Sequels?

Lindzy1954 · Apr 3, 2010

Happy Saturday everyone. I have a question for anyone out there who has written a book that leaves room for a sequel. I have written a YA novel entitled ARRIVED that can function as a stand-alone book but also leaves the door open for a sequel. Did you guys work on the sequel prior to getting representation for book 1 or did you wait until it was repped to devote time to it? I know agents like to know you have WIP's, but am torn between working on the sequel and starting a completely different project. Thoughts? Thanks guys!!

Sandy Shin · Apr 3, 2010

Most would advise that you work on a new project that you could potentially query instead of the sequel -- because the if the first book does not get representation/published, the sequel is useless. It's arguable that the skills you learn writing the sequel will be useful, but the same can be said of writing a new novel.

Parametric · Apr 3, 2010

Two novels in the same series = still only one shot at getting published. Given a choice of equally appealing novels to write, I'll take the one that gives me another shot.

kaitlin008 · Apr 3, 2010

Parametric said:
Two novels in the same series = still only one shot at getting published. Given a choice of equally appealing novels to write, I'll take the one that gives me another shot.

I agree with this. (And with what Sandy said).

However, if you want to write the sequel, write the sequel. Just know that it might not be advancing you toward getting an agent. If you don't care, then there's no reason at all not to write it.

Lindzy1954 · Apr 3, 2010

Hmmm, food for thought. I am thinking perhaps I should shelve my ideas for the sequel while I try to get the first one repped. If I start a new project now, at least if the other one never gets representation, I won't be stuck writing a sequel to it that I will likely abandon halfway through.

righthere · Apr 3, 2010

I had to decide this myself. I completed a young adult fantasy last year that I envision as part of a series. I have the whole series outlined. I really wanted to jump right in and start writing the second book. But, I went with a new book for exactly the same reasons the other posters are mentioning -- it gives you another shot. I didn't think I would be as excited for the new book because I spent so much time working on devloping my first book into a series that for a long time it was all I had thought about. But once I started on the new project, I became equally excited about it. And now ... I have another novel to query with. I will go back and write the series just because it's how I see the story and I want to write it -- successful or not. But, my goal is to get published so it was better for me to start something new.

maddicharmed · Apr 3, 2010

It can't hurt to write a sequel on the side while writing a completely different story. Maybe just put more attention towards the new story and go back to the sequel every now and then. Just a thought.

shaldna · Apr 4, 2010

The only novels I have written sequels to is a series where I had absolutely no intention of writing a sequel. My beta read it, then my friend read it. And after six months my friend went, 'So what happened to xyz?' and I thought, yeah, what did happen to them.

And she suggested a sequel. So I wrote one. And what was originally a stand alone novel is now a series of 5.

Lindzy1954 · Apr 4, 2010

shaldna said:
The only novels I have written sequels to is a series where I had absolutely no intention of writing a sequel. My beta read it, then my friend read it. And after six months my friend went, 'So what happened to xyz?' and I thought, yeah, what did happen to them.

And she suggested a sequel. So I wrote one. And what was originally a stand alone novel is now a series of 5.

Wow, a series of 5?? Congrats! Thanks for the awesome advice guys. Likely, I might try my hand at multitasking and go ahead and start the sequel but also have another WIP that is completely separate going at the same time. I have been planning to co-author a book with another writer friend of mine. . . this might be an ideal time to start that project.

jvc · Apr 4, 2010

Lindzy1954 said:
Happy Saturday everyone. I have a question for anyone out there who has written a book that leaves room for a sequel. I have written a YA novel entitled ARRIVED that can function as a stand-alone book but also leaves the door open for a sequel. Did you guys work on the sequel prior to getting representation for book 1 or did you wait until it was repped to devote time to it? I know agents like to know you have WIP's, but am torn between working on the sequel and starting a completely different project. Thoughts? Thanks guys!!

It depends if you're going to lead with your head or your heart. If you lead with your head then you shouldn't write the sequel until after you get it repped/published as the sequel is pretty much useless until then, as you need the first book to sell, well first. And if it doesn't then the second won't. On the other hand, if you lead with your heart and you're really into writing your current book and its sequel(s) and are keen to stay within the world you've created in them for a while longer, then you should go for that. You never know, writing the sequel may also give you ideas on how to improve the first novel to make it better and more likely to sell.

