One Universe with Multi-Series, Which Meets in the Main Conflict of the Main Series?

[Eldoria]

One Universe with Multi-Series, Which Meets in the Main Conflict of the Main Series?​

Imagine writing fiction with one large universe. There, many countries, complete with their own historical, cultural, political, social, and power systems. You take characters from each country as protagonists, written in different series.

You determine who will be the world's main protagonist (we call them the MC). MC is the protagonist of the main series, who is the centre of gravity of the entire series. Then, as the other series end one by one, their stories eventually converge with the MC in the main series. It's not just a backstory; the protagonists from the other series will become antagonists opposing the MC in the main series. In other words, the MC will face a major antagonist in each arc, where the major antagonist is the protagonist of a separate series with its own story.

One universe, one MC in the main series, many antagonists in different series: All involved in a major ideological battle that will determine the direction of the universe/world civilisation. My question is,

1. What do you think about fiction with this model?
2. Will you make the main series the centre of the story?
3. If you follow one series, will you follow the other series?
4. If you follow one series, will you support her/him though she/he will be the antagonist in the main series?

 

[CinnaSloth]

That's my story series I'm writing offline currently (kind of). I call it "(Different subtitle for each book) Paradesio" . It has 5 books right now minimum, and I'm planning to expand even more. :D

It's my favorite thing in stories when its all original, with original characters, and the world is so vast and expansive that it can inspire all kinds of fanfic of that universe because everything is so clearly visible within another person's imagination, almost able to draw a map if they wanted. It's fun and writing should be fun! Like D&D, or an anime fanfic. how the world is there. It just needs characters to be part of it. It's like the biggest sign of "you did a good job" creating a universe. I dream about having the universe I create to be that for someone else. It'd be the ultimate feeling.

I imagine not every book will be read by every single reader, but I think that's where my own stories will differ slightly than most series. I'd want and prefer someone to be able to pick up a random number in the series, and just enjoy that book for what it is, but as they read other books, they start seeing the bigger plot unraveling in front of them.

the first is about the setup, and the universe with the reasons of why things are they way they are.
the following will be within certain cities or countries, showing the cultures and their own way of life. powers, and technologies.
the last will be centered around a land mass separate from any of the other countries where things tie together, and where all our MCs end up together. some MC's will fight, others will become companions, some might even become friends or love interests.

I think because of the massive web of plots, needing to tie things into each other, it could seem messy, but I've also been plotting ideas and concepts for a few years now. It's... really all i do. I enjoy writing, I'm just still learning how to write what's stuck in my notes, and drilled within my own head. There's also.. WAY too many antagonists, and problems. much like the real world, some things just can't be dealt with. Some evils just exist, and that's it; fight, and argue, and bite, and claw, there's always something. -I leave that in my stories. I don't think happily ever afters truly exist. So I won't ever write one.

I personally love some of my antagonists. Some of my most evil characters can't be beat. Not because they're unkillable, or morally, spiritually, or politically correct in any way or form. It's not because they're strong or elusive, sometimes evil just sits there in front of you, and they grin, and smile, and wait. -and you can't do anything, but you know.. something is wrong. and yet here they are, petting a cat, and talking sweetly, and cordially to the old lady in the corner. I love those kinds of bad guys.

I know ALL I did was ramble and yap and literally say nothing here. But I don't want to spoil what I'm working on. I'm very VERY afraid people won't enjoy it or question it, and I'm just not ready to share yet. Although I'm extremely proud of the project and the ideas and the concepts, it's fragile. and I know it is. I don't want to see it ruined before its ready. I genuinely do love these characters though. I hope when I think its ready everyone else will too.

 

[Author_Riceball]

One Universe with Multi-Series, Which Meets in the Main Conflict of the Main Series?​

Imagine writing fiction with one large universe. There, many countries, complete with their own historical, cultural, political, social, and power systems. You take characters from each country as protagonists, written in different series.

You determine who will be the world's main protagonist (we call them the MC). MC is the protagonist of the main series, who is the centre of gravity of the entire series. Then, as the other series end one by one, their stories eventually converge with the MC in the main series. It's not just a backstory; the protagonists from the other series will become antagonists opposing the MC in the main series. In other words, the MC will face a major antagonist in each arc, where the major antagonist is the protagonist of a separate series with its own story.

One universe, one MC in the main series, many antagonists in different series: All involved in a major ideological battle that will determine the direction of the universe/world civilisation. My question is,

1. What do you think about fiction with this model?
2. Will you make the main series the centre of the story?
3. If you follow one series, will you follow the other series?
4. If you follow one series, will you support her/him though she/he will be the antagonist in the main series?

I’m doing that but they have no reason to fight against each other as enemies. Only sparring to get stronger

 

[Golden_Hyde]

Oooh this has been one of my forte when it comes to one type of storytelling. I'd generally call it a "saga", as in you're writing your own interconnected plot throughout multiple series covering the entire history and events of the world you forge on the go.

And to answer your question:

1. I think people should do this assuming their creativity remained at an all time high and not with a typical copy-paste basic ideas (looking at most LitRPGs and Isekai)
2. Yes, though also no. But there will be convergence between two stories and eventually becoming a bigger Act for the story itself.
3. Absolutely. It's the best way to learn what the author is really pouring into the work itself throughout the universe they crafted
4. Subjective, though. It depends on the delivery and the build-up.

 

[empalgepuk]

If MC gets to befriend said antagonists after defeating them, that's the kind of my stories.

But I don't think I have time to write all that. So I limit that to my current main story and another yet to be posted here spinoff.

