Guest: 4 Tips For Writing Short Serialised Fiction by Tiffany Shand

Please join me in welcoming the wonderful Tiffany Shand to my blog to talk about serialised fiction.

4 Tips For Writing Short Serialised Fiction

by Tiffany Shand

Serialised fiction is usually made up of a series of parts of a novel or book series. They aren’t just short stories and are different from novels, they’re more like episodes like you see on TV. Charles Dicken famously released his novels in magazines, newspapers or instalments. So instead of releasing and writing a novel all at once it can be a good idea to release parts of your book in instalments.

1. Hook your readers

You need to hook your readers within the first couple chapters of your serial. These chapters set the scene for the storyline, the series and the characters.

2. Have a good outline

Having a good outline is essential when you’re writing serialised fiction. As the stories tend to be fairly short you need a decent outline to know what you’re going to write in each chapter. Serials aren’t really for pantsers or people who write on the fly.

3. Don’t have too many characters

Having a lot of characters in novels works fine, but it’s best to not have too many characters in serials. Stick to just one or two main characters and a couple of secondary characters. Having a lot of character doesn’t work well in short fiction.

4. Write a lot of action

If you release your stories in episodes, then you need to keep you readers coming back for more.

Serials tend to happen very quickly and aren’t drawn out so keep things interesting. It’s a good idea to have lots of action - this can be anything from solving a mystery, fighting or romance.

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About the Books

Amaranthine Chronicles

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Betrayed By Blood Blurb

In a city of lies and deception, only one thing stands between chaos and justice. For centuries, a band of outlaws called the Amaranthine has kept the peace in Ormere and hidden in plain sight whilst the Order of Sorcerers spreads their deadly magic among the city’s inhabitants.

After losing her fiancé in bust gone wrong, Amaranthine Agent Kaylan Avilion returns home to discover that Elijah didn’t die but instead was changed by the twisted guards of the Order, who seek to find a dangerous artefact tied to Kaylan’s past and the murder of her family. When her sister goes missing and a foe from their past remerges, Kaylan knows she must save Freya before she’s poisoned by the very people who took Elijah away from her. But how will Kaylan react when she learns Elijah’s secret and can they come together to stop the Order’s plan in time?

Blurb for Dark Revenge

Darkness is sweeping through the city of Ormere as unnatural creatures stalk through the streets. People are dying and time is running out as a new evil threatens to take control of everything. The Amaranthine Order has been decimated leaving only a few of its people left to fight the coming terror.

Stunned by her sister Freya’s betrayal and plot to take over the city, Kaylan must do everything she can to find out what Freya plans to do when she finds an infamous book linked to the murder of their family. A book considered so dangerous that the last High Lord erased its location from history, the Amaranthine Chronicles are said to contain the darkest of all magics.

Kaylan is happy to finally have her ex-fiancé, Elijah, back in her life but he’s not the man she once knew and loved. After being turned into a shapeshifter, Elijah struggles to control his inner beast and his lingering feelings for Kaylan.

Can Elijah and Kaylan come together to stop Freya and uncover the secrets of the book before it’s too late?

Blurb for The Final Battle

Darkness has claimed the city of Ormere and death has become a certainty for anyone stalking its empty streets. The government is in ruins and lawlessness ensues.

After their last encounter, Kaylan and Elijah barely managed to thwart her sister, Freya’s, latest attempts to find and use the elusive Amaranthine Chronicles. But in her desperation to receive ultimate power, Freya will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Even if it means destroying the last of her family. Kaylan and Elijah must work on their fragile relationship and put their personal feelings aside to find the book and stop Freya before it’s too late. But with their allies growing thin, and a gang of ruthless shapeshifters close on their trail, will they finally find the book and stop Freya before time runs out? And will Kaylan have to make the ultimate sacrifice to save her city and the man she loves?

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About the Author

Tiffany Shand was born in Essex, UK and started writing short stories when she was a child.

She has always done writing in one form or another and started writing novels in her early teens.

Tiffany loves to read books and discovered her love for fantasy and paranormal romance during this time.

She writes both non-fiction and fiction, and love helping writers to build their author platforms.

After doing a creative writing course in her early 20s, she is now a freelance writer and professional editor.

Tiffany lives in Essex with her two spoiled cats and one very nutty hamster.

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