Writing a Very Long Series (Cecilia Peartree)

I am currently trying to finish writing the 31^st in my main mystery series, the Pitkirtly Mysteries. I no longer have to plot any of these – I have never gone in for detailed plotting in any case, but now I just bring the characters out of their box and set them going again. I do usually have some kind of scenario for them to work with, but sometimes it is very sketchy indeed.

I always feel at home writing in this series, and there are indeed many advantages. I know how the main characters will react to events and situations – but nobody is completely predictable!

• ·        I sometimes play with different locations – in ‘It’s a Long Way from Pitkirtly’ I sent two of the regular characters on holiday to Loch Rannoch, and then created reasons for some of the others to join them there.
• ·         Very occasionally I use current events as a basis for a plot – ‘Unsafe Distances’ was set during the Covid lockdowns, though at least one review complained about this.
• ·         I’ve also used a music festival, Christmas events and so on as scenarios.
• ·         Varying the weather can make a difference to the plot – ‘Frozen in Crime’ was set in a particularly bad winter we had here quite a few years ago, and some characters got into trouble in the snow and ice.

There are of course downsides of writing a long series too.

• ·        Keeping track of characters – in order to make sure I don’t try and re-use a character from a previous book who has either been murdered or imprisoned for murder, I have an Excel file that lists characters, including animals. I added the animals after the ‘dog with three names’ incident some books back! I did, however, bring back one character who had been imprisoned for murder, and it was interesting to be able to start her off on some kind of redemption arc.
• ·         Repeating storylines – I usually cast an eye over previous books in the series before deciding to write a new one, but somehow it happens that I don’t re-visit storylines.
• ·         Getting bored with the series characters/scenarios – there are two main characters who are always more or less in the forefront but otherwise I tend to bring different series characters into the limelight and occasionally create new ones who are going to appear again at some point.

I’ve found inventing 31 titles one of the hardest things to do and have only just thought of one for the latest in the series, so I will finish with my ’30 books’ graphic and a preview of the 31^st cover.