4 Tips for Writing Sequels (Fiction Writing Advice)
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- Опубликовано: 13 июл 2024
- Planning to write a sequel? Don't make the sames mistakes I made.
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0:00 Intro
1:00 #1
1:47 #2
2:41 #3
4:18 #4
5:00 Outro
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I think it's important to raise the stakes in a sequel, so I'm scared my sequels wont be as strong as the first two books.
Excellent point. I wish I mentioned raising stakes in this video. Think I'll pin your comment to the top--thanks!
Absolutely! Book 1 in my series is decently tame, but I manage to ramp things up pretty steadily in Book 2 and have some great ideas on how to take that even further in Book 3.
I think there is the 5th tip. Plan out the sequels before you write the first book. It makes it easier to ensure it is its own story. Plus you can set up hits in the first book. Nothing too big. Just nuggets that will reward readers. Also, this way, if you have an idea that you think would be better for book 3 or the last book, you can do that. The key to this tip is, you need to make sure you update the plan for the sequels after you've written the first book. Things will change while writing and if you don't update the plan, it will cause problems.
Updating the plan for the sequel (after the first book) is quite important. It saves so much time.
@@suleimanayuba6976 Yes it does.
I defs didn't plan my sequels first because I didn't know I was going to write them. And that's okay. As long as you can expand on the first book in a meaningful, interesting, exiting way with higher stakes.
And I did.
@@avivastudios2311 If that works for you. Great. However, it is easier when you plan them all together.
@@TimRG I tried planning out my trilogy in advance, but the plan completely changed whenever I hit the drafting stage for Book 2.
I think it's because I try to play it safe with a large-scale plan, but I love to take risks while writing.
You nailed it when you said "freshen your concept". This is why, to this day, I love Back To The Future Part 2 and hate Back To The Future Part 3.
In the first movie, the time machine was just a narrative expedient to throw the main character into an unfamiliar place, make him live his adventure, and make him return home at the end.
In the second movie, the time machine became a tool to solve problem. There wasn't just a departure from, and a return to, the ordinary world, because the characters were always travelling, always actively using the time machine to do new things.
And the third movie fell flat because it returned to the exhausted formula. Main character goes to an unfamiliar place, lives his adventure, returns home, the end.
Man I'm so glad I found your channel. I just love how you teach things and give us the visuals! I'm scared to write a sequel because I've never written one before (other than fanfiction). These tips will make me feel more confident when it's time for me to write a sequel though!
Thrilled to hear the channel's helping! Did you learn anything worthwhile from that fanfiction sequel you wrote?
What scares you most about writing sequels? Let us know!
This was remarkably helpful. Thanks. I'm currently writing a story that has the 'potential' to be have a sequel written and the things that you outlined have all been passing through my head.
Sometimes is nice to know that there are others 'out there' who share your pain.
The scary thing is that most stories have the potential for sequels.
Sequels are such a challenge though. You have to try to match (or exceed) the quality of Book 1 while not reusing your best tricks from Book 1. It's maddening.
I think what scares me the most about writing sequels is the question: could this "idea" for a sequel be enough for another book. I have taken time to think about whether to write a sequel and believe there are more stories to tell for my characters after the events of book one and yet there is that concern. This video helped. I especially appreciated learning about striving to make a sequel a stand alone book. Thank you for sharing this video, it is greatly appreciated!
5:05 what scares me the most is to know if it’s necessary or not even if the public wants a sequel or how to continue a story with a suspense ending
Best advice I’ve heard on sequels yet.
The thing that scares me the most about writing sequels is getting tied to writing a series that I really didn't plan on when I could be writing something I'd enjoy more.
Great video Brandon. I've just found your channel and have been binge watching it.
I LOVE writing sequels. I've got 4 books planned for the first series, and have just come up with a 3rd story for my other one. Once I've written them I'm going to publish them
Thank you so much, Brandon, for these tips on writing sequels.
You got it. Thanks for watching!
Excellent video Brandon! Thank you for the sequel advice, I will return to this after my first story is complete :)
Awesome, best of luck!
What I've learned is that you have to do both. In some instances, you need to think about it as Book 2 in a trilogy. In other instances, you need to think of Book 2 as simply a standalone. Because both are true and both matter depending on what kind of situation you're in. But it does take some mental work to really consider a book that maybe your mind defaults in "2 of 3" and just think of it as a standalone or the other way around.
Good stuff, thanks for this video. It's timely.
And thanks for throwing some sequel tips my way back in Montreal!
Every book in a series must have its own story and plot. To be clear, pot is simply the flow of the sequence of events, story is the growth of character. The problem is if your MC becomes fully realized in the first book, their story ends there. The trick is in understanding that we all have more than one lesson to learn in life. The magic happens when the MC's lesson in book 1 leads to the lesson in book 2 and so on. This is where the craft truly begins.
Great call on having more than one lesson to learn
If appropriate for the series, different stories can have different main characters, thus sidestepping this problem.
@@Rezzanine It can be tricky though, because oftentimes audiences come in expecting the same core group of characters
@@WriterBrandonMcNulty It depends on the nature of the series. For example, it would probably be fine for the first sequel (it could even be from the perspective of one of the existing characters, just one who was not the POV character originally). However once the POV precedent for the series has been set, readers will expect the author to follow it accordingly.
@@Rezzanine Joe Abercrombie's Shattered Sea trilogy pulled it off pretty well... Each book had a new set of characters, with references to the ones from previous books. That said, it took some adjusting when I started Book 2 and realized it was going in a different direction, cast-wise.
Good stuff
Thanks!
The thing that scares me the most about writing my sequel is that the first book isnt out yet, and if that flops the entiriety of what I have wrote for book 2 so far is going to feel like a huge waste of time.
Very helpful and exciting video. I usually break my novels into several books and spinoffs to avoid them being super long. Standalone sequels work more with action or books that had an ending in book one.
Interesting. Your technique reminds me of what Tolkien did with Lord of the Rings... wrote a massive novel and chopped it into three smaller books for convenience.
@@WriterBrandonMcNulty That made me smile. But, your points in video is still valid for someone. I thoroughly enjoy your videos. Thanks for the help you give us.
@@berry186 Thanks for watching week after week!
I think tip 4 wouldn’t work if your great ideas would apply best to your next installments themes if you’ve already thought of them
I was writing a story and got through the 4th draft. When I got towards the sequel. I got so drained from editing and figuring out the characters. I got stuck on writing the sequel. I wrote another story. To take a break and I can’t write a sequel to that one.
For me, I don't think I'd even attempt a sequel until the first book is completely finished. Too many things can change, and that would drive me nuts
Thanks! I actually just finished draft 6 in mid April and have the characters and story figured out and concluded. So now drafting the sequel feels like a breath of fresh air since everything is concluded and the characters feel different than when the started since I was able to conclude them in the first one.
so are u supposed to make the sequals as your planning the book?
Ideally, yes, but you can write the book, then come up with the sequel afterwards.
What if you're writing a fanfiction sequel to something else?