Planning and Naming

After a decade since laying the initial foundations of the series, I now understand how far I have progressed from the starting point. Initially designed as a single book and to be titled ‘Dawn of Ash,’ this story later evolved into a trilogy, and now I plan for it to be no shorter than a heptalogy. The main story of the series will be told in at least seven books, two trilogies, and one book that bridges the time gaps between them. There are a few short side stories as well. Oh, and after completing the first book, I plan to write a prequel trilogy about the past. Still, I feel that the first book of the series will be the most challenging for me. Unlike many authors, I didn’t start writing by picking up a pen and paper. This is a story I have been writing in my mind, behind my shadowy thoughts, for almost ten years. A story I wrote while reading, watching something, or playing games. That’s why I named the series the Forsaken Saga, because this saga had been waiting to be written for a long time behind the dusty shelves in the castle of my mind.

I wanted the first book of the series to be named Winds of Night, although the initial draft was going to be Path of Griffin. Nevertheless, no matter how much the major characters are from House Ross, the series narrates much more beyond this dynasty. Therefore, I decided on the name Winds of Night for the first book—the winds that blow during the darkest hour of the night, whispering the past to my characters. These winds make them feel the future, their fears, their losses. The whispering winds chill each of them, making them shiver.

I can say that I usually determine the names of the chapters before I start writing them, at least in most cases. The Lost Ones, Twist of Fate, Silver Wings, Wine and Whispers, Song of Tomorrow, and Dream of Blood; these are the names I have determined so far. The chapter that will give the first book its name is Winds of Night, which I will continue to rewrite until it feels perfect. Likely, each book’s name in the series will be taken from one of its chapters. For instance, the second book will be Reign of Blood, for which I already have a general outline in mind of what I will write. Or Tears of Dawn, which will be the seventh book and is planned as the final book of the series.