One or two books?

CJ.Wolfe · Aug 12, 2012

I'm currently working on a project which combines an alien encounter with the uprising of paranormal creatures, and eventually a zombie 'apocalypse'.

It's supposed to be a half humorous type novel, but at the moment I'm not sure if I should divide it into two books?

My original plan was to have the book be comprised of three parts. The first would be when the two aliens arrive, focusing on them and their adoption into the MC's (a little extravagant) family. 'NSA' then arrives to try and capture the aliens, but only succeed in getting one.

After this, some experimental seeds from the spaceship are planted by one of the family members. These seeds grow into four or five different types of flowers. Each flower releases a different type of 'virus' that alters or affects humans. Thus begins the second part of the book with the rising of my own take on vampires, werewolves, ghosts, demon children and faeries.

The MC and her family pretty much get infected first, but it takes a week or so before the effects are seen, in this time, they've started making jams from the flowers and selling them.

Then the flowers start getting crossbred, and the virus's start mixing and thus the zombie virus is created. One of the main group of characters gets infected and there is a rush to find a cure - which means finding the other alien and working on a cure (he is a scientist).

What I'm wondering is if that seems like too much? Would zombie fans be annoyed with how long it takes to actually get to the zombie part? Should I have the zombie virus released with the other virus's? Or keep it the way it is?

I'm not sure which way to go, and was hoping to get some advice.

Kerosene · Aug 12, 2012

CJ.Wolfe said:
What I'm wondering is if that seems like too much?

It depends on how you write it. Many books have much more complex plots, but the writer wrote it in a way that the reader didn't feel overwhelmed.

Would zombie fans be annoyed with how long it takes to actually get to the zombie part?

I would say yes, unless you give them heavy foreshadowing or something to taste while the main plot goes on (like news of the zombies rising around the world or something).

Should I have the zombie virus released with the other virus's? Or keep it the way it is?

Depends on how the story goes. That's your choice.

I'm not sure which way to go, and was hoping to get some advice.

If it's on one or two books, I'll tell you: Many writers write a very long story, to only go back later and hack it away. If you find yourself with either a lot of wasted scenes or things you don't need, the long story could be cut down.
To force it into two books would mean that each book would be a standalone while there is a main story to put them together.
The second book wouldn't be a continuation, but a escalation of events that the characters thought they stopped.

In the end, it's all up to you how to write and cut the story. I would tell you: Keep it one book and try to make is easy for the reader to understand.

WildScribe · Aug 12, 2012

How do you make jam from flowers?

Kerosene · Aug 12, 2012

WildScribe said:
How do you make jam from flowers?

I think she means jelly.

Pectin. Just about any liquid can be made into jelly with pectin. Jam uses the natural pectin in the fruit to make it solid.

I make cactus, jalapeno, kiwi and garlic jelly.

I've heard of people using flowers to make jelly, like rose jelly, but haven't tried too many myself.

rwm4768 · Aug 12, 2012

I don't really have any advice, but your book sounds awesome.

Tezzirax · Aug 13, 2012

It doesn't sound like too much to me. I also don't think breaking any story into two books would do anything to simplify a plot - though perhaps the re-writing of it to contour the drama to a two book format would.

I have a 1 book, 2 book or 3 book issue myself going on. But it is all tied to having a word count of 190k. I could split it roughly in half at the second act climax or split it into thirds at significant points of drama...but the problem for me is that without a complete game changing re-write I don't think either solution would yield a complete dramatic arc in all portions.

It's the story I wanted to write as of my complete first draft - I had intended it to be a big fricken story and thats what I got.

I can easily break it into multiple volumes but each volume won't have a cleanly complete dramatic arc - is that acceptable for the reader/agent/publisher?

So I have way more than a single book worth of book for a debut author - not a problem if I self-epub

TWErvin2 · Aug 14, 2012

If your target audience includes those that heavily read zombie apocalypse novels, then some action related to that part of the plotline would need to happen relatively soon in the novel. Word of mouth between folks who enjoy a certain subgenre can be important, and if a few apocalypse readers give it a try and are disappointed, saying to others who share the subgenre interest that nothing happens--like false advertisement until way into the novels, if they even read that far, it could turn off that possible reading group.

CJ.Wolfe · Aug 14, 2012

So would three or four chapters focusing on the aliens and the paranormals before the zombies start rising up be acceptable?

Otherwise I feel like I'm throwing all this info out there all at once and it could get a little confusing

JoBird · Aug 16, 2012

To me, it seems like you have a lot going on. I tend to think it could only work as one book if you streamlined it all together in your inciting incident.

For example, I think it would work fine if you focused on the capture of the aliens in chapter one (or at least in the first thirty pages). That's a physical thing that acts as a catalyst for the rest of the story. Now the flowers are left behind, and they can be planted.

Now each development that occurs because of the flowers can happen as a rising crisis, escalating in tension till your climax. The zombies could easily fall somewhere toward the midpoint of the novel.

This is just how I see it working as one novel -- you may have a vision for this outside of my ability to notice right now, so obviously take my thoughts with a grain of salt.

Essentially, my worry would be having the aliens captured too late in the novel. Then the question is: what's the inciting incident that propels the plot? In other words, I would fear that having the aliens captured too late would cause confusion as aspects of the world shifted too strongly after readers became comfortable with one scenario.

So, my advice for what it's worth: go with one book if the aliens are captured in chapter one, and two or three books if you want to spend a lot of time with the aliens before the flowers are planted.

CJ.Wolfe · Aug 16, 2012

JoBird said:
So, my advice for what it's worth: go with one book if the aliens are captured in chapter one, and two or three books if you want to spend a lot of time with the aliens before the flowers are planted.

Thank you

I had planned on the aliens being captured around about the beginning of the third chapter. The first chapter is only very short so from what you've said I feel this could work

One or two books?

CJ.Wolfe

Close your eyes and jump

Kerosene

Your Pixie Queen

WildScribe

Slave to the Wordcount

Kerosene

Your Pixie Queen

rwm4768

practical experience, FTW

Tezzirax

TWErvin2

Raises Turtles in his Basement

CJ.Wolfe

Close your eyes and jump

JoBird

CJ.Wolfe

Close your eyes and jump