Lindzy1954 · Apr 4, 2010

jvc said:
It depends if you're going to lead with your head or your heart. If you lead with your head then you shouldn't write the sequel until after you get it repped/published as the sequel is pretty much useless until then, as you need the first book to sell, well first. And if it doesn't then the second won't. On the other hand, if you lead with your heart and you're really into writing your current book and its sequel(s) and are keen to stay within the world you've created in them for a while longer, then you should go for that. You never know, writing the sequel may also give you ideas on how to improve the first novel to make it better and more likely to sell.

Really good point. In fact, I have become all-consumed recently by my characters and perhaps given my mindset, I might be most efficient at working on the sequel. This certainly can't hurt my chances on book 1 and should hopefully help me to hone my writing skills as well. Again, excellent distinction between leading with the head vs. the heart.

emma_kate · Apr 5, 2010

I always have and will always primarily write for fun, whether or not it ends up becoming a profession (and I seriously hope it does!). So I'll be working on the sequel to my book when the first one is complete, for fun, whilst tossing around some other ideas too. Write what you want to - if being published isn't a "must" and your heart is with the sequel, write it.

shaldna · Apr 5, 2010

emma_kate said:
I always have and will always primarily write for fun, whether or not it ends up becoming a profession (and I seriously hope it does!). So I'll be working on the sequel to my book when the first one is complete, for fun, whilst tossing around some other ideas too. Write what you want to - if being published isn't a "must" and your heart is with the sequel, write it.

This is probably the most healthy outlook I've seen for a while.

It should be fun. Always.

DrZoidberg · Apr 5, 2010

Lindzy1954 said:
Happy Saturday everyone. I have a question for anyone out there who has written a book that leaves room for a sequel. I have written a YA novel entitled ARRIVED that can function as a stand-alone book but also leaves the door open for a sequel. Did you guys work on the sequel prior to getting representation for book 1 or did you wait until it was repped to devote time to it? I know agents like to know you have WIP's, but am torn between working on the sequel and starting a completely different project. Thoughts? Thanks guys!!

You can still do an outline for a sequel. There's little lost energy for that. I almost always create an outline for a sequel (or more) just in case. You never know. It would just suck so much if you want to make a sequel and there's all these things you could have had in that first book that would allow you to make this second book greatest but didn't.

But as others have said. There's no point actually writing it until you know you've got a publisher who wants your first book. Once a publisher takes your first book on you've got to be prepared that the editing might get brutal. You don't want a situation where you've got a finished sequel that after editing doesn't follow logically from the first story.

timewaster · Apr 5, 2010

Lindzy1954 said:
Happy Saturday everyone. I have a question for anyone out there who has written a book that leaves room for a sequel. I have written a YA novel entitled ARRIVED that can function as a stand-alone book but also leaves the door open for a sequel. Did you guys work on the sequel prior to getting representation for book 1 or did you wait until it was repped to devote time to it? I know agents like to know you have WIP's, but am torn between working on the sequel and starting a completely different project. Thoughts? Thanks guys!!

I would start a different project.
My first novel Warriors of Alavna ( pub 2000) like yours had room for a sequel but the publisher took a stand alone next. Warriors of Camlann , the sequel to the first came out in 2003. I then wrote several more stand alones before finally coming up with an idea that the publisher liked enough for book three -Warriors of Ethandun which came out last year. The previous ones were rejacketed and got some really great reviews. I don't know if it might have been better to have had them released more conventionally. I'll never know.

jmascia · Apr 5, 2010

I planned out the sequel to my book, High School Heroes, getting all the details that I wanted to put into it. However, I didn't write anything until after I was picked up by a publisher.

The funny thing was, my publisher actually said to me, she hoped I had a sequel planned for it. The first book comes out in a few months, but I am already almost done with the first draft of the sequel now.

Hope this helps.

Lindzy1954 · Apr 5, 2010

Wow, so exciting to hear from several authors who actually have been through this. I can only hope I get my first book to the stage where a publisher is dictating to me

I love the idea of outlining for a sequel right now and potentially starting a sep. work. That way, I won't lose the ideas and energy for the sequel but if it never gets used, I haven't wasted a ton of time and resources. Though, there sure is something to be said for "writing for fun" - that's how we all started right?

Sequels?

Lindzy1954

Chi-Town Scribbler

Sandy Shin

procrastinating, clearly

Parametric

kaitlin008

Seeing newness all the time

Lindzy1954

Chi-Town Scribbler

righthere

maddicharmed

I'm not the writer I used to be.

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

Lindzy1954

Chi-Town Scribbler

jvc

Fearsome Dragon Mod

Lindzy1954

Chi-Town Scribbler

emma_kate

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

DrZoidberg

aka TomOfSweden

timewaster

present

jmascia

Lindzy1954

Chi-Town Scribbler