As for your questions:
1. So long as it's done well, it's cool
2. Definitely
3. Of course. But that also depends on my free time to read
4. Hopefully the other MCs I followed do not die in the main story

 

[Juia_Darkcrest]

I love this idea, honestly. It almost seems like the MCU or DC in some aspects.

Write several different stories within the same world, following different MCs to the top of their respective countries. I am getting 'Rising of the Shield Hero' vibes, except the countries summoning their heroes properly, not what happened in the show.

Then, once you have completed each story, you start combining them into a final story.

It would be difficult to write, especially if those MCs are now antagonists to each other. Do you 'choose' your winner? Or do you have another MC they all need to band against, despite their different ideologies? Or do you have a GoT-like setting where, in the end, there is no real winner, just death and destruction?

I would be curious to try something like this, though. As a reader, I would hate it if the MC I liked the most didn't come out on top.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Um... Strange Awakening was heading this way when I got pulled away from it by real life (including Pocket FM commitments). Was just getting the story out into space - but Kelly was also going to be stuck bouncing around the Multiverse due to an experimental weapon (and a villain believing her disappearance would be far more useful to him than her death would be) about a third of the way into the second part.

But then ALL of my stories so far are really in one of four universes anyway - a modified version of a shared universe I was part of in the 90s (True Blue was part of something called the Omniverse - Indigo was an "historical character" and the inspiration for some of the new generation of heroes there; have two story fragments that I keep hoping to get back to also set there), the "Sparrowverse" (Strange Awakening, Jack Diamond). the "Kaijuverse" (The Kaiju System - my story on Honeyfeed which I may just pull down and turn over to Pocket FM if I can ever get around the payment issues I'm having), and the "True Multiverse" of Between Worlds (BryceTech exists in that world, so the Game in Digital Cowboy Dane exists in their world and the Ways of Bel-Shar allow travel to other universes, including Sparrow's).

Haven't considered crossovers beyond very short term "guest appearances" though, and no meta-arcs bringing them together. Still, it may be something if Between Worlds ever gets to book three (book one, intended to be "The Lost Archmage" but forced, due to usage, to be "Between Earth and Pyrroth" is entering the second arc of book one; I have written the first chapter and a scene of book two, but that is about 60-80 chapters beyond the current point), as that one could have consequences for all of those universes. Hmm.
But there wouldn't be one single MC - would probably have a team with the children of Dave and Sandra likely working with Sparrow and maybe Legacy (Indigo's kid), and possibly Dane or, more likely, Dane's kid - doubt Nick Sato (Kaiju System) would get involved there.

 

[Exiled_From_Earth]

I absolutely love stories like this!

However, I do think it's best to keep it contained to one series as opposed to multiple, mainly just for ease of access and because multi-pov can be fun.

I'm trying to do something like this within my own series, where it starts off following only two characters, but the cast slowly expands and characters who are literal planets away from the mcs begin to have their own plots that will eventually collide with the main one.

For example, right now, my main protagonist wants revenge on the Emperor because she thinks he killed her son, but what she doesn't know is that her son is currently alive and is part of a separate plot with the Emperor that focuses more on the political side of the universe.

Because this character is the mc's son, their convergence is inevitable, but because he's allied with the Emperor that she wants to kill, they're bound to come into some sort of conflict.

So they are technically the antagonists of each other's stories, but it's less about "who will win" and more "what will happen when they meet?" which I personally find more interesting as a reader because I want to become invested not just in the mc of one of these series like you suggest, and root for them alone, hypothetical I want to care about all the characters and be invested in their stories.
That way, I wouldn't just be excited for them to come into conflict, but I would also just be happy to see them interact with each other, since I may have come to like all of them regardless of them being antagonists or not.

To put it in short and answer all your questions, I guess I'm saying that as a reader I want to have my cake and eat it too lol

 

[Sylver]

I like the concept idea but I never stick around. Gets too confusing for an airhead x)

 

[MFontana]

One Universe with Multi-Series, Which Meets in the Main Conflict of the Main Series?​

Imagine writing fiction with one large universe. There, many countries, complete with their own historical, cultural, political, social, and power systems. You take characters from each country as protagonists, written in different series.

You determine who will be the world's main protagonist (we call them the MC). MC is the protagonist of the main series, who is the centre of gravity of the entire series. Then, as the other series end one by one, their stories eventually converge with the MC in the main series. It's not just a backstory; the protagonists from the other series will become antagonists opposing the MC in the main series. In other words, the MC will face a major antagonist in each arc, where the major antagonist is the protagonist of a separate series with its own story.

One universe, one MC in the main series, many antagonists in different series: All involved in a major ideological battle that will determine the direction of the universe/world civilisation. My question is,

1. What do you think about fiction with this model?
2. Will you make the main series the centre of the story?
3. If you follow one series, will you follow the other series?
4. If you follow one series, will you support her/him though she/he will be the antagonist in the main series?

All of my works exist in the same universe, and are part of the same world, but ultimately have minimal direct interaction beyond the occasional easter-egg.
Linking them all together could certainly lead to an 'Avengers: Infinity War' type scenario, which could be cool, but would also be too much work coordinating all of the disparate LitRPG elements across those stories (They all use different systems, but fundamentally similar mechanics) so I probably won't be doing this myself. That said...

1) I do think it's really cool; especially when you can get multiple authors collaborating on major world/timeline events, and at the heart of my own shared-universe, this kind of thing is possible.

2) No. With the way I designed my setting there is no "main series" or "main timeline". All stories are taking place at different points on that timeline.

3 & 4) I genuinely don't understand what you are asking about here. But if you mean would I follow the author(s) or their other stories, the answer would be "Yes, I would."