How to Create a Series Bible

[@toxicsugarart2103]

I’ve never heard of series bibles but holy heck it sounds like the exact thing I need right now ❤️❤️❤️

[@wolvesinthehills]

i swear your timing is UNREAL. are you watching me?? haha, thanks again for another amazing video!

[@seabird3896]

Handy tip: Use the 'Ctrl F' and the 'find and replace' function on Word to find those words you want to replace, without having to read through your book.

[@kirakoraawesome]

congratulations on the baby!

[@KeylinVLOGS]

Hope all is well and a HUGE congratulations on the new baby!! This is so amazing and timely - I was just working on (and by working on I mean stressing about and not doing anything) my series bible today! I do already have my novel drafted but I know I need to do this (and kind of started while I was doing developmental edits). It really seems like all AuthorTubers are posting exactly what I need today haha!

[@VickiArnold27]

I call this my writer's notebook. I have one for the fantasy novel I've been working on with maps and the things you mentioned. I keep it in a binder. Glad to hear another writer recommending it. I think my creative writing students are a little tired of hearing me tell them how important they are, lol. Congrats on the baby!

[@bruceschindler9505]

I started a series bible a short time ago. I've already self-published four books in the series. I'm working on the next three. In addition, each book runs over 100,000 words, so there's an enormous amount to do. My procedure has been very uneven to this point as I try to figure out how much to include. #HappyWriter

[@Hikari156]

I know this is mega late but congrats on ur baby Vivien and I’m currently working on a series bible for my series right now. #HappyWriting love ur videos so much. Thank u so much for always giving us such great content. Thank u so much. Ur one of my favorite youtubers. Keep up the great work and again congrats on ur lil bundle of joy.

[@kevinbarhydt7741]

Hope all is well. Congrats to you, being a new mommy is so special. Happy days ahead!

[@JohnUrquhartFerguson]

Congrats on the baby, Vivien! I use Emacs Org Mode with a number of customizations to keep the planning and writing all in the same space. The system doubles as a series bible as the same files can be referenced across stories. It's a lot of fun :) #HappyWriter

[@ClefairyFairySnowflake]

Thank you for the video! I appreciate all that you do! Have a great day!

[@eternalreality3260]

I'd say the moment you start thinking about making a sequel to your story is when you should consider keeping a series bible. Your first book should obviously follow an outline and such but to make sure your sequel is accurate to the information provided in the first book it's important to have a list of "do's and don'ts" for it so that things don't get jumbled. I've been using this approach for my own current series (WIP) and it's worked for me.

[@authortillypopp]

Grateful to have someone like you in my corner as an aspiring writer. I absolutely love your videos and it makes me feel like I’m not alone. Thank you for being there for me in more ways than one simply by being you! Congrats on your beautiful baby. #HappyWriter 💜

[@diannebdee]

I do all my "bibleing" in Scrivener. Everything is in there so I have it at hand when I need it. One thing I might suggest if as my book series is a history series, doing a timeline in Excel is so helpful. It can help to have a visual version of your story in terms of just a sketch of it alongside whatever the historical event you're covering. Example a portion of my story takes part during WWII. I've charted all the major events of the war in the "Historical Event" portion of the spreadsheet, then in another column put a point form explanation of what event(s) will be happening in my story. So if let's say I have James being involved in the Battle of the Bulge (1944) I'll put in point form all the parts of that battle, where the Allied forces were staged as well as where the Axis powers were and in the column for my story points, explain what James will be doing and going through has he takes part in the battle. One column has the year, next column whatever storybased event whether it be a birth, death, anniversary, wedding, etc takes place, then the historical event followed by the story element. I hope that made sense. Thanks for this great series Vivien and a huge congratulations on the birth of Isla Elizabeth. I'm wishing you, Steven, Rocky, and Keira all the blessings and happiness as you being to navigate with your new little baby girl. I just adore the name. 💝💖💓 #HappyWriter

[@mountainjune]

I started making a series 'bible' as you call it, years ago. I have such an expansive world that I need something to keep all my facts straight and consistent. I know how important continuity and consistency are to writing a story. Even with that guide I changed the eye color of my main hero during the writing process and only caught it while editing. LOL! I have all the categories you mentioned and recently added a more detailed timeline. It has SO come in handy. Hope that all goes smoothly when your little one comes. :)

[@jakemiller1386]

I use Microsoft OneNote. It's a great program for keeping these kind of notes since you can make a separate tab for each character and sub-divide those tabs as needed.

