Reply to Comment

I don't think adding rando letters to a bunch of numbers works well, its confusing.  

What I like is the "Star Date" idea, but when you pull out the decimal points it becomes just a string of numbers that can be confusing to new readers and it kinda gives me a headache.

Thoughts on a solution that would make use of both camps....

ERA.SERIES.BOOK NUMBER.YEAR.SUB-NUMBER

ME.Infected.2009.1- Infected  

GE.GFL.3.2864 The All-Pro

GE.GFL.3.2.2864- The Reporter

GE.GFL.3.3.2864- Some other book

The main story of that year would not receive a sub number as it is part of the main story line.  Only sub novels and side stories would receive those sub numbers.

If new major stories are being created in the same year then a new header, similar to the "GFL Book 1"

GE.ABC.1.2864- New Series taking place at the same time

As written on a book this could look something like this:

Infected

MODERN ERA

Infected Series

Book 1 2009

ME.Infected.1.2009

All-Pro

GFL ERA

GFL Series

Book 3 2864

GE.GFL.3.2864

The Reporter

GFL Era

GFL Series

Novella 2864

GE.GFL.3.2.2864

The only issue comes with EXACT chronology.  If part of book .3 starts before book .2 the exact chronology would get murky with this system. That being said a brief disclaimer at the front of a novel telling people that parts of this book take place during the same blah blah blah solves that problem.  

Overall, the benefits to a system like this outweigh the limitations.

Its simple, its easy to read and doesn't take an abacus and a minor in quantum physics to figure out.

It makes adding eras no problem and overlapping series less of an issue