Prequel Ideas

DMarie84 · Feb 25, 2009

It's so frustrating. Here I am trying to finish current book and other ideas of prequels to it are popping in my head. :Headbang:

Now I'm confused. I have to finish this current one, but how would I go about writing a prequel while this one is out on submission? I'm doubtful that the two prequels would have a chance at being published, since you know, they're prequels rather than sequels.

Anyway, now that you all are thoroughly confused, my question is this: do you know of any series where the prequels to a published book are released after? I can't think of any and probably for a good reason.
I don't want to scrap the two ideas, especially the one which I think has an incredibly compelling storyline.

Perhaps I shouldn't think of this at all and just focus on the current one. Curse my writer's ADD :tongue

Squidd · Feb 25, 2009

Well, if it isn't published after the original book, it isn't called a prequel. That's why the word was invented. If it was published first, it would be the original, and the other book would be the sequel.

The Magician's Nephew is a prequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Fletch Won and Fletch Too are prequels to Fletch. It happens. You're allowed to do it.

Lyra Jean · Feb 25, 2009

The PERN books by Anne McCaffery are a series that doesn't rely on reading them in order. I know a few people who have all the books and keep them in chronological story order and others who keep them in published order. So I think it's completely possible to do what you are saying.

If it works for Anne McCaffery why can't it work for you?

Judg · Feb 25, 2009

What Squid said.

MsGneiss · Feb 25, 2009

If the current book is solid enough, and has a sufficient following, it's not a big deal to sell a prequel. Just think of Asimov's books in the Foundation Universe. He sold Foundation, then a couple of sequels, then a couple of prequels. By the time he was done, his fans would buy up anything at all in that Universe - sequel, prequel, or otherwise. Of course that's an extreme example of a legendary writer, but I think the point still stands.

DMarie84 · Feb 25, 2009

Squidd said:
Well, if it isn't published after the original book, it isn't called a prequel. That's why the word was invented. If it was published first, it would be the original, and the other book would be the sequel.

The Magician's Nephew is a prequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Fletch Won and Fletch Too are prequels to Fletch. It happens. You're allowed to do it.

That makes sense. I suppose I didn't think it was a sequel since they would come before the original in the overall timeline. But thanks for clarifying!

And thanks for all the responses; I knew there were books out there that were published in this fashion (can't believe Chronicles of Narnia didn't cross my mind). I'll keep going with it.

Prawn · Feb 25, 2009

If this is your second book, there is nothing wrong with a sequel, just realize that if Book 1 doesn't sell, Book 2 won't either.

Danthia · Feb 26, 2009

You mentioned two prequels in your OP. There is always the possibility that you have a trilogy here, but you just happened to write the third book first

Might be worth exploring to see if you should write the first and try to sell that one first.

DMarie84 · Feb 26, 2009

Danthia said:
You mentioned two prequels in your OP. There is always the possibility that you have a trilogy here, but you just happened to write the third book first Might be worth exploring to see if you should write the first and try to sell that one first.

I could...but that would mean it would be years from now :tongue

I'll finish this one and figure it out from there. I don't want to stress over it now, but it was something that I wanted to put out there to see what opinions were.

I thank everyone for their input; I couldn't come up with any answers on my own.

DMarie84 · Feb 26, 2009

Prawn said:
If this is your second book, there is nothing wrong with a sequel, just realize that if Book 1 doesn't sell, Book 2 won't either.

True, but I'm going to be optimistic

At least if it doesn't pan out for the first one, I can write the other two and see if I can't at least get a sale out of one of those

Gillhoughly · Feb 26, 2009

Prequels can be tough to pull off unless you're really, really good.

The problem is that people who read the previous books know how things will turn out, and that guts your prequel work of any suspense that can make it a page-turner, however interesting the characters.

George Lucas found that out. I think the prequel films suck. Maybe if he'd had a better scriptwriter and a good director on them they'd be more watchable, but he didn't and they aren't. (DIE JAR-JAR! DIE-DIE-DIE!!!)

Recently a popular NYT bestselling writer was asked if he'd do a prequel for one of his series, and he wisely said no. "We all know the character had a rotten childhood, and going over it again in detail just wouldn't be as interesting as the stories about the man he grew up to be. Like any other person he will make references to past events, maybe share a recollection, but what's the point in doing a whole book when you know how it will end?"

Dave.C.Robinson · Feb 27, 2009

Regarding Anne McCaffrey: I read the White Dragon when it came out and loved it - then it was almost 20 years of prequels before we got what happened next.

Katherine Kurtz did the same kind of thing with her Deryni series, alternating moving the story forwards and exploring the previous history.

In both cases the end result for me was that the authors dropped off my must-read pile. As has already been said, many successful books start out when things are really really bad - prequels are often about how they got that way and that's not what I'm looking for in a book.

DMarie84 · Feb 27, 2009

Gillhoughly said:
The problem is that people who read the previous books know how things will turn out, and that guts your prequel work of any suspense that can make it a page-turner, however interesting the characters.

Even if the prequel doesn't involve the main character at all but a family member a few generations back?

I still want to write these, even if they never get published. I feel like both of the "prequels", especially the first one, are begging to be told. Or at least escape the confines of my brain :tongue

It may only be an unpublished manuscript or something that only close friends and family read.

BUT I wouldn't mind if I could get it published. I just wasn't sure how great the chances were.

Prequel Ideas

DMarie84

I wish I had a time machine

Squidd

the extra D is for "dashing"

Lyra Jean

Two years old now.

Judg

DISENCHANTED coming soon

MsGneiss

DMarie84

I wish I had a time machine

Prawn

Writing is finite,revising infinite

Danthia

DMarie84

I wish I had a time machine

DMarie84

I wish I had a time machine

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor

Dave.C.Robinson

... with the High Command

DMarie84

I wish I had a time machine