Tips for Writing a Bingeable Book Series that Keeps Readers Coming Back

A Self-Published Author’s Guide to Hooking Readers and Leaving Them Wanting More

Book series are a fantastic way for self-published authors to boost sales, develop a devoted fan base, and possibly even make it to the bestseller lists. Avid readers love to dive into a series, and authors who know how to grab readers' attention from the start and keep them hooked are reaping the rewards. Here, we’ll share some tips on creating a binge-worthy series that keeps readers eagerly coming back for more.

We're all guilty of bingeing on something every now and again—food, tv shows, movie series, and even books. Did you know that the most binge-watched TV season of all time is Wednesday: Season 1 on Netflix with 252,100,000 views? This is followed by Stranger Things 4 at 140,700,000 views. People love the stories, the characters, and the fact that they can watch a story they love progress at a pace they choose—even though they probably can't wait to watch the next episode right away. The same can be said of a book series. 

What Makes Something Bingeable? 

So, what is it exactly that makes something "bingeable"? When I think of why I enjoy bingeing a tv show or a movie series, it's because the content is so compelling that I can't tear myself away from it. It has to have at least two seasons available as well, so I have more than a handful of episodes to look forward to. I also have to care about the characters and need to know what happens to them. 

But what makes readers binge? 

• First, there are elements of the story that drive them to want to keep reading: 
  • Relatable characters that evolve throughout the series
  • Characters who lead the reader to develop strong emotional ties to them
  • The momentum of the storyline
• And then, there's a drive within readers themselves: 
  • The need for instant gratification
    • Thanks to streaming platforms and digital content, readers want and expect immediate access to entire story arcs. Ideally, the minute they finish the last page of a book, they want the next book in the series at hand right away. 

• • The dopamine-seeking reward loop  

    • Binge-reading stimulates the brain's reward system. Every cliffhanger or plot twist creates anticipation, and every resolution delivers a dopamine boost, which reinforces the behavior.

  • The desire for getting lost in a story
    • Series allow readers to live inside a world they love longer. Once they've become attached to the characters and invested in the outcome, they're more likely to stay for more books.
  • Completion bias
    • Many readers feel compelled to "finish what they started," especially if the story is satisfying and well-paced. This creates a psychological pull toward reading every installment in a series. 

If you're thinking of writing a book series, be sure to plan for the long game early in the process.

• Plan a character arc, from the beginning of your first book through to how you'd like your character(s) to end their journey.

• Outline your overarching story before you even put pen to paper and note major plot points or character developments you want to incorporate into your book. As you write, you can tweak this as needed.
• You'll also want to decide what type of series you want to write. Will it be serialized, where the books must be read in order to be able to follow the storyline? Or will it be episodic, meaning that each book is written, and can be read, as a standalone tale? 

Create Addictive Characters

Protagonists

If you're going to write a series that you want readers to love, you must create a main character who's series-worthy. Think of popular series protagonists like Harry Potter or Katniss Everdeen—would reading just one book in those series be enough?

Anyone who grew to love young Harry Potter, who was naive and just beginning to discover his powers, would absolutely want to see him grow and mature into the leader he becomes. When Katniss and Peeta (spoiler alert!) rebel against the Capitol at the end of The Hunger Games, readers are itching to find out what happens next—and they're more than ready to fork over their money to get their hands on that next book as soon as possible.

A Strong Supporting Cast

Just as everyone (of a certain age) has their favorite Beatle, readers have their favorite book characters and they're often not the "stars of the show." It's incredibly important to write a cast of compelling characters who are able to carry their own subplots and add depth to the story overall.

Often, one of those characters will resonate with readers so much that they end up with their own spin-offs. In Stephen King's Bill Hodges trilogy, despite the extremely flawed and relatable detective and a self-obsessed sociopathic killer, the character that stood out to many readers the most was the reclusive and socially awkward Holly Gibney—who has since gone on to be featured in four more King books. 

Relationship Arcs

Readers are looking for characters they can relate to, feel for, and live vicariously through. In addition to accompanying these characters on their journeys, we want to invest in their interpersonal relationships as well, whether they be romantic, platonic, or familial.

A prime example of this would be the enduring friendship of Frodo and Sam in the Lord of the Rings series. Their relationship is one of loyalty and friendship that transcends social status. Sam's unwavering support for Frodo throughout their perilous journey is a testament to the power of companionship. 