[@KetogenicKim]

super tips, and congratulations on what now may be a sweet little bundle 🤗

[@craigreeves5465]

Elysian Prophecy is an awesome book. Haven't been able to put it down! Uses the word "wafted" a lot though. lol.

[@Kimberly-qz1jr]

Great video as per usual, Vivien. Good luck with the baby! We'll be here when you come back! Lots of love.

[@canisfamiliaris4]

I've been using a website called Archivos for a while. The interface is still being developed, but it has pretty cool features: a timeline, story elements web, and map. I'd recommend it; the basic subscription is free.

[@BonnieDragonKat]

Congratulations!!! I have the beginning of my series Bible in Scrivener

[@MaddieBullock]

I’ve definitely always wanted to try doing something like this. I use the software scrivener on my computer and I love it!

[@michalehess2178]

Congrats on the new baby.

[@emilyeshraghi8197]

Really helpful!! And congrats on your little one! I have a 3 year old and almost one year old and just started writing a screenplay! Thanks again for your tips! 😅💜

[@user-zt2tu4ld7v]

Congrats on your baby Vivien!

[@Embarrassingmom]

Congratulations on expecting a baby. The first 6 months after having a baby can be tough on a woman's body because of hormone changes so give yourself a huge break with your online activity and just enjoy the little one and your healing process. Good luck!

[@miguela.wilder6533]

Wonderful info. Food for thought. Congrats on the baby.

[@mikesixel8864]

I'm using world anvil for my bible. I'm using the free version for now. It's great, and has already helped me in my first edit.

[@Avionne_Parris]

I swear by my series bibles and only recently learning about making a Glossary which has been so helpful for my YA anime-inspired fantasy. I had so many fantasy race types, fictional towns, fictional jargon between character, wildlife, etc. that needed a stationary place for reference. My tip is, use a description codex. It's where I stash all my character / setting descriptions and can quickly reference a character or setting. The codex also has a relationship history of each of the races which comes in handy when you need to quickly source whether two fantasy character types get along. Hey, Vivien, I know you'll be uber busy when Baby Reis comes but whenever you're up to it, I'd love a walkthrough of your series' bible. No spoilers of course, haha. #HappyWriter

[@annmansfield9515]

#happywriter congratulations on the baby! I love this idea, thank you for sharing.

[@EvieReddingWrites]

Congrats on the new addition to your family! Great, informative video. I definitely didn’t do one for my huge fantasy novel, but I am now going back to flesh out my series bible since I want to write more in the same world. My first entry in my bible is good and food culture...adding pictures from Pinterest too have helped. xD

[@ghostdreamer7272]

Congrats on your baby!

[@woodlandlady7011]

Brilliant advice. Thanks. Congratulations on being a new mum! All the best to both. 💐

[@courtneycorboy1081]

I plan to create one after I finish draft two.

[@PeppermintCereal]

Might have to prepare a series bible. Characters and stuff not so much because I just remember them and I remember a LOT

[@englishnerd5580]

I need to get on this! I’m working on Book 2 of my series right now and I don’t have a complete series bible yet. 😬

[@dawnrigel4255]

Hmmm, style wasn't something I ever thought about having in my story bible, but that's a wonderful idea. Glossaries are a must for me, as I try to make up just about everything I can in fantasy, whoops!

[@chrstina]

congratulations on having your baby - i am so happy for you guys!! baby reis is so adorable 💙

[@thelizardqueen6365]

My Pinterest (Vikingessa) has an entire Writing Toolbox for many things to add to your story bible! Later I will make a section on what is in my huge story bible. I keep my story bible in a different section of the novel to have it on the fly + upload the files from it to Google Docs AND evernote because of easy access (and evernote is so smooth). Still enriching my story bible since it makes it all flow. I pants on outline but do plot ahead (will show methods later) + build.

[@jessicac7279]

I definitely have one and I have to go by it a lot cause I feel like I forget a little due to not being able to write as often as I like too lol love your videos your awesome ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@arlettfoxwell]

Congratulations Vivien! Isla is adorable!

[@AaronLoving]

Not trying to write a book, but this information is great for the animated series I'm working on, thank you! :)

[@HxneyViolet]

I've got an undefined version of this but this will help so much!

