Book Series question.

D.M.Drake · Nov 28, 2011

So, I have a series going. The first book is Ya, Paranormal. Easy, clear cut Genre.

The second book is NOT YA.

So when writing a series can I have book one be YA and book two not? I mean, it's still paranormal, but each book is a 'Stand alone' (Meaning you don't have to read each book in order to get it, each book is separate. Every book is about the 'race of people' though.)

I know this is probably a really dumb question, but my fear is that my YA book will draw teens to book two.... and while book two isn't anything a teen shouldn't read, it isn't YA. I worry it will throw the reader and an audience change in a series seems like a bad idea.

Like I said I am confused, so any comments/views/insight is welcome.

scarletpeaches · Nov 28, 2011

This is just my opinion as a reader, not a writer, but I'd find it jarring. One expects all books in a series to be the same genre at least, and I imagine it would be difficult, if not impossible, to find a publisher for a series that genre-hops.

Cyia · Nov 28, 2011

Here's the thing - IF you sign with a commercial publisher for a series, the contract is going to stipulate a few things like approx. word count, genre, etc. One of those stipulations will likely be that you stay in the same age range / genre as the original novel.

If your 2nd book strays too far from the 1st, your editor is going to call you on it because they've contracted for a very specific property.

D.M.Drake · Nov 28, 2011

I can beat the second book into submission, and I have considered scrapping it since it is the only planned book that doesn't fit. I have five outlined, plotted, planned books and only one is off. Plus ideas rolling in for more.

Thank you guys! This is helpful stuff!

Domino Derval · Nov 28, 2011

How is the second book not YA? Is the writing style more experimental? Are the teen characters grown or out of the picture? Does the content go past the standard YA tropes of murder, sex, and drugs into full-on American Psycho territory?

D.M.Drake · Nov 28, 2011

Domino Derval said:
How is the second book not YA? Is the writing style more experimental? Are the teen characters grown or out of the picture? Does the content go past the standard YA tropes of murder, sex, and drugs into full-on American Psycho territory?

It is a different set of people, they are not teens in this particular story. The voice is much older, the story more grown up, but not anything a teen couldn't read. It just isn't the same voice. The first book is written from the eyes of a 16 year-old girl. Book two is written from the view of a 20-something woman. She is cryptic, not playful, and has no memory of her life up to this point.

MJNL · Nov 28, 2011

Also, just because you've written two things in a shared universe that doesn't necessarily constitute a "series." If they stand alone, why not query them and sell them as stand alones?

CrastersBabies · Nov 28, 2011

I'd say that 20 is about the cut-off age for a YA story. But, other YA experts might know better.

D.M.Drake · Nov 28, 2011

MJNL said:
Also, just because you've written two things in a shared universe that doesn't necessarily constitute a "series." If they stand alone, why not query them and sell them as stand alones?

Well book one and three run parallel at one point in time. Its to show a second side of a situation that plays an important part in the MC's (In the third book) life.
The reason its a series it that it is a group of books telling the stories of the 'Skylar' (As I've names the race) I assumed (Please correct me if I am wrong here) That since they are the same subject, intersect at points and run parallel in a few that they were linked and I should announce that by making them a series. Since only one book doesn't fit I can trunk it until I figure out how to rewrite it, since the order is of no importance.

Domino Derval · Nov 28, 2011

Wouldn't it be easier to not query the first installment as YA? It might be a harder sell, but I'm fairly certain that not all books featuring young protagonists need to fall under the YA umbrella.

jjdebenedictis · Nov 28, 2011

You know, if your YA series proves popular, your publisher will be receptive to a "spin-off" novel that takes place in the same universe.

Don't scrap book 2, but shelve it for now. You may be able to sell it later.

SBibb · Nov 28, 2011

This is actually something I'm wondering about. Technically book one and two for me will be YA, but there's another series in the same world that is definatly not YA due to the age of the characters. Eventually, the books might parallel, if it goes how I imagine.

Good luck with yours.

D.M.Drake · Nov 28, 2011

Thank you everyone, turns out my husband/co writer had other plans. He published the first book without me knowing he was. I guess now I burn query letters? *confused and angry*

I will shelve the second book. I guess now... Um... I'll ugh... write book three as book two? I am so confused, I don't know what to do next.

courtneyv · Nov 28, 2011

I had the same problem. I have two stand alone books with many of the same characters in both. The first is YA, and the 2nd picks up ten years later. The 2nd book has three adult POVs, 1 teen and 1 child. It is not YA. And I may do a 3rd book. I didn't want to risk book 2 getting shelved, so I published with a small, independent company for this series so I could maintain creative control. Originally I was going to put out book 1 as adult, but with YA so hot, it is hard to convince the pros that your book with teen protags would sell better to adults. A book is always placed where it will find the most readers.

Normally when you're offered a multi-book contract by a big house, it's for the same market. I think I'd heard of one series several years back that did do that, and I thought it was about bulimia, but then I couldn't find it when I was in the query stage. However, not that it can't happen, but it is extremely rare to have a series cross genres.

