Writing a series description for Wattpad

When writing a series description, it is important to be as clear as possible about the kind of experience a reader will have with your series. Remember, the series description is only the beginning of hooking your reader - it doesn’t have to explain the whole story or series to them, just give them enough to know whether they should click on your story to learn more.

Writing a series description is similar to writing a logline, but for your whole series.

Writing a Series Description

A series description is a one or two line description of your story designed to quickly grab a reader’s attention. Think of it like an elevator pitch for your series. 

A series description will generally contain the following elements: 

Key Tropes + Protagonist + Central Conflict +  Protagonist’s Goal 

The key tropes are major themes or elements that indicate the kind of series you’re writing. For example: ‘In a dystopian future,’ ‘In this enemies-to-lovers romance,’ ‘In this steamy forbidden mafia romance,’ etc

The protagonist(s) is the main character of the story. Who is/are the most important people to the series?

The protagonist’s goal is the thing the protagonist is trying to achieve. This is the overarching goal for the series - what is the ultimate goal?

The central conflict is the main problem or question the protagonist is trying to solve. What is the main conflict that runs throughout the series? Who is the main antagonist? You don’t need both necessarily, but include both if helpful.

Try this formula as a way to get a feel for writing your description: 

In this [key trope], [protagonist] must overcome [central conflict] in order to [goal].

Series Examples:

Lord of the Rings: In this epic fantasy, a sheltered hobbit and his best friend must evade temptation and the forces of darkness in order to destroy a powerful weapon and bring peace to the realm.

Hunger Games: In this dystopian young adult romantic thriller, a poor young woman must survive deadly games of a sadistic government while working to overthrow the society, in order to protect her loved ones.

Twilight: In this paranormal young adult romance, a human woman finds herself caught in a love triangle between a vampire and a werewolf, while struggling against outside forces that want to keep them apart… or dead.

Writing an Anthology or Stand-Alone Series Description

An anthology or stand-alone series description is slightly different as you aren’t trying to describe a singular journey. Often, anthology or stand-alone series share thematic elements or a strong connection through location, genre, family (like Bridgeton), or team/gang dynamics (like the Wellsfield University series on Wattpad, which focuses on the same school and hockey).

For an anthology, the description is not as focused on the individual story as it is on the key elements that tie the stories together: the goal is to indicate to a reader what kind of stories are going to be in the series. In Bridgerton, we know the stories are going to be Romance stories set in a historical regency period, that will feature societal pressures of the time, each starring a different Bridgerton sibling. 

For an anthology or stand-alone, the formula looks like this:

Key Tropes + Protagonists/Group + Central Conflict Theme +  General Goal 

The key tropes are major themes or elements that indicate the kind of series you’re writing. For example: ‘In a dystopian future,’ ‘In this enemies-to-lovers romance,’ ‘In this steamy forbidden mafia romance,’ etc.

The protagonists/group are the main characters of the series. Who are the most important people to the series? What kind of people or group are they? What does a reader need to know (ie. not just ‘a team’ but ‘a hockey team’).

The general goal is the thing the protagonists are trying to achieve in each story, forming the broad goal of the main characters throughout the series. For a Romance, this would likely be finding love. For a horror series, it could be survival.

The central conflict theme tells readers what kind of conflicts will stand in the way of the general goal. This is often informed by the key tropes: in a sports or billionaire romance, often the characters are trying to find love while balancing the stresses of their professional lives… can they have it all?

In Bridgerton, the Bridgertons are also trying to move up in high society and re-stabilize their name and fortunes after the death of the family patriarch. This adds additional stress and drama to courtship and helps the reader understand what other conflicts they might encounter in the stories.

Use the central conflict theme to add some specificity and hook to your general goal - if the characters are looking for love, what makes it difficult? 

Anthology Series Examples

Bridgerton by Julia Quinn: In this historical romance, the Bridgerton siblings must navigate complicated romantic entanglements and societal pressures as they seek to find love and rise in high society. [Main series link: Romance, family, setting]

The First Law by Joe Abercrombie: In this grimdark low fantasy series, morally ambiguous heroes and villains battle to survive and rise in fame and fortune in a politically complex fantasy realm. [Main series link: brutal/grimdark fantasy tone, setting]

Goosebumps by R.L. Stine: In this horror for young readers, kids and teens must try and overcome and survive various paranormal horrors while navigating the stresses of growing up. [Main series link: paranormal elements, horror tone, growing up themes]