Remembering the name that one random side character and other reasons to create a series bible…
Greetings, fellow writers! Last time, I discussed my process of taking my standalone mystery novel to the first in a series. Today, I’m here to chat about a helpful tool that makes those detailed plotting and drafting steps easier – the series bible.
I first heard of series bibles from listening to the Office Ladies podcast where Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, two actors on the show, rewatched the TV series and commented with fun behind-the-scenes info.
They often refer to the show’s series bible. After digging into this practice, it’s not unique to television, writers do it too. You can find more resources on YouTube, but I thought I’d share what I found to be the most valuable (so you don’t have to go digging like I did).
1. Be intentional about your format. I opted for the old-fashioned 3-ring binder so I can work without the internet and include fun, tactile things like stickers and puffy paint (I’m a total sucker for a good sticker, so sue me).
The alternative would be an extensive Google Doc/Sheet or your preferred online software. Consider your own process and needs for searchability and function. After the series is over, this will be a great memento to keep on my bookshelf.
If you’re leaning towards digital, search for “book series bible template” and you’ll find a ton to work off of.
My first instinct was to google “series bible templates” and start putting energy into customizing a google doc template. After a couple of hours, it was clear I wasn’t going to get what I wanted out of that format.
My analog binder allows me to add sticky notes, easily flip to different tabs, and easily flip between it and my manuscript draft. To each their own!
Here’s a picture of mine:
2. Speaking of needs, determine your top-level priorities. What does this bible need to accomplish for you? Pick 1-3 things. You can always expand it later. For example, my two priorities are:
A. Keeping track of, and organizing specific details of key locations. For example, in Book One I specify that a shop has surveillance cameras over their back door. If I forget about that in Book Three, astute readers might be shaking their fists, angry that my MC isn’t asking to see that camera footage.
B. Recalling personalities and details of ancillary characters. For example, remembering that one random side character’s band name. This saves me tons of time so I don’t need to dig through past manuscripts.
Notice that I’m not using this to structure my book story outlines. I do these digitally, mostly because I often edit them as I have new ideas. Paper copies would get too messy.
That being said, once the books are drafted, I will absolutely print out my final outlines and keep them in here. I need this bible to help me when I’m outlining and drafting, so I opted more for worldbuilding elements.
Other priorities you might consider include:
- Timeline
- Rules of the world (magic systems, government structures, etc.)
- Clues and red herrings
- Relationships
- Major character descriptions
3. Start building your table of contents. Once you have your priorities nailed down, start by listing major sections. This becomes a table of contents page.
My top two priorities are my first two sections. They are what I reference the most.
The Plot section is for my finished outlines, and any paper notes I take when I’m not at my computer.
Here’s mine:
Lastly, I have marketing and miscellaneous sections that act as a parking lot so I don’t lose random ideas.
Each section is separated with a color coded tab. I use folder tabs so the scraps of paper or napkins that I put random notes on can be included.
Here’s my setting section tab:
From here, you start building out your sections! There are great character sheets online that can be helpful. As a big nerd myself, I love using Dungeons & Dragons character sheets to get the basics down for each of my characters. I also found Canva to be a lifesaver. My cover and table of contents were both free Canva templates that I edited.
However you fill out your sections, my only advice would be to keep it organized. I’ve found that it’s really easy for the bible to get unwieldy and lose its functionality.
Do you have a series bible already? I’d love to know what you did to make it work for you and see pictures! Let’s chat on X, you can find me @eloisecorvo.
Additionally, if you dig the aesthetic vibes of my series bible, you may enjoy the actual books they’re about! Book One, OFF THE BEATEN PATH, will debut in March 2025. Sign up for my newsletter to get notified when it’s out in the wild!
Two down, one more to go! Join me next week when I talk about how I negotiated the indie press contract for this series without an agent.
Until next time!
Eloise Corvo
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