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Series Fic

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Fanfiction authors often do several stories without any continuity connecting them. For instance, the hero may be in a different situation in story B than they were in story A, while story C will be an AU whereas the first two were following the canon straight.

But then there are some that decide that they want to create more than just a one-shot, or a multi-chapter tale. They instead decide to give their stories a canon of their own, and, as such, each of their stories can pick up where the last left off. They could make a sequel to their own story, or they could begin a series fic (can also be called a serial fic due to the fic acting like a serial series on television).

In a series fic, each story follows a certain continuity with the one that preceded it. In fandoms, these can be tricky to pull off well due to the reader having to sift through several stories to catch up if the series runs on for long enough. Furthermore, the author needs to convey to the reader that not all plot lines are designed to conclude at the end of the story (in the case where a series is planned before the first story is made). Authors also must make readers aware that a particular fic is part of that series continuity, especially if the canon characters have grown into different people than their original depictions by the time the story chronologically takes place to a point where the reader might be put off if they don't realize that it is deep into it's own alternate timeline.

However, if done well, they can be seen as epic pieces, and could be a crowning moment for the author. Keeping someone engaged for as long as a series might last (or, as long as the author is willing to continue it) can be a feat in of itself, but to keep a sense of who the canon characters are while putting new flair to them for as long as it holds out is even more daring. The rewards are great, but the risk is just as large.

Series fics can be rather fun to write, as well, because authors can choose to leave the last chapter in a particular story in the series with a cliffhanger that can resolve itself in the first chapter of the next story in the series. They can also have some interesting situations that the canon characters can get into as a direct result of the story lines arching over multiple stories, and a cast of original characters that the author can be as creative as they want with (within reason, of course). As said before, greater risk can lead to a greater reward.

Most authors will, in this sense, make summary chapters in fics that are included in these series so the reader can get caught up without having to reread dozens of chapters of the previous fics to have the same effect. They can also direct them to places where they can get caught up (such as a website devoted to their series fic) if they are more comfortable with that method.

Series fics can begin at mainly any point in the source canon. However, once it starts, the series can steer off in its own direction with the stories and with its characters. Because of the nature of series fics, more tolerance of original characters, and canon character going out of character after a certain amount of the series has been played out, are given if it's an ongoing series with no set end point.

Compare Alternate Universe Fic (which these sometimes are), Continuation (those can become series fics in their own right), and Original Flavour (which many series fics are known, to a lesser extent, to have as a rule).

Examples

    open/close all folders 

     Anime/Manga Based 

Fairy Tail

  • The Alternate Tail Series by DigiXBot is a Role Swap Plot fanfic, switching the main character role from Natsu and Lucy to Gajeel and Levy. The series has three entires: Fairy Tail: An Alternate Tail, Alternate Tail: Brave New World, and An Alternate Christmas Tail.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

     Comic Book Based 

Batman:

     Crossover Based 

     Literature Based 

Animorphs:

  • Dæmorphing is a series of Fusion Fics with His Dark Materials. It has a combination of one-shots from one character's perspective that skim over canon events and/or develop them more, and multi-chapter fics that advance the plot with multiple narrators.
  • The Eleutherophobia series is both a Continuation and Alternate Universe Fic. While its stories are self-contained, they're linked by a common thread: the real Tom survived the war and is learning to live again.

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi / The Untamed

Harry Potter:

Hercule Poirot:

The Witcher:

     Live-Action Film Based 

     Music Based 

Avantasia

  • Avantasia Protag AU is a series based off the premise of the four protagonists, one from each Rock Opera story arc, living together as roommates in the present day. It consists of individual non-sequential chapters in "angst" and "fun" collections and several multi-chapter stories. There is an official timeline to assist readers with the order of events. Despite the main storyline set in the present day, occasional dimensional travel allows the characters to temporarily return to their original "worlds" of the albums for additional adventures.

     Video Game Based 

Danganronpa

  • Danganronpa: The Immersive Learning Program focuses on mixing the cast from the three main series games and placing them into three distinct killing games. The current entries are Danganronpa: The Immersive Learning Program, Danganronpa: Academy of Discontent, and Danganronpa: Semester in Hell.
  • New Island Life focuses on a retelling of Danganronpa with the inclusion of Original Character Sora Rikkido and Jiraiya Hojo, as well as few less prominent ships in the fandom. New island Life is the first to be published, followed by the prequel New school life and the sequels New Hope and Despair and New School semester.
  • Danganronpa: Memento Mori is a fanfic revolving around Original Character Kaori Hotaru and a whole new cast of students getting roped up into Monokuma's Killing Game, and is the first in a trilogy known as the K.R.D. Chronicles, after the initials of its protagonists. Memento Mori was followed up by both Danganronpa: Komm Susser Tod and Danganronpa: Paradise Lost.

The Legend of Zelda:

Like a Dragon

Nasuverse

Nicktoons Unite!

Persona 5

  • Start Again: A Peggy Sue fic where the Phantom Thieves are sent back to the past at different points in time. Each part focuses on a different group of Phantom Thieves as they try to handle the current crisis while unsure if their future teammates remember the future.

Super Mario Bros.

World of Warcraft

  • Horde Champion: The series is mostly one-shots and short stories tied together in their own continuity.

     Web Animation Based 

     Western Animation Based 

All Hail King Julien

Avatar: The Last Airbender

  • Learning to Fly is a fanfiction series that follows Zuko throughout his three-year exile before meeting Aang.

Big City Greens

Bolt

  • The Bolt Chronicles: While all these stories are one-shots, they interlock chronologically and maintain continuity.

Danny Phantom

Infinity Train

Invader Zim

The Land Before Time,

The Legend of Korra

  • The Saga of Avatar Korra is a series of fics that is an alternate universe rewrite of The Legend of Korra beginning with the Red Lotus's successful abduction of Korra as a child.

Miraculous Ladybug

  • Smart Adversaries AU is a series of fics that ask What If? an adversary makes a smarter decision. The series is ongoing, with 47 entries so far, each complete.
  • The One to Make It Stay is a series of fics of what would took place after if the band, Kitty Section, found out about Lila's lies and become Marinette's support group.
  • Burning Bridges, Building Confidence is a series of fics where Cole, Marinette's cousin, moves to France, goes to Marinette's school, and becomes her ally...in more ways than one.

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic

Puppy in My Pocket: Adventures in Pocketville

  • Nihonverse Pocketville is an ongoing Dark Fic fanfic series that is loosely based on the show (some aspects have been changed to the author's liking), and is about Pocketers finding out the secrets of their kingdom and going on quests and adventures so they can receive an honor by Queen Ava. So far, the first fanfic from it is a Crossover, Pocketville Twilight.

Sing

  • The Steff Pearce Series is an ongoing series that adapts the Sing movies, adding to the Moon Theater Troupe a teenage skunk called Steff who met Ash back in high school and eventually becomes her girlfriend.

Steven Universe

Total Drama

Young Justice (2010)

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