The Writer Within: Writing a Serial Novel

Is it Friday already? Goodness! That's exciting.

Today, I wanted to talk about my (albeit brief) experience writing my first-ever serial novel, Axis of the Soul. I have to say, so far, I love it. Writing a part a week has proven almost cathartic, since it offers me something to do in my spare time and a break from some of the denser manuscripts I'm working on.

I'll be the first to admit that I had no idea what I was doing going into this. All I knew was that I had a story I wanted to tell and a character who I thoroughly enjoy writing about in the Frendyl Krune series. Kel, who's Frendyl's second cousin, is probably my favorite character to write in that series, simply because she says whatever she wants and does as she pleases. Are there consequences to that? Oh yeah. Of course there are, but it's still refreshing to have someone who says the things others might not want to here, someone who's open and honest and true to herself.

In Axis of the Soul, Kel has mellowed a little, mostly due to age and experience in life, and also in part because of her occupation. While Navyni became a high lord and Frendyl is on his way to becoming one of the youngest and most well-respected knights in the Amüli Kingdom, Kel applied her knowledge and skills toward becoming an assassin for the Order of Kravaldin. She's one of the best, though it's interesting to see how she does her job first-hand.

Part I was truly enjoyable to write, as it introduces readers (and myself) to a part of the amüli world beyond the kingdom and Isle of Forfeited Souls where most of the Frendyl Krune series takes place. Kel's journey takes her far beyond the lands she traveled as a child and brings her to the Empire of the Blue Sands, which I discussed in a previous blog post. Here, she not only encounters numerous peoples and cultures she doesn't quite understand, but others who seek to stop her at any cost.

While not every chapter will be high-octane, they are all exciting and pieces of a much larger story that, in the end, will do more than leave readers satisfied. As a writer who often plans as she goes, this is an interesting take on my method. I've put more planning into this story than most of my others, because I realize that I can't easily go back and make changes to the tale.

Overall, I'm excited to try something fresh and new, and hope you'll enjoy reading Kel's story.

What are your plans for this weekend? Share in the comments below!