Become an Unstoppable Storyteller

How to Craft Compelling Serials (my book is out now!)

It is DONE! My book Become an Unstoppable Storyteller: How to Craft Compelling Serials, is out!

I plan on doing a deep dive into the epic saga that was the creation of this damn book, but for now I want to talk about why I wrote it, and how it can help authors (especially those of use doing subscriptions for our writing).

One of my superpowers is breaking down complex ideas into simple, clear concepts. It is why I was great at documentation writing in I.T., and why I’m so good at being a productivity coach for authors. I look at the big picture and see the structure underneath, then explain it in an easily digestible way.

Hey, I never said I was the life of the party! I just understand how the party happened.

When I originally created my Serial Beats Spreadsheet, it was simplistic and streamlined because it was just for me and a couple of friends. That is not what it is anymore, as I have edited it and added to it and remade it for general consumption.

But I realized early that there is a difference between providing people with data (a spreadsheet outlining the concepts) versus information (what those concepts are, how to use them, and why they can help you).

The spreadsheet is free to access and copy, and I don’t care who you share it with, or what changes you make to your personal copy. I hope that you credit me if you use it in your writing, but that’s not necessary.

The book, however, is filled with a lot more than what is in the spreadsheet. I talk about the history of serials, the reason a serial is not the same thing as a serialized novel, and dive deep into the beats structure you see in the spreadsheet. It explains how to write long running, complex, and addictive serial stories in any genre.

Below is a sample of the table of contents, to show you exactly how much territory I cover:

1. Introduction

2. Glossary

3. Basics of Serials

   1. Serials are Different

   2. Why Serials?

   3. Types of Serials

      1. Heroic Serials

      2. Episodic Serials

      3. Ensemble Serials

4. Serial Beats

   1. The Spreadsheet

   2. Beats, Outlines, and Writing Off a Cliff

   3. Overview of Unstoppable Storytelling Beats

   4. The Long Game (Long Arcs)

      1. Non-Character Driven Long Arcs

         1. Situation Arc

         2. Group Arc

      2. Beat Structures for Long Arcs

   5. Reasons for the Seasons

      1. Beat Structures for Seasons

   6. Beware the ShArcs!

      1. Cliffhangers: Always Required, Y/N?

5. Serials in Practice

   1. Serial vs. Series

      1. Book Series to Serial

      2. Serial to Book Series

   2. Online Serials

   3. Subscription Platforms for Serials

It’s available on all the major distribution platforms, as well as direct from my own shop. Check it out! Hardcopy is available on ‘zon!

Thanks to everyone, especially and Ream co-founder Michael Evans for their support as I smashed keys to get this out within three months! Whew!