Use Strategic Pacing & Cliffhangers

In order to keep readers invested in your story, you'll want to use pacing and cliffhangers. 

• Keeping your chapters short and packed with compelling scenes ensures that the pace of your book is steady and encourages readers to keep reading "for just one more chapter"
• Ending each chapter with a cliffhanger also keeps readers wanting to read just a bit more before they close the book to go to bed, go to work, etc. Leave the story in just the right place at the end of each chapter to keep them wanting more.

• Your end-of-book cliffhangers must leave important aspects of your tale open-ended so that readers are highly anticipating your next release in the series. "Will-they-or-won't-they?" or "did-they-make-it-out-alive?" are classic scenarios that keep readers thinking about a storyline long after they finish a book.

Tools to Keep You on Track

Every writer needs some type of tool to keep them on task and hold them accountable for their output. However, authors of book series must also be sure that they're maintaining consistency in their character histories and all elements of their world-building. Readers will be quick to point out something in Book 2 of your series that does not mesh with something in Book 1. 

To keep yourself consistent and true to your storyline, try using some of these types of tools: 

• Tracking Templates and Series Bibles: Programs such as Plottr, Scrivener, and Notion are great options for keeping track of all aspects of your series. 
• Writing Sprints and Scheduling Tools: These become essential tools for maintaining consistency, momentum, and long-term productivity when writing a series. Helpful tools for writing sprints are 4thewords, Sprinto, and Pacemaker.press. While scheduling tools that can help you juggle everything you need to keep you on track are Trello/ClickUp, and Aeon Timeline.
• Beta Readers and ARC Teams: You definitely want to get feedback during your writing and editing process, to help you improve your book (and/or series) as you go along. Google Docs and Dropbox are tools that can help you manage your beta readers, while tools like BookFunnel and StoryOrigin will help keep up with ARC teams. 

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

No matter how exciting your plot or anticipatory your cliffhangers, there are some aspects of a book series that can quickly turn readers off. Be sure to avoid the following pitfalls:

• One-Dimensional Characters: Static characters who remain the same throughout your series can lead to readers losing interest, as they aren't investing in those characters who just aren't believable. Make sure that even the secondary and minimal characters in your series experience some form of evolution, by giving them internal struggles or obstacles to overcome.
• Wandering Plotlines: All of your characters should enhance your plot in some way, and your plot must drive your story to its inevitable ending. Be sure to keep your focus on the end game and your ultimate story arc.
• Inconsistent Quality: By creating a book series, you're basically promising your readers that they'll be taking an exciting journey with you and your characters, and that the series will stay true to its essence. Don't sacrifice quality for speed.

Marketing Your Series

Once you've completed the first book in your series, and you're well into at least planning the next one, it's time to start promoting the series. Successfully marketing a book series requires more than a great story—it demands strategy, consistency, and reader engagement from book one through the final installment. Here are some tips: 

• Make the First Book Irresistible: This book is basically the "welcome mat" to your book series and your author brand. 
  • You must hook the reader early, as in the first 1 to 3 pages
  • Keep it entertaining—this is not the time to bore your readers
  • Also, keep it professional. If your first book seems amateurish, readers won't stick around for the second one. Make sure it's edited well and has a professionally designed cover. If you need help with your cover design, be sure to connect with one of our Experts.
• Build Anticipation Between Releases: Don't let readers forget that your next book is coming soon, and keep them interested in what's to come with teasers, reader polls, and countdowns to cover reveals.

• Box Sets & Bundling: Give readers a little incentive to buy your series.

• • Bundling your books into box sets or omnibus editions is one of the most effective strategies for increasing read-through, boosting visibility, and generating higher earnings per reader
  • Create a new cover (or covers) for your boxed set to give the impression of exclusivity and collectibility
  • Don't publish your set too early—wait until you have at least 2 to 3 books available
• Create Reader Funnels: These are the intentional sequence of actions you encourage readers to take after finishing your book. Think of it as a “next step” system. Each point in the funnel moves a casual reader closer to becoming a loyal fan who:
  • Buys your entire series
  • Leaves reviews
  • Joins your mailing list
  • Shares your work with others

The benefits of writing a bingeable book series are many. It can transform your author career from a single-book hustle into a repeatable, long-term business model. You gain more loyal fans, increase lifetime reader value, and position yourself for both creative and commercial growth. So, if you've feel like you have a whole world of possibilities with an abundance of interesting characters to populate it, why not get started on your series as soon as possible?