Writing a Series
A series is an extended Neopian Times story that can be up to 12 parts long. Each part is about 1,500-50,000 words long and a new one is released each issue until the story concludes.
The parts and basics of a story are discussed in the short story guide; much of that guide can also apply to a series (which is just a longer story). Otherwise, skip on ahead to some series-specific pointers.
How Many Parts?
According to the Neopian Times guidelines, an ideal series is around 6-8 parts, not that longer or shorter series are discouraged. All its parts are to be submitted at once, so yes, finish writing the entire series before plugging it into the submission form. In the past, the Neopian Times accepted longer series (the longest ones were comprised of up to 21 parts!), but to give newer writers a chance, and since competition has gotten hotter, a limit and a recommended quantity have been set. Recently, outside of special or collaboration issues, only one new series is selected per issue.
It's therefore recommended that a series that meets the short story limit (4,000 words) be submitted as a short story, for a hopefully shorter wait between publications.
Math? No one told me there'd be math in this guide!
Dividing the Series
The length of your series, needless to say, also depends on the plot and where it will be divided. But a burning question remains -- where should the series be divided, and how? This can influence the flow of your story and readers' motivation to keep up with your plot. Each part must be worth the wait, whether it takes a week or so, or a few measly seconds; some readers choose to read a series only after all the parts have been released and go through them one after the other.
Cliffhangers sound like the obvious choice. What better way to draw attention than with an epic heart-stopping or heartbreaking scene? However, not all plots are made to have cliffhangers. The next best thing is foreshadow upcoming events or seemingly "leave" the course of events up in the air until the next chapter. But really, these devices are optional; cliffhangers are not the only means of capturing an audience. Besides, truly experienced authors can use cliffhangers sparingly or not at all -- and still leave readers wanting more.
Don't forget to double-check and make sure all the chapters fulfill the minimum word count. And don't be surprised if some of them are longer than others. Word counts among parts can fluctuate depending on the flow and plot, or when there are more than 12 parts that need to be condensed into only 12 for submission.
Plotting
No, Dr. Sloth, not that kind of plotting...
There are two main ways to plot a series -- either jot down all the events and important details before beginning to write, especially when you're going for a lengthy story, or take a deep breath and wing it with less of a framework, pulling it together as you go. Or both. For first timers -- or if you just want to get organized -- making notes is highly recommended. These notes may include names and descriptions of your characters (helpful if you have buckets of them), event timelines, or important quirks and details that may be significant, or simply for comic relief.
Still, don't be afraid to deviate from the plans and experiment. You never really know what you can come up with, and what kind of impact it will have on your plot.
As with short stories, the sky's the limit (well, sort of) as to what your series will be about. Genre, characters, settings, themes, conflicts, plot devices... the possibilities are endless!
Famous Last Words
Editing a series can be daunting, not only because of the length, but because there are more possible inconsistencies and contradictions to watch out for. It's very easy to get a little too carried away while writing, so be vigilant. Eventually you'll get the hang of it, and read back through the entire story when you're done just to make sure everything that should make sense... well, makes sense.
Did that even make sense?
It takes practice and experience to write an awesome series, so keep at it. Don't rush the learning process; in the end, all your work will be worth it, and you can pick up many pointers you will need as you go.
A word of warning: writing series can be very addictive. If you've immensely enjoyed creating your own Neo-universe and working with your characters and concepts, you may end up returning to them to write another series... and another... and three more. Congratulations, you've got a series of series!
This page was written by Kat and last updated on April 28, 2025.
