Canonical name, nicknames, titles, ranks, and forms of address
Template
Series bible template for novel continuity
A practical series bible template for tracking characters, chronology, places, world rules, terminology, objects, and open loops across connected books.
Use case
Keep canon visible before the next book
Use this template before book two, after major revisions, or whenever a manuscript starts depending on facts readers learned in another installment.
Series workflow
Build the bible from manuscript facts, run continuity review, then update the bible with the decisions you make.
Series continuity checkerSection 1
Characters
Track recurring people, aliases, relationships, knowledge, motivations, injuries, and status changes.
Age or relative age by book
Key relationships and relationship state
Secrets known, secrets hidden, and when knowledge changes
Injuries, abilities, limitations, and emotional turning points
Section 2
Chronology
Keep dates, elapsed time, flashbacks, deadlines, travel, recovery, and historical events aligned.
Book timeline and chapter date range
Major events, anniversaries, and historical anchors
Travel time and distance assumptions
Recovery, training, pregnancy, school, season, or investigation windows
Section 3
Places
Define locations before later scenes depend on geography, entrances, exits, and social meaning.
Canonical place names and alternate names
Geography, routes, travel constraints, and borders
Important room layouts, entrances, exits, and sightlines
Objects or clues stored in each location
Section 4
World rules
Record magic, technology, law, religion, economy, institutions, and consequences.
Capabilities, limits, costs, exceptions, and failure modes
Who knows the rule and who can exploit it
Consequences when a rule is broken
Book and chapter where the rule is established
Section 5
Terminology and style
Keep invented terms, capitalization, ranks, titles, and spellings consistent.
Canonical spelling, capitalization, and pluralization
Related terms that should not be confused
Ranks, honorifics, factions, organizations, and species
Pronunciation or usage notes when useful
Section 6
Objects and evidence
Track important objects as they are created, found, transferred, damaged, lost, or recovered.
Object name and physical description
Current holder or location by chapter
How the object changes hands
Payoff, reveal, or final status
Section 7
Open loops
Capture promises to readers so future books can pay them off, intentionally defer them, or retire them.
Unresolved clue, vow, prophecy, threat, secret, or question
Book and chapter where it is introduced
Expected payoff or reason it remains open
Characters who know about it
Workflow
How to maintain it
The template is most useful when it stays tied to the manuscript, not memory.
01
Start with facts already on the page
Do not build the bible from memory alone. Pull facts from the published or current manuscript.
02
Mark source locations
Record the book and chapter where an important fact appears so later disputes can be resolved quickly.
03
Update after every continuity decision
When Wise Wombat or an editor surfaces a conflict, update the bible after choosing the canonical version.
04
Keep decisions separate from brainstorming
Use clear labels for canon, tentative ideas, and retired facts so future drafts do not pick up the wrong version.
FAQ
Series bible questions
A few practical boundaries before turning the template into your source of truth.
Is a series bible only for fantasy or science fiction?
No. Any connected series can benefit from tracking recurring characters, dates, places, relationship states, and unresolved promises.
Should the series bible replace a style sheet?
No. A style sheet is usually narrower and more editorial. A series bible can include style decisions, but it also tracks canon, chronology, objects, and arcs.
When should I create a series bible?
Start before book two if possible. It is still useful later, especially before revising a sequel or spin-off.