Series vs. Standalone: Why I Decided to Write a Mystery Series
When deciding whether my initial mystery would be a standalone novel, or if it would start a mystery series I had to weigh both possibilities. A standalone offers a single complete story, a single mystery and a single conclusion. All elements of the story are contained in the one book. On the other hand, a series requires developing a larger world that readers can revisit. This includes developing a main character who can evolve, struggle and change over multiple investigations.
As a beginning writer, I am entering this process without having all the answers. However, the longer I am working with Detective Inspector Rena Hunt, the more I believe that a mystery series is going to be the best option for us.
What Makes a Series Appealing to Me
While I love reading mysteries, I enjoy even more returning to familiar detectives. There is an element of familiarity with detectives when we see them again and again. We know their routine, their habits, their weaknesses and their teams and how they handle an investigation. While the victims and suspects may vary and the location may change, we have the detective to hang onto.
This is where I fell in love with writing the DI Rena Hunt series.
Rena is not just going to solve one crime and then disappear. Rena has a past; she has physical and emotional scars. Rena has people in her life, friends, family and colleagues. And she has her own definition of justice. Writing a series allows me to share these aspects of Rena's personality over time rather than revealing them all at once.
The Challenges of Developing Characters Across Multiple Books
There are many challenges that come with writing a series. One of those major challenges is knowing when to reveal information and when to withhold it.
With a standalone, you can allow your characters to experience a full range of emotions throughout the length of one book. However, with a series, you need to leave your characters with questions about themselves after each book. Therefore, Rena will need to grow as a person and professional, however, not too fast so that there are no remaining areas for development. At the end of each book, you want readers to want to read the next book to learn more about Rena.
How Much to Reveal About Your Characters
Another thing I'm still figuring out is that every book should have its own solid mystery for the reader. The reader should be able to pick up any DI Rena Hunt novel and be drawn into that specific case.
However, the series itself needs to carry through with ongoing emotional themes from one book to another. These include Rena's relationships, her personal history, her interactions with her team, and her internal struggles, etc.
Finding this balance is often difficult. If you put too much focus on the individual case, you run the risk of making your detective seem two dimensional. Conversely, putting too much emphasis on your detective can lead to losing momentum in the mystery. As such, finding this balance is challenging and something I'm continuing to learn about.
The Rewards of Creating a Continuing Story
One of the greatest rewards of writing a series is being able to return to the same world. Every additional book adds depth to the setting. Every additional book continues to define and add clarity to team dynamics. Every additional book makes the detective more recognizable.
To me, Rena Hunt seems like someone I can continue to find out more about. I know some things about her now, however, I don't know everything about her yet. That is exciting. Not only will I be providing a mystery series for readers to enjoy, but I will also be discovering it as an author.If you love crime fiction where every.
If you love crime fiction where every suspect has something to hide, discover Open to Death, book one in the DI Rena Hunt series.