Sorry your husband put out your book without consulting you first. If you only have it on smashwords and haven't sold any or many copies, then no one will even know it was out. You didn't even know. I would pull it, rename it and rework it some, then it won't be the same exact novel.

D.M.Drake · Nov 28, 2011

courtneyv said:
I had the same problem. I have two stand alone books with many of the same characters in both. The first is YA, and the 2nd picks up ten years later. The 2nd book has three adult POVs, 1 teen and 1 child. It is not YA. And I may do a 3rd book. I didn't want to risk book 2 getting shelved, so I published with a small, independent company for this series so I could maintain creative control. Originally I was going to put out book 1 as adult, but with YA so hot, it is hard to convince the pros that your book with teen protags would sell better to adults. A book is always placed where it will find the most readers.

Normally when you're offered a multi-book contract by a big house, it's for the same market. I think I'd heard of one series several years back that did do that, and I thought it was about bulimia, but then I couldn't find it when I was in the query stage. However, not that it can't happen, but it is extremely rare to have a series cross genres.

Sorry your husband put out your book without consulting you first. If you only have it on smashwords and haven't sold any or many copies, then no one will even know it was out. You didn't even know. I would pull it, rename it and rework it some, then it won't be the same exact novel.

It's already sold in the double digits. I think it is too late to hide it. It's only been out for three-ish is hours and its selling quickly. He didn't know any better, and I am happy it is selling, but I am still at a loss of how to handle the YA then not YA issue. lol.

Domino Derval · Nov 28, 2011

D.M.Drake said:
It's already sold in the double digits. I think it is too late to hide it. It's only been out for three-ish is hours and its selling quickly. He didn't know any better, and I am happy it is selling, but I am still at a loss of how to handle the YA then not YA issue. lol.

Isn't that the biggest upside to self-publishing, though? You can publish and market the series however you please?

D.M.Drake · Nov 28, 2011

Domino Derval said:
Isn't that the biggest upside to self-publishing, though? You can publish and market the series however you please?

This is true, but I still don't want to upseat the reader. It is all about them. I don't want the reader to think I... I don't know, betrayed them somehow. Or that my style changed or anything. Am I just being silly? I feel like I sound silly.

Darkshore · Nov 29, 2011

I think the process of writing a series of standalone books that essentially work as sequels is gaining a bit of support. They can be sequels, but if they can stand on their own sell them as such. Then your not going to have the problem of someone seeing book two or three on the shelf, but refusing to pick up the series because they can no longer find the first book on the shelves.

CrastersBabies · Nov 29, 2011

Self-published, your rules. I wouldn't sweat it. Consider your universe a playground where you can conjure up any story you please, YA or not.

I mean, (not to get all nerdy) but think of the Dungeons and Dragons, TSR novels. They'll have a universe (like Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk) and they'll have multiple books in each universe. Some books have "connecting" characters, other books aren't related in the slightest.

Maybe it's not a sequel but a shared universe. It's yours to create, do with it what you will.

If you say "sequel," you're telling the reader that this is the same main character (in a sense).

Comic books do it all the time--shared universe, different character.

The Avengers have their own "stories" in the same universe: Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, etc. Yet, they'll come together in a movie as well.

George RR Martin's Wild Card series has different characters per book in the same universe (written by different authors too).

D.M.Drake · Nov 29, 2011

CrastersBabies said:
Self-published, your rules. I wouldn't sweat it. Consider your universe a playground where you can conjure up any story you please, YA or not.

I mean, (not to get all nerdy) but think of the Dungeons and Dragons, TSR novels. They'll have a universe (like Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk) and they'll have multiple books in each universe. Some books have "connecting" characters, other books aren't related in the slightest.

Maybe it's not a sequel but a shared universe. It's yours to create, do with it what you will.

If you say "sequel," you're telling the reader that this is the same main character (in a sense).

Comic books do it all the time--shared universe, different character.

The Avengers have their own "stories" in the same universe: Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, etc. Yet, they'll come together in a movie as well.

George RR Martin's Wild Card series has different characters per book in the same universe (written by different authors too).

This is a great point! !

SRHowen · Nov 29, 2011

I can only say if my husband, even if he was a co-author, took my work and published it without consulting me--I'd be looking for a new husband.

CrastersBabies · Nov 29, 2011

SRHowen said:
I can only say if my husband, even if he was a co-author, took my work and published it without consulting me--I'd be looking for a new husband.

Yeah, my husband would be on his way to a lawyer.

D.M.Drake · Nov 29, 2011

He didn't know better. He thought I'd be happy. We (he) pulled it back, it needs work anyway. What a pain.

scarletpeaches · Nov 30, 2011

I'd go apeshit. Bang go your first rights. If my husband (if I had one) did this to me, he'd soon be my ex-husband.

D.M.Drake · Nov 30, 2011

Do first rights matter when your under a pen name?

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