I was Christmas shopping for my family last month when I saw an interesting looking top—for me. Since it was on sale, I went ahead and grabbed it. Nothing like shopping for yourself when you’re supposed to be shopping for other people. :)
When I put it on the next day, my husband said, “That top looks great on you!” He complimented it a couple more times before he left for work.
Hmm, I thought. I think I’ll get another top just like this one. They had a whole rack of different colors of the same thing. (This is how someone who is clueless about fashion thinks.)
So I went back to the store since I knew the shirt was still on sale. I got another of the tops (wearing, mind you, the first one I’d bought.)
The next day, I wore the new one. My husband wrinkled his brow. “Didn’t you wear this shirt yesterday? Although I do really like it.”
“No, this one is different, actually. Since you liked it, I got another.”
“Oh. Okay. Well, it looks nice on you.”
The next day, I had the Thanksgiving party to go to at my daughter’s elementary school. I had—important note!—done laundry and both shirts were clean. I decided that I really did need to look nice and I knew I looked nice in those tops, since my husband had so kindly assured me of the fact.
So I wore the top that day.
My husband came home from work and said, “Honey! Do we need to take you shopping? Don’t you have anything else to wear? I’m getting tired of that top!”
And so it goes.
My concern, since I’m writing two different books, is that I need to retain some of the same elements (which, I’m pretty sure, got me my gigs at these publishers), but make each book very different from each other.
Things I want to maintain in both:
Voice
Type of humor
Tone
Vivid/quirky characters
The pattern of the murders (usually 2 deaths, no forensic, keeping it amateur.
Things I want to make different:
The protagonist’s personalities (I write two elderly sleuths—but they need to approach everything differently.)
The supporting characters all need to be different.
The settings are both Southern, but different (small town, bigger town.)
One of the books is an epicurean mystery, so more of a focus on food. Actually, there is no focus on food in the Myrtle Clover series, except for Myrtle’s cooking disasters.
For those of you who’ve written two standalone books, or those who’ve got two series, how do you keep things straight? How do you keep the parts that drew publishers and readers to you but retain individuality with the stories?
I’m thinking, with the shirt, that getting the same exact thing in a different color just didn’t work. And the last thing I want is for a reader to say, “It’s the same thing! I’m getting tired of it…”
Eliazabeth – I’ve done the same shopping thing you did. I have one shirt in three different colors because I like it so much.
I don’t write two series (at least not yet : ) ), but I’ve thought about your question when it comes to other writers I know of with two series. You’re right that some fundamental things, like voice, kinds of characters, etc.. Other things do need to be different, or the reader doesn’t feel that there’s anything new. Thanks for making me think about this. If I ever do two series, it’ll be important.
I’ve never personally had this experience as a writer but as a reader I know that many of my favourite authors have been put aside after they’ve fallen into the same pattern again and again. David Eddings is a fantastic example. Firstly he is brilliant and even his later work is brilliant, but I haven’t bought any of his last series because after reading half the first book in it I felt like I was rereading a watered down version of the previous series. Sorry if that made no sense. The same has happened with Terry Brooks, Traci Harding, and numerous other authors that I absolutely love. The characters just start seeming to familiar, the scenarios done before, the quirky bits of description start sounding all the same and I get bored and find someone new to read.
I don’t know how a writer can overcome this problem but it is something I am thinking about as I work on various projects. I want my voice to be my voice but I want each work to feel unique. Wishing you luck as you work through this.
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Love the shirt analogy. You had me cracking up this morning, Elizabeth! I’ve been contracted to write two more books, although they’re both on completely different topics. I hope I can retain my voice and style of writing, but continue to grow in my writing skill.
Loved the shirt story – still laughing.
I haven’t had this experience with my own writing yet, but I’ve certainly seen it happen with series authors (and a very few non-series authors) – I stopped reading what were once favorite authors because it started to feel like I was reading the same book over and over again.
Although I am no expert on writing – yet :) this is what I like from a writer. I read an author again and again for the flavor because I am comfortable reading their writing. So I want sameness or the familiar. But I also want every book to have a different twist AND characters that I have not met before. I want to be kept awake if that makes sense. So as you list your characters, plot and subplots – refer to your other series and make sure the lists are not the same.
