining guide.

In order that the story doesn’t really feel episodic, that means this occurred after which this occurred, then this occurred, which is quite common once we’re engaged on our early drafts.

And also you wanna say: how does this result in that and what are the implications?

So that you wanna just remember to arrange issues which have penalties after which there’s a payoff. And that’s one thing that I get numerous assist with, frankly, ’trigger I’m not tremendous plot centered.

So I get lots of people who assist me ensure that my plots have the setups and the payoffs.

Really, I’m excellent on the setups. I don’t at all times bear in mind to do the payoffs.

So be certain you’re checking for no matter problem you arrange in your tales, and hopefully it’s multifaceted, that you just wrap them up on the finish otherwise you very consciously don’t wrap them up on the finish and you allow the reader hanging, which is completely advantageous too.

[21:46] Different Pitfalls?

What are among the different pitfalls? yeah, I’m gonna go away it at that.

[21:52] Dealing with world constructing enlargement throughout three books

All proper. How do you deal with world constructing enlargement throughout three books?

Take plenty of notes. Have a map. Take plenty of notes, copious notes. Use one thing like Scrivener. Use a device that’s searchable. I do know there’s numerous instruments on the market that you should utilize that will help you hold monitor of your world constructing. I exploit Scrivener.

[22:10] Sustaining rigidity all through an extended story arc

What about sustaining rigidity all through an extended story arc?

Yeah. So that you wanna have a really massive objective that solely will get achieved by the tip of the trilogy, and it is advisable make that clear in some unspecified time in the future what that’s. And it is advisable remind the reader about that.

So by sustaining rigidity, the stress is: will they or received’t they receive the particular merchandise or conquer the massive baddie or get to this new location?

And to take care of rigidity, it is advisable create plausible, relatable obstacles by which the character actually has to wrestle by means of them. So it’s not simply performa. It’s not simply, oh, right here we’re on the bridge. We now have to cross a bridge.

No, make the bridge wobbly. Make the bridge that it would break, or make the bridge cursed, or, give their motion by means of the world and thru the story, actual battle with actual folks and actual obstacles.

And the way in which you keep rigidity is you improve the stakes at each step. You gotta make issues worse and worse and worse, and also you gotta make your character develop to fulfill every problem.

Now, all big caveats there. Which means you’re writing an epic fantasy for a Western viewers who’re anticipating this stuff. When you’re writing a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy that doesn’t have these expectations, that’s completely advantageous. No matter are the expectations in your sub-genre that hold the reader turning the web page, it’s both: what’s gonna occur subsequent? How is my expensive character gonna fare in opposition to these obstacles? How is it gonna work out between your important character and the relationships? How are they gonna deal with this drawback?

And so that you create a relatable character with relatable relationships in conditions, even outlandish conditions, however that their response to them is relatable.

[24:04] Finest practices for planning plot threads throughout a number of books

And lastly: What are some greatest practices for planning plot threads throughout a number of books? When you’re tremendous plot oriented, go forward and escape your writing device, Scrivener or another device, and simply take copious notes and write all of it down, so you might have a map of an overview of all of the plot threads, and you may even make a little bit map.

I’ve seen writers who do this.

My husband, who’s a author and who additionally writes within the science fiction fantasy realm, created a visible map of the world, but additionally created a linear map on Canva, and that was actually cool the place he put the totally different plot objects occurring.

So provide you with a visible that means that you can see your complete story. One other factor that you are able to do and one thing I do in Scrivener, and I’m gonna put it on the display right here — is I’ll hold monitor — as a result of I write homicide mysteries on area stations– I’ll hold monitor of the villain’s timeline. I’ll hold monitor of the sufferer’s timeline. I’ll hold monitor of my, of Janey, the investigator’s timeline, and if there’s some other timelines I must hold monitor of, I’ll do this as nicely. And so I create little paperwork for that. And I do this in revisions, which is how I determine numerous this stuff.

Or if you happen to’re very plot and description oriented forward of writing, do it. Do it earlier than you write.

[25:25] Conclusion and Ultimate Ideas

Alright, in order that’s it for this week, everybody, on the way to flip your one novel, your one big epic fantasy or sci-fi novel right into a trilogy or a number of books. I wanna thank my shopper, Hugh Tipping, for this query.

It’s a very nice one.

In case you are wrangling with this subject and you’ve got extra questions that I didn’t cowl right now, please let me know within the feedback part or e-mail me or DM me the place I’m on the market on the earth on all of the socials. You possibly can even go away me a voicemail, which might be superior.

Please like and subscribe wherever you get this podcast, whether or not it’s YouTube or any of the opposite channels. And likewise if you happen to like what you see right here, please think about donating at my tip jar, and the hyperlink shall be within the description.

That’s all for this week, everybody. Write lengthy and prosper.

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ABOUT BETH BARANY

Beth Barany teaches science fiction and fantasy novelists the way to write, edit, and publish their books as a coach, instructor, advisor, and developmental editor. She’s an award-winning fantasy and science fiction novelist and runs the podcast, “How To Write The Future.”

Be taught extra about Beth Barany at these websites:

Writer web site / Teaching web site / College of Fiction / Author’s Enjoyable Zone weblog