[@dawnr3790]

Congrats on your new addition!!! Great video!

[@zubaerchaudhari8267]

Vivien Reis I just really love your coolest channel everytime

[@Jromi]

!!!CONGRATULATIONS!!!

[@jpotter8204]

Ah this is wonderful video thank you!!! I find myself wanting to make one but I always get very distracted in the process aha.

[@melodine707]

Congratulations Vivien!

[@c.d.dailey8013]

This is very interesting and helpful. I think doing plot outlines and character profiles are good things to start out with. World building is good to add too, but that could turn into a huge time sinking rabbit hole. Yes it is fun to come up with hundreds of creatures, a hundred or two zones, a complex battle system and other things. It is fun to make up lore and language on the side. I got to be careful not to overdo it. I do like to develop a system of mystical ideas. There is a lot of philosophy involved. Maybe that could fit into the bible somehow. I think using a physical binder with loose leaf paper would work the best. It is flexible and easy to figure out. I have no idea how a digital bible is going to work. It sounds too difficult. How does one forget the eye color of their character? That seems so easy to remember. I like to draw pictures of all my characters. If I can use pictures to visualize characters, than it is easy to get eye color and all the details down. Even a crude drawing with pencils and color pencils will work. It can provide the information needed for a book, presumably without pictures. It also only takes a few minutes to draw and color. A picture of the character is a must for a profile picture. My protagonist, Luspear, has gray eyes. My deuteragonist, Soram, has green eyes. That is really easy to remember. It is ingrained in my mind. My computer wallpaper has a nice digital painting of both characters together. The eye color is clearly shown for both.

[@blaircolquhoun7780]

I'm revising my series bible for a science fiction series I'm writing. I need all the help I can get. Thanks for the help.

[@AwkwardPasta004]

I’m way too organized! My scrivener is tidy and color coded. Nothing is ever deleted but I use different symbols to show wether I’m using something or not. I also have a notebook and a calendar which holds all my note, research, and the events and seasons of the countries in my world. And those notes are all color coded to match the countries (each country has their own color) I’m way too proud of how organized my notes are! Oh I also have a note file in Notability and a huuuuuge organized task list in Omnifocus!

[@eduardowolf8890]

Awww congratulations on your new born

[@presleybaldwin3756]

Awesome, congratulations.

[@jelizabethpetrie6656]

Thank you! Congrats, 🎉 clothes shopping for girls! #thebestest enjoy, and sleep when you can. 🙏

[@allegrawilliams6014]

I color code mine, or underline details that I miss most often or what is most often used. #happywritter

[@kelseyannelovelady]

I feel like one of those stupid people in the informercials saying "There's gotta be a better way!" and then you show up with this blessing of a video.

[@tan_the_man]

Very helpful!! Thank you!!❤❤

[@scottmorgan5212]

Scrivener has this built into the folder view. Before Scrivener I had about 6 doc files with names and things, and I'd have to keep all of them open as I wrote. But with Scrivener it's a click away.

[@AnaCG97]

I created a Series Bible (Or the History of the World. Kinda like the Silmarillion) I have only finished half of it, Because well I kinda do not want to get the last part once I am finished with Book one. (No I do not have an outline, I know I am crazy.) But I wanted to know, do I need to go ahead and make the last part of it, or does it not matter that I do, because book Two is well, it had other characters. I can't say much...

[@lindsayh.8503]

Hey Vivien! I’m currently writing my first YA Fiction, but I don’t have a platform for marketing. (not to mention marketing terrifies me) is this going to be a problem when it comes time for me to get it published? No one will want to sign with me if I don’t have a you tube or blog to help market it, at least that’s what all the posts seem to say online... any advice regarding the publishing/marketing for someone with no social media or platform? Love your videos! 😁💗

[@ditsycitykitty3841]

This is very helpful. Thanks for the vid! :D

[@Sailortwilight]

Congratulations and thank you for this video! I have been compiling a series bible and this has definitely been a helpful video. :-) You have made me one #HappyWriter

[@rodee1671]

You've been a mom for months :-) congrats!

[@the7thseven873]

Definitely helpful, Thank you!✨💯👍🏽

[@missdrgirlfriend]

I've been using an app called Trello for this. Also free :)

[@lindsayh.8503]

Would you please do a video on the elements for a perfect “meet cute”? That would be a fun one to see. 😁

[@cassievincent1929]

I need this wow!

