𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐁:
MysticPsyche's Opinion
𝐯𝐢𝐢. Making a Twilight Series

Okay, first of all. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to yap about making a Twilight fic series. I have made and written my own Twilight series, and I have a lot of things to say about this one.

Let's start with my experience before I give my opinion on this. My own Twilight fic took almost two years to fully finish. The first year was the planning because I was writing Redamancy, my first Jasper Hale fanfic, while I laid out my plans for each book. Then, in the next year, I was writing them. So I planned them in 2020, wrote the first book in 2021, Eunoia, my Carlisle Cullen fic, and then finished it in late 2022.

IT IS NOT EASY! Planning is easy, creating scenarios in your head is easy, and making edits is fun and easy, but writing is definitely not easy. You'll always have that feeling that you could write, but once you open your docs to actually write it, you've been left blank. Then there's the inevitable writer's block and loss of inspiration and motivation to write them—that's why the last two books, the Rosalie Hale and Emmett Cullen, are rushed and have fewer chapters because I reached the point that I wanted to write in other fandoms aka why I started writing my TVD fic, Enchanted, an Elijah Mikaelson fanfiction. I have been writing for the Twilight fandom since 2020, and when I finished the last book, it's 2022. I am sad to admit that I have grown a bit sick of it. A feeling that grew within me is that I have explored Twilight enough—at least the Cullen family side of it. I was never into wolves because I feel like they're so young?? THAT'S JUST ME, OKAY??

But, yeah, now I have re-phased my Twilight era, and now I am writing another Jasper Hale fic, LOL. That's the life of a fic writer. But all in all, I am really proud of my Cullen & Hale series but I'm not happy with what I named the series. It's so basic I might look for a new name, LOL. (AN: after writing this it has been changed to Timeless Vows Series)

So, before writing the actual series, you need to plan and organize them. So let me tell you what I did, how I organized each Cullen love interest, and why I assigned them to that certain movie/book. Let us use my Cullen & Hale/Timeless Vows series as an example. Be aware that this is mostly leaning toward the Cullens and not the Shifters.

Timeless Vows Series

First Book: Eunoia - Carlisle Cullen, Twilight

Second Book: Que Sera Sera - Alice Cullen, New Moon

Third Book: Raison D'etre - Jasper Hale, Eclipse

Fourth Book: Amore - Rosalie Hale, Breaking Dawn 1

Fifth Book: Sanctuary - Emmett Cullen, Breaking Dawn 2

So, I assigned Carlisle Cullen in the first book because it's really where he got more screen time. He was also more involved in the book Midnight Sun by Smeyer, Edward Cullen's POV, where I based the Twilight part of Eunoia. Edward talks about Carlisle a lot to Bella. That's just it. It just fits well with what I had planned with the fic! I also believe it's good to set a foundation for Carlisle as well because not only did I do the first movie, but I also wrote my own plot for the Pre-Twilight part of my fic. Before I wrote the Twilight part of the fic, I created a backstory first for my OC and added Carlisle's backstory as well to get to know him a bit better. Also, because my OC is a banshee, when James's coven killed near the vicinity of Forks, my OC felt it, hence why the Cullens investigated the deaths in Seattle and Weylon Forge's death.

In the second book, Que Sera Sera, my Alice Cullen fic, set in New Moon, I really think it complimented my plot for the fic. Because my OC, Cordelia, was with Alice during her time in the mental asylum. If you hadn't read the books before James was killed, not only did he record Bella in the Ballet Studio. James also mentioned that he met Alice in the mental asylum and that Alice is his blood singer. Still, before he could kill her, the unknown vampire that helped Alice turned her. The electric chair treatments that Alice received during her human life affected her transformation greatly; she lost all her human memories. In the book, during New Moon, Alice comes back to Forks to talk to Bella. Alice mentioned that during the time that they left Forks, she and Jasper did some research about her past, and she found out that she had a sister and a niece! So you see? My assigning of which Cullen I placed in each book compliments their role and relevance in the fic.

