(And before I go any further, no, I’m not sorry about the cliffhangers. Read that post to find out why...
Okay, back to why I turned my hand from screenwriting to writing novels like they are TV series. In my mind, they are. And in my readers' mind they are.
But why?
If you’ve ever stayed up until 2 AM muttering “just one more episode” while your tea goes cold and your responsibilities weep quietly in the corner — welcome. You’re my people.
And if that episode was Yellowstone, Hell on Wheels, American Primeval, Outlander... I can go on and on, but I won't, because now we’re really speaking the same language.
It was somewhere between episode five and “oh god I’ve lost track of time” that the idea hit me:
Why aren’t more books written this way?
I mean really written this way — like TV episodes. Fast, tight, emotionally gripping. Hook after hook. No filler. No meandering. Just pure, addictive storytelling that makes your brain scream for the next hit.
So I broke the rules.
I wrote my Morganstar series like a TV show. More on this coming soon. It's currently in editing and so damn exciting, I don't want to do anything else but write, write, write...
What Does Writing Like A TV Series Mean Exactly?
📺 Each book = one episode
🧨 Each ending = a cliffhanger
🌊 Each “season” = a mini arc that feeds into the bigger world
Publishing people will no doubt clutch their pearls and mutter about reader expectations and “narrative resolution.”
To which I say: Have you seen how readers inhale a good series on Netflix?
What I Stole From Television:
- Shorter, punchier instalments (both scenes and books)
- Ensemble casts with overlapping arcs
- Climactic endings designed to ruin your bedtime
- Long-game plotting that rewards loyal readers
- All the binge watching elements that make audiences devour a whole series in one sitting.
What I Kept From Novels:
- Deep point-of-view immersion
- Internal character growth (the messy, painful, real kind) BUT I'm showing this in a cinematic writing style (more on this soon in the Bingeable Books level)
- That textured, immersive prose experience you can’t get from screen dialogue
- Delicious subtext and loaded silences
It’s the best of both worlds — bingeable structure with bookish soul. But it's all about fast pace, showing and revealing those addictive elements in a cinematic writing style. So, so, damn exciting!
Has it Worked?
Let’s just say one beta reader stayed up past midnight to finish Book One… and immediately opened Book Two.
She sent me a message that started with “How DARE you…” and ended with “When’s the next one coming?”
That, my friend, is music to a writer’s ears. I’d love for you to join me as I bring this series to life — once 'Season One' is fully edited and out in the world. Come along for the ride, and feel the thrill alongside my readers as the story unfolds.
Why I’m Betting On This Format
Let’s face it: books don’t just compete with other books anymore.
They’re up against Netflix, TikTok, podcasts, and whatever gripping new miniseries just dropped on Disney+.
So if I want readers to stay up into the early hours with me, I need more than a good plot. I need pacing that slaps. Emotional hooks. Deeply compelling characters. And endings that make readers need the next one.
Yes, need. Not want. There’s a huge difference. I need my readers to need the next book. Forget want — that’s old news. Need is this season’s black.
Will every reader love this style? Probably not. Especially the ones who grump and groan about non-standalone books.,
Will some throw the book across the room and shout, “HOW COULD YOU END IT THERE?”
Almost certainly.
But I’m okay with that. Because they’re still talking about it. Still feeling it.
And they’ll be back for the next one. Just like I came back for Taylor Sheridan.
Curious How I Pull This Off?
Join me inside Bingeable Books and unlock the full behind-the-scenes peek into how I structure these TV-style novels. You’ll learn how to build addictive stories, craft cruel (but delicious) cliffhangers, and keep readers hooked like it's 3AM.
Sleep? Ha. That’s for writers not on a bingeable journey.