[@kevinbarhydt7741]

P.S. totally agree on using Google Docs. Cannot live without.

[@kathyf3656]

I have never tried Google Docs but I never write anywhere except home, at my PC, and I have a 2T external hard drive for it. Would there be any benefit for me to Google Docs since I wouldn't access it from any other location?

[@lindseykidda]

so am 42 I have no idea how to start a novel but I want to ...is this possible ?????

[@lukasnovella9001]

Should I do a mini series bible for a stand alone story?

[@patnull]

Hi, Lukas. It's a good idea to have a bible for any novel you write, whether it is stand alone or whether it is a series. After all, no matter what form your story takes, you're still going to have to know what color eyes and hair each of your characters have, as an example, right?

[@lukasnovella9001]

Patrick Null ok then. Thanks!

[@patnull]

@@lukasnovella9001 Welcome! I just had a hunch that she is probably busy right now with her baby or preparing to have a baby, and this is something I actually knew the answer to. :-)

[@kaleneayala2857]

I've only thought of making a series bible. in an e-book form, but I don't know how to write well enough yet. I haven't even written anything.

[@kathyf3656]

You don't have to have written anything yet. Seriously, pick one of the topics and just start. For example, you could start designing a small town setting for a series without a story idea in mind. Come up with street names, businesses, the name of the high school, etc. How many restaurants, bakeries, or diners? Who runs them? Where do people gather? (movie theater, grange hall, early morning farmers at a diner, old men at the hardware store, an historic barn for dances, etc.) What do the parks look like? (Your characters might go there with their kids one day or maybe the town Founder's Day, Fourth of July or Christmas Festival will be held there.) Is the city, school, or park named for someone? Who? Why? (A city founder, long time mayor, a famous person who once lived there, etc.) These questions could lead to story ideas or to prominent families in the town. Is this a ranching or farming community? A bedroom community for a large city? Is there a military base nearby? ---- all the little details you put in will trigger ideas for characters and plots as you go along. Be sure to capture those little "side trips." Skip to another file and note a sentence to a few paragraphs of an idea that you can flesh out later on. Good luck.

[@bonniehuh]

I've made a shockingly complicated Bible in the Binder of Scrivener. It's okay, but seeing it over there, staring at me can be daunting. Google docs might be a better idea.

[@chryscreates6151]

I have a series bible on a flash drive so it cannot be hacked plus is portable.

[@ericveneto1593]

My notes for my story are my bible. Never thought of that before this. How's your KO?

[@kimberlyswartz138]

I use a series Bible. I use Brittany Wang one that's up on her website for free if you join her newsletter. I'm not the best at using it like I should. #happywriter

[@gentlemortal]

BABY UPDATE!

[@Ahumanbeing22]

Congrats on your baby!!! Maybe you could show her in your next video, I don't have Instagram. #HappyWriter

[@creativone4942]

Happy “birth”-day little baby 😄 whether I’m late or not

[@hawkins413]

Nice video.

[@marcjohnson4677]

Watching this video four books too late... #HappyWriter

[@thelizardqueen6365]

Congrats if you've had your little one 💋

[@Anthony-er7mh]

I searched for this..... cool :3

[@kosukemiura1226]

you are the writer jesus tbh

[@chinocracy]

Akira Toriyama might need one for Dragonball. Lol

[@kirakoraawesome]

last

[@Kris_not_Chris]

"March 6th" sounds like something didn't go to plan, hope all is well

[@VivienReis]

Baby came a day early 😊 We're both happy and healthy!

[@DimitraNasiou]

@@VivienReis Best wishes Vivien to both of you! Health and luck as well! 🙂🌹🌈

[@cwfcwfcwf]

I think you will be a great mommy. :)

[@adamhenrysears3288]

Ahm, ... oops! I just made it 666 likes. Is anyone here superstitious? Love some of the ideas though. I'm definitely going to include a couple of them in mine. Thanks for sharing.

[@christianboy6845]

Please if you haven't accepted Jesus Christ please please, i implore and implore that you do so quickly because we have no time left!!

[@allegrawilliams6014]

I am so embarrassed #happywriter not writter 😔

[@TheToneBender]

Congratulations on the new baby!