So far I have written two stand-alones and am planning a third. It was very easy to make the first two different: one had a little country boy as the protagonist, the other had a modern woman (if you can´t make them sound different, perhaps you shouldn´t write?). It is more difficult this time when I have two youngish women as protagonists.
To some extent I see my characters as ´types´, so I think what I do is that I see Anna as someone a bit like myself, and Ida as ´the smart and popular girl of the class´. It is not difficult to remember scenes from my school days and youth when I want to make her come alive.
When I was first married my MIL bought me a shirt for Christmas. Over time I realized that she bought the same exact shirt for me, my sister-in-law, herself and her 90 year old mother! Talk about one stop shopping.
Funny story! It rings true with writing that we don’t want a rack of repeats. Every season something new has to come from the old.
Praying you find all the twists and turns you need to create a fresh story.
A true predicament. It’s because of voice that your book is getting published, but–because it’s your voice–it’s hard to vary it (at least without the writing seeming a little “off”).
I find myself using some of the same constructs/ideas/phrasing in different books with different protagonists. I guess you just have to make a very conscious effort to distinguish things. Maybe give one protagonist a French accent?
Elizabeth,
I understand. I have tried to write two stand alones at the same time and I find the character’s voices trickling over into one another. I have decided the best thing for me to do is to keep them separated. I have a hard time keeping my character’s voices unique. I need to stretch myself and create personalities that are opposite of what I’m “comfortable” writing. One thing that does help me is just letting myself go and becoming the characters. I have to forget worrying what “others” will think if I write a certain way. Will they think that’s how I really am? Will they wonder if I’ve gone crazy? It doesn’t matter. What matters is authenticity and believability and that BOTH characters (books, etc.) stand alone and are individual while retaining YOUR voice. Boy, that sounds easy, doesn’t it :P
Happy Wednesday and good luck with your books!
Jen
This was so refreshing to read, because I am clueless when it comes to fashion as well. I definitely buy two or three of the same thing, if I think it looks good on me. The rest of your post doesn’t apply to me as yet, but hopefully, one day, it will.
Karen
I write stand alone, so I don’t have that problem with books. Although sometimes I wonder if my protagonists sound alike.
However, I shop like you. “I’ll take one in each color, please.”
This is a great analogy! I definitely do this. It makes it so much easier. I’m not a fashionista at all.
Wow, I can’t imagine writing two books at once. I’d need a lot of tricks to remember what is what. Then again, it might help. Because every time I got stuck on one I could hop over to the next.
First off, I have one comment: You were doing Christmas shopping last month??? I’m still in a state of denial ( although the calendar is telling me to get over it and get shopping).
I haven’t written different books, but I have written different games. Some are tricky, some are just fun. Different characters with different issues in every one, but I have been told all of them have my sense of humour. You can’t change your voice.
Elspeth
Your top story had me laughing, too. I’ve done the same thing.
I wish I could help you with your question. I’ve only written two books so far and they are not a series. Although completely different stories, I did notice a couple of similarities between the two after completing the second. Therefore, I wrote myself a reminder of events or scenes that I do not want to occur in my current WIP.
Elizabeth – great post as ususal. And I’m not going to stop reading them even if they are about your personal life and then a seque into writing questions because I like the way you do it – I like your personal stories and I am prone to stopping and really thinking about what you’ve just said. I’m the same way with series. You are a person who has a life that is varied – you will therefore have different problems, situations and way to handle those situations as you write your characters’ stories. Some of it I want to be the same – comfortable, like my best friend telling me a story she’s told me many many times before. I sit back and get cozy- she’ll tell me some new detail or at least I’ll hear one I didn’t hear before. There aren’t so many stories after all but I want to hear them all – everyone’s new take on struggling with our mortal selves. I don’t want my characters to suffer the same epiphany every time – to not grow and therefore have new challenges and they won’t as long as I pay attention to my own boredom level.
Interesting subject. I think the author’s voice is like the body and the plot/story is the clothing. So while the stories change, the voice and syle that the readers are attracted to remains the same. One way to look at it.
Marvin D Wilson
Well, I’m going to praise your husband. Not because he got quickly tired of the shirt, but because he noticed what you were wearing! Woo-woo.
