Continuity Checklist for Novel Series: Names, Dates, Geography, and Rules

•Urdr Team

Continuity errors don’t just annoy detail-obsessed readers.

They break immersion.

If you’re writing a series (or running a long campaign), the goal isn’t perfection — it’s predictability. Readers trust worlds that follow their own rules.

Here’s a checklist you can run weekly.

1) Names and Identity

Check:

  • spelling consistency (including diacritics)
  • titles and ranks (Captain vs Commander)
  • nicknames and when they are used
  • family names, house names, clan names

Tip: keep a single canonical name field and store aliases separately.

2) Character Facts

Check:

  • physical traits that matter (eye color, scars, injuries)
  • abilities and limitations (what they can/can’t do)
  • key possessions (what they carry across scenes)

If a trait changes (injury, haircut, promotion), log the event that caused it.

3) Timeline and Ages

This is the most common “silent failure”.

Check:

  • ages at major events
  • durations (travel, healing, training)
  • day/night cycles (especially in thrillers)
  • seasonal constraints (snow, harvest, monsoon)

If you don’t track durations, your story will eventually contradict itself.

4) Geography and Travel

Check:

  • distances and travel times
  • route constraints (mountain passes, borders, storms)
  • whether a location’s climate is stable across the story

A simple fix: define “standard travel times” between your core hubs.

5) Rules (Magic, Tech, Law, Religion)

Rules are promises.

Check:

  • what the rule is (in one sentence)
  • what it costs
  • what it prevents
  • known exceptions (and why they exist)

If you allow “rule bending” without tracking it, continuity becomes optional.

6) Factions and Resources

Many stories break when factions get convenient power.

Check:

  • what resources a faction has (money, troops, access)
  • what constraints exist
  • what changed recently (victory, loss, alliance)

If a faction suddenly can do something new, it must be earned or explained.

7) The Weekly Canon Review (15 Minutes)

Pick:

  • 5 new scenes (or 1 chapter)
  • 10 facts added this week

Then ask:

  • does any new fact conflict with an older one?
  • did we violate a rule for convenience?
  • do travel and time still make sense?

Fixing conflicts early is dramatically cheaper than fixing them in revision.

How Urdr Helps

Urdr stores worldbuilding as structured entities and attributes, which makes it easier to keep your canon organized and searchable. We’re also building a Consistency Engine to surface relevant prior facts when you add new ones — helping you catch contradictions earlier.

Next Step

If you want your continuity process to feel lightweight (but reliable):