tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post4804174985743065862..comments2024-03-28T05:13:12.886-04:00Comments on QueryTracker Blog: SequelsPatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17771807777617244491noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-16109047755269402282011-03-17T02:54:37.813-04:002011-03-17T02:54:37.813-04:00Great post! I'm just starting to work on a seq...Great post! I'm just starting to work on a sequel and have been thinking quite a bit about the inner conflict/ need of the MC and how this carries through both books. Your post has helped clarify a few points. So thanks!Claire Merlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07566685720094646776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-72039404207156962432011-03-16T15:58:38.746-04:002011-03-16T15:58:38.746-04:00Great advice and this is all very timely for the p...Great advice and this is all very timely for the particular story I'm working on. Thanks Jane, this is a jewel of a post.Lydia Kanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00484415427764822386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-22606061429904630972011-03-16T00:26:57.189-04:002011-03-16T00:26:57.189-04:00This is the best advice on sequels I have ever hea...This is the best advice on sequels I have ever heard.Janehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16920417277502520570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-27364472497675774232011-03-15T12:49:28.235-04:002011-03-15T12:49:28.235-04:00Great post! Definitely something to keep in mind w...Great post! Definitely something to keep in mind when considering a sequel.Cherie Reichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16663147386014122939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-3784694664667541652011-03-15T00:18:40.239-04:002011-03-15T00:18:40.239-04:00Thanks, Jane, for the great post. My current WIP e...Thanks, Jane, for the great post. My current WIP ends in a way that begs for a sequel. I could tie it all up in an epilogue, but that just doesn't seem to be enough. There're so many miss opportunities if I do that, and the mc has a number of new problems because of the climax which require a new story to resolve them. Now I know it's not the end of the world as long as the story arc for the first book is resolved in the first book. :DStinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11415189347501942340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-84812860517581606642011-03-14T21:50:11.603-04:002011-03-14T21:50:11.603-04:00This is some good stuff to hear. I'll be writi...This is some good stuff to hear. I'll be writing a sequel to one of my novels, and I always had a sequel in mind while writing the first book. It's good to know what to look for and how to tool the story around what needs to happen and what needs to be resolved in the end.<br /><br />Having said that, I do have another novel that I never wanted to write a sequel to, and after reading it through I'm certain that one would never work and that this is the one story for these characters.<br /><br />Good advice! Thanks!Mary Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09429769115085903305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-66868621990887142302011-03-14T18:53:45.723-04:002011-03-14T18:53:45.723-04:00Thanks, Jane. Your thoughts on sequels really hit ...Thanks, Jane. Your thoughts on sequels really hit home for me. That is just what I am struggling with now.<br />Peggy Thomas<br />author of Farmer George Plants a Nation and Anatomy of Nonfiction.Peggy Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17783764591208338610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-26810387482388276492011-03-14T16:29:26.603-04:002011-03-14T16:29:26.603-04:00Your blog it timely and mimics my thoughts on the ...Your blog it timely and mimics my thoughts on the matter. Often writers think just because they have a character that works, that they can and should write a sequel. If only it were that simple. Thanks.Lorihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00627753507423390187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-85252531147525544262011-03-14T14:45:37.949-04:002011-03-14T14:45:37.949-04:00Great post, Jane! Now I'm off to share it! ;)Great post, Jane! Now I'm off to share it! ;)Jessica L. Brooks (coffeelvnmom)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17524862571932528710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-65246837905483046232011-03-14T14:40:45.049-04:002011-03-14T14:40:45.049-04:00These are great points, Jane. I've started seq...These are great points, Jane. I've started sequels to books in the past, then when their predecessor didn't find a home, I trunked them. Now i have the first book in a series being published by Luna this fall and the sequel will come out six months later. That 2nd book sold on proposal, so I had to figure out fairly quickly how to tie that 2nd story to the first and give it its own hint for a 3rd book to follow (in the event there is one ).<br /><br />Now I wish I'd tried my hand at writing a sequel before selling a series potential book. But I'm really enjoying writing it though, and it's a bit easier than writing a first book since the main characters are already fleshed out. To add to what you've said, Jane, I'll also point out that the world you build and the mythology behind it plays a big part in how you develope a series. There are nuances there you can build on that enhance an over-arcing plot and enrich the characters' arcs as well. Just something to consider when planning a series potential book. :)Karen Duvallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01839711547501582977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-49367899901642596502011-03-14T13:44:39.872-04:002011-03-14T13:44:39.872-04:00This is so helpful. I don't think I've hea...This is so helpful. I don't think I've heard it explained this way before either and it makes so much sense. Thanks. <br /><br />It is a tightrope. I don't like it when a book leaves too much hanging and I have to wait a whole year to find out what happens next. But I like your agent's idea of planting a hint of where a second book could lead, should the publishing universe be aligned in the writer's favor.Paulahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00452401401599690217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-41557436041226648882011-03-14T13:43:33.252-04:002011-03-14T13:43:33.252-04:00Thanks for this, Jane.
While subbing the first bo...Thanks for this, Jane.<br /><br />While subbing the first book in my psychological thriller series, I had an editor advise me to create at least a five-book character arc. Being a pantser, this wasn't easy to do, but I did it.<br /><br />Though she eventually rejected the story, I've been working on the sequel while sending out the first one. It's been like trudging through mud. Thanks to your post, I realize I wasn't exploring the complexity of the character arcs. I wasn't going deep enough.<br /><br />The plot is now flowing, the characters are back to where they were in the first story, full of angst and unspoken needs, though a few have been satisfied, and struggling to achieve what they long for.Liz Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16180479569061126989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-20353191963767171572011-03-14T11:08:24.908-04:002011-03-14T11:08:24.908-04:00Thank you for this post, it really has helped me g...Thank you for this post, it really has helped me get a better idea as to how sequels need to tie into each other. I'm please to say that my last chapter definitely points to the direction of where the sequel will begin so I am quite happy I've done this already.<br />AlannahAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-70694751728662701522011-03-14T10:30:44.517-04:002011-03-14T10:30:44.517-04:00Love all your posts, Jane, but this is especially ...Love all your posts, Jane, but this is especially useful and well thought out. My WIP, which hopes to be the first in a series, creates these kinds of challenges. <br /><br />How much of my characters needs should be resolved in the first book and what kinds of set-ups/clues can I include without giving away plot twists? <br /><br />Your post helps me think through some of these issues in a broader way. (I'm giving you a shout out on my little blog.)<br /><br />Thanks again for your great posts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-87870658170817793962011-03-14T10:21:57.351-04:002011-03-14T10:21:57.351-04:00Thank you for this post. I'm a pre-published a...Thank you for this post. I'm a pre-published author and I had this idea that I wanted to carry over three books. The first story flowed easily (with the usual drop-a-chapter-add-a-chapter;) ) The second book,howerver, was like running in water. But your post gave me the plot point that was missing.<br />So thanks again<br />Judie TroyanskyJudiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02315372249653577551noreply@blogger.com