Author continuity guide
Planning a Multi-Book Fiction Timeline
Organize a series into books, chapters, scenes and events without confusing manuscript order and chronology.
By Nathan Ardwell · author-planning perspective
Use a hierarchy
Series → Books → Chapters → Scenes and events. Authors can stop at any level.
Keep permanent internal IDs
Chapter # can later become Chapter 14 without losing its events or references.
Separate narrative order
A flashback can appear in Book 7, Chapter 4 while its story date remains Year 2.