Helen
Straight From Hel
Margot–Isn’t that the best way to shop? :) It fits, it looks good, what more could we ask for?
I hope you do write more than 1 series! You’ll be good at it because you can identify different traits of books so well.
Cassandra–My husband is an Eddings and Brooks fan and has said much the same thing. It really is tough, I think. Particularly if you’re *really* prolific. But then I think that Stephen King has written GOBS of books…all clearly with his own stamp on them. But each one is different. I guess it just takes some tweaking.
tuğçe– Thanks so much for coming by! Hope you enjoy the blog.
Jody–Congratulations on your book deal! And welcome to the wonderful world of second guessing ourselves! :) Different *should* mean *different*–but then you start thinking about why you got hired on to do several books to begin with. So those elements need to be in the books, too. To some degree, anyway.
Ingrid–It’s awful when it happens, isn’t it. There was a reason we liked reading the books, but the sameness just drove us off. Ack. Definitely something to keep in mind.
Jane–Now that’s a good idea–listing the specific things I DON’T want to repeat. That’ll be a shorter list and one I should be able to follow.
Jan–Good way of looking at it. I definitely don’t want to lose the cozy, storytelling aspect and the stories will naturally have some differences as my different characters respond to situations in unique ways.
Teresa–I think that’s a good idea. I need to open a file like that, anyway. Compare and contrast and save it to Word. Good idea.
Marvin–I like the way you’re looking at it.
Dorte–I think I know what you mean. If the characters are based on people we know, then of course the people we’re depicting aren’t the same (since the real people aren’t the same.) That can help us keep things straight.
Helen–True! That was definitely nice. He’s good to pay attention to stuff like that.
Janel–As long as y’all didn’t wear it on the same day! :) Too funny!
HAHA great analogy! I do the same thing :) I think it’s practical to have your favorite shirt in multiple colors. This post really reminds me of my childhood passion for Nancy Drew books. I was out shopping with my mom the other day and saw a set of 4 that I actually didn’t have, and out of nostalgia I bought them. Reading them as an adult is incredibly different from reading them as a child. After the second book, it was easy to predict exactly what the third would be like. It was like the same formula used over and over and granted, the Nancy Drew books are written by different people so there may very well have been a formula. But I got bored very quickly and I agree that an author needs to keep things fresh to maintain reader interest. It’s okay to have a familiar style but adding new elements keeps it fresh!
Love the shirt analogy.
I haven’t been in quite this situation yet. For me, when I switch from one thing to another, I have to give myself a minute or two to get in character. I have to find the phrase or the image that embodies the one item and then I can go with it. If I fail to get into character (so to speak) then I usually wind up rewriting.
Well, I have a YA series and a non-fiction book, so their format naturally lent itself to big differences.
And you should’ve told your husband “Yes, you need to take me shopping right now!”
I had to smile at your shirt story. Been there. Done that. Often. Sometimes, I’m surprised I haven’t ended up on What Not To Wear yet.
Phew, I dodged the bullet on this one. It’s a hard question, but for me, non-testable (Yay!) because I don’t meet the criteria. There just are no “gimmies” on Mystery Writing is Murder. Id you dial up this blog, you better be ready to handle the big stuff.
Best Regards, Galen
Imagineering Fiction Blog
I think the author’s voice is what will bring readers, agents, and editors back. I’ve got two books that are series, but the other three stand alone.
For series, the characters are established, but they have to grow.
And I know this is a repeat, but I’ve been away all day and am just getting a moment to hit a few blogs.
“The Same But Different” is what publishers seem to want.
Right now I’m wearing the green version rather than the blue of the shirt my hubby liked (he only ever compliments me on the blue of course).
I agree with Old Silly that readers return to an author because they liked the voice, so change the clothes as much as you like. I think it’s the main character more than setting or events that truly sets a series apart though. Two diferent people can react to a situation (murder) in different ways. As a reader, I come back to see how *this* problem will be handled by *that* character.
I’m seconding the ‘open a file’ suggestion. Another option might be to be sure to ‘accessorize’ differently. The food focus of the one should help A LOT (seems you’ll want at least one ‘foodie’ in the mix and those can range from obnoxious to really obnoxious *ducks*). I think it’s a challenge to have two elders be really different without them being characitures–you don’t want to try TOO hard or they become to predictable as the Myrtle and the anti-Myrtle… maybe just a few core differences and don’t worry about the other stuff?