In the third book, Raison D'etre, my Jasper Hale fic, set in Eclipse. We all know that Jasper is the star of Eclipse. It's where his backstory as a Confederate soldier was introduced (a really shitty one) and how Riley & Victoria mirror Jasper & Maria. The whole Newborn Army was a copy of what Jasper & Maria did during the Southern Vampire Wars. Smeyer created that backstory for Jasper to complement Riley and Victoria's story. Because the Cullens needed someone who had experience with the war, and who was better than Jasper? I'm not going to summarize Raison D'etre's story in this one, but I set Jasper's fic in Eclipse, too, because my OC was also part of the Mexican Coven during the Southern Vampire Wars with Maria & Jasper. It's also where I first wrote and explored Jasper's time in the Southern Vampire Wars, the Pre-Eclipse part of Raison D'etre.

In the fourth book, Amore, my Rosalie Hale fic, set in Breaking Dawn 1. It was opened up in Eclipse Rosalie's past. The third book of my series is also where I fully introduce (mysteriously) Rosalie's love interest. In the fourth movie/book, Rosalie is more involved in this one. Bella called her when she learned that she was pregnant and because she was scared of Edward because Edward wanted to abort the baby. We all know that Rosalie showed her eagerness and longing to be a mother. Rosalie was very protective of Bella during her pregnancy. My OC arrived during the wedding preparation. With her knowledge of many things, because she has been alive for so long and is a former member of the Volturi, she has her own opinion about the immortal children's speculations. Also, the fact that she's a Rosalie defender is because Bella Lowkey took advantage of Rose's weakness of wanting children.

In the fifth book, Sanctuary, my Emmett Cullen fic, set in Breaking Dawn 2. Now, this one, you can freely set who will be the love interest in this one. It's really a blank canvas. I decided to set Emmett's book in this timeline because he's the only Cullen left, really, but also because it compliments my OC's entrance. My OC is one of the witnesses that Rosalie and OC's love interest, Eden, convinced to join. But my OC's relevance became prominent when her gift/ability swayed the results of the confrontation with the Volturi—I invented something in my fourth book that involved Caius.

So you see, there's one similar theme to each book. Each OC of mine is relevant and adds something to the story. It complements each timeline of the movie/story with the plots that I created for them. Because a reader loses interest in the story if your OC is just there on stand-by and gives ✨nothing✨always make your OC interesting! Create a unique and creative backstory for them because, as I've said in my last few opinions.

Twilight is a really easy fandom to write into because you can freely create a backstory for your OC without affecting Edward and Bella's plot. Because there is a time when Edward and Bella haven't existed or met yet, plan something that happens before them, and it won't affect their plot! (This only applies if you create Vampire OCs. If your OC is human and you're going with the usual plot that your OC arrives at the same time as Bella, you use the Twilight plot, but the difference is your OC's backstory and personality. That is where you'll quirk it.)

If you're having difficulties with creating an interconnected series because of the detailed planning of this one, you can always create your fic as a stand-alone. You don't need to make it interconnected because it really is difficult trying to web all of your OCs.

Making a series is definitely not for beginners.

I had two Twilight fan fiction novels in my pocket before I proceeded with my series. I also had an obsession with making interconnected books, and I knew the process and what I was getting myself into. In making a series, you need to be 100 percent sure because you can't stop halfway or leave it unfinished because it is interconnected, and all the stories need to go forward in order to complete the puzzle. No one is in favor of missing pieces.

Or if you want to make a series that's not interconnected and you wish to explore the different parts of the movies. Like a stand-alone series kind of thing. That's okay too!

That's why I highly recommend that anyone who's starting to write their Twilight fics always start with the basics. A stand-alone fic is good as practice, pace yourself, gain experience, practice your writing, and learn to be confident with it. Once you are, then you can start writing your series. As I have advised one of the users who is following me:

Staying committed to a story seems hard at first, but all I can think about when it crosses my mind is, "How can I leave my character's story unfinished?" It's like I lacked something. I never want to leave a story unfinished because of the unfulfilling feeling and guilt.

I usually ask myself before starting or planning a story, "Can I finish this?" I analyze my schedule, I think about my motivation and inspiration, and I think about myself first, but then I start gaining readers. I thought about them, too. If I put myself in their position by reading a story that they love and suddenly it was unfinished forever, I would feel sad as well, and I don't want that.

If you start a story, you really need to be dedicated and motivated from start to end, so you know you gave it your best, and you'll feel satisfied that you did a good job with it.