A great way to boost sales, gain recognition and reach a larger audience is developing a book series. A book series is not simply books by the same author, but rather several books within a sequence that builds upon the same themes, plots, ideas, messages or characters.
In non-fiction, the possibilities for a series are nearly limitless. A memoir can be expanded into different perspectives, moments in time or broadened into life lessons, workbook and self help. Similarly, self-help books can be turned into workbooks and journals or explored for different audiences or different perspectives.
In Fiction, there are typically two types of series. The first is a single story arc that spans multiple books (think Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones-Although it certainly doesn’t have to be fantasy!). The second type of book series follows the same characters through different story arcs. In the second type, story elements revolving around the character will cary over such as love interests, jobs etc, but they face a new conflict and potentially new settings each time.
Wether you are writing a fiction or non-fiction series there are many benefits in marketing. Of course, the type of series you write is dependent on the needs of your book. Regardless of which type you set your sights on, it is worth doing! I have even seen clients turn memoirs, inspirational books and self-help books into series.
So, what are the benefits of writing a book series? I am glad you asked!
Name Recognition-The more you publish, the more readers, agents and publishers know your name. It is important to develop a “brand” from your name. Check out the “Healing Powers of…” series. This is a great example of developing a brand through books.
Stay Relevant-When people go to Amazon looking for their next book, they type in the same keywords depending over and over again. If they want young adult romance, that is what they search. Or maybe it is uplifting memoir, sports memoir, dark fantasy and on and on. Typically, they only look through the first page or so of results. All of this is to say that where you rank matters, and put simply, the more books you are selling the higher your book will rank on the amazon search results. When you publish your first book, you may see an initial boost of sales, but without marketing, your sales will fall and therefore your rank will fall. Publishing multiple books will keep you and your books relevant in Amazon, Barnes and Noble and where ever your readers look for books. Authors like Patricia Briggs with her “Mercy Thompson” series publish a book a year to stay at the top of the best seller charts.
Boost Prior Sales-This benefit follows closely from staying relevant. When a new book in a series is published, it boost the ranking and sales of older books in the series.
Create a Loyal Fan Base-There are some authors that are automatic buys for me. When I have found an author that I like, I will automatically buy their latest books and given them a try without even reading a summary or reviews. I even follow them on social media to keep an eye on their latest books. The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer is just one of countless examples of series with a devoted following.
Spend More Time with Your Characters and Ideas-This is the most fun benefit as an author. You spend months or years planning, drafting, writing, and editing your book. The characters become nearly as real as your friends and family. Then it is time to hit publish and walk away from them. If you develop a series, you get to revise your characters over and over again. You get to put them in new situations and see how they organically grow and develop. The Southern Vampire (the books True Blood was based on) by Charlaine Harris series is a great example of this. Each book creates a new opportunity for more characters. This applies to non-fiction as well. Think of the “You are a Badass” by Jennifer Sincero series. With each book, the author explores her ideas in new ways and creates an opportunity to stay relevant with readers.
Need Help?
No need to go it alone! I offer ghostwriting and author coaching service to help authors write their books and develop their series. Reach out now!
Be sure to follow me on social media to build your writing community!