(I am as completely free of fashion sense… it’s sort of a point of pride with me, though my 14 year old redresses me whenever she sees an opportunity–you’ve been warned)
I shop that way too! :)
I haven’t been pubbed yet, so I’m still working at a variety of genres – romantic mystery, steampunk ya & cozy. They are quite different so I haven’t run into this yet – time will tell :)
I’ve been tempted to buy the same shirt in different colors, but my bossy daughters always talk me out of it. The same with shoes, they are having none of my lazy ways.
Tamika–Thank you! I appreciate it. It’s a challenge, that’s for sure.
Alan–Oui, Oui!
Jen–That’s a good point. Sometimes really getting into the character and their natural differences can help…putting aside the worrying and just writing. I can go back and fix anything that doesn’t sound true to character or that sounds too much like my other series later.
Karen–I’m glad I’m not the only one! :)
Carol–They usually sound like us, these protagonists, don’t they?
Kristen–Tricks to keep things straight would be good! I think everyone is right and I need a big file. Then I can track similarities and differences.
Elspeth–Well, there was this great sale! Yes, I’m Type-A about shopping for Christmas. I got some stuff for the kids when I was in the mountains on vacation this summer.
My voice is definitely still there. Can’t do too much about that, you’re right!
Diane–Not too much of a problem differentiating between those two types of books!
And you’re right..I should have just gone shopping right then!
Julie–I LOVED Nancy Drew…but I have a feeling I could never go back and read them now. But I’m about to try rereading Trixie Belden books because my college roommate is rereading them and says they’re so funny. We’ll see! These formulas are big with those mysteries.
Galen–Your books ARE really different from each other, which makes it a non-issue for you. Lucky. :)
Hart–The food focus is definitely a help. I think you’re right about an extra foodie in the mix. I’m starting that book now, and I think it could help me keep the food focus.
You’ve nailed the challenge with the 2 elderly protagonists. They definitely don’t need to be diametrically opposite from each other.
Oh, my daughter is already trying to make me change my wardrobe! Little 3rd grade fashionista. :)
Tara–Getting into character is key, isn’t it? I know what you mean about the rewrites.
Elizabeth–Fortunately I go shopping when my bossy daughter is at school!
Interesting question. In my case, I have an urban series with a single protagonist and a rural series with two protagonists, and the fundamental differences in the set-ups mean that the books are naturally quite different in style.
Martin–That would definitely lend itself to a different style. I’m looking forward to your new release in the States!
Carolina–I’m so glad that I’m not alone. :) I think that TV show might have been invented for me…
Terry–That’s what I think the draw is. So I want to keep the voice, but make everything else different–“The Same But Different.” Hard.
Lorel–That’s a good point. The reactions are different because the experiences are different and the backgrounds of the characters are different.
Jemi–Working with different genres would definitely help.
Elizabeth!!!! I may be in need of an intervention?!? How many shirts do I have in different colors, but the same style?!?! I thought that no one would know?!?!?
I may be biased, but I can’t imagine that your writing will be anything but fresh and different each time, even if you have a style that is distinctly yours.
Love the blog!!!
I enjoyed your post because I have often thought about what keeps me interested in a mystery series. I’m currently very tired of Stuart Woods’ Stone Barrington even though I used to love him. I’m getting tired of Randy Wayne White’s Doc Ford but will continue with this series for awhile longer. But I’ll never get tired of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher and never got tired of John Dickson Carr’s multiple characters in over 70 novels, or of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple. The first two series have regular supporting characters with interactions that never change. The last three don’t have regular supporting characters, at least not of any significance.
I have never written a novel but have outlined one that I may or may not write. I have written 8 books, technical ones before retirement and local history books since retirement. If I ever proceed with the novel it will have a bit of Clive Cussler’s style, starting with important historical background that plays a big role in the contemporary murder. Cussler is an anomaly because his novels remain exciting even though they involve a large crew of regular supporting characters. But his novels are about the plots and action rather than the characters. That helps to keep them fresh.