So my brain has been on fire the past four days! Writer’s high to the max, Ideas just itching and itching to get out of my head.
I finally made myself get started on the prequel to the other novel I’m wrapping up right now (which is off at a development editor), Hooligans in Shining Armour set in modern-day Belfast. I was putting it off because I don’t know why, probably because I didn’t feel like researching, but I finally found my spark. I’d already plotted it out a bit, which helped immensely. Plus as I was writing this, I found out I loved this character even more than I ever knew!
Anyway… Have you ever written a sequel or a prequel? What did your process look like for that? Is it easier or harder to write than the first?
Sarah J. Carlson 
Awesome, that’s really impressive 🙂
I’m currently editing what was going to be my novel, adding to it and salvaging bits and pieces. I think the technical term is a se-pre-in-between-quel. (Edit: Yes, just checked my dictionary, that’s the correct term.)
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It’s a bit ridiculous really lol what I’ve done in the past 4 days. And you taught me a new word. Maybe you’ll get multiple books out of it! Bonus! Happy rewriting!
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So many words in so little time! I left my book open ended for a sequel if I ever feel like writing one. I think it would be easier in some ways. Since I’ve already created the world, I’d have to decide on a cast of characters and go from there.
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Yeah that was my thinking too. I think what’s made this so easy is that it’s a prequel focusing on a central character who was not a POV character in the original. So I know where it has to end and that makes it easier. Plus I discovered while writing that I really love this character, probably more than the two in the first one lol. Also, I’d some of the research done already and I’ll have a lot of fleshing out to do 😛
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Blimey, what a word count! Congrats on that 😀
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Yeah it’s a bit ridiculous. I had it well plotted, know the characters well, and know how it will end. Plus I’m just really loving writing this POV character (he wasn’t one in the original).
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Nicely done! I’m in awe!!
I’m currently writing a sequel (which is the second in a series of seven). It’s difficult to say whether it’s easier or harder. I spent ten years gathering notes, writing, researching, and creating the new fantasy world that the books are steeped in. I was also finishing high school, college, and grad school while doing this. So now that I’m into book number two, I’m more aware of my writing style and where the story is going, as opposed to the first book, where I was learning more how to write. (Which is why it’s been edited a million times). I’m more confident as a writer with my second book, but I’m nervous about the sequel because I want it to measure up to the first book, which is think is pretty stinkin’ fabulous. It won’t take me nearly as long to finish the second book, but that doesn’t necessarily make it easier to write.
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That sounds like my first novel! Sci Fi, lots of world-building. Started in high school, ten years in the making. Had it finished a few years ago, had several sequel ideas, but tried to get it out there into the publishing world without luck. Learned SO MUCH in the process and really found my voice and honed my writing skills. Looking back on it, I still think there’s major plot issues. The current work I’m doing is realistic YA. It’s definitely hard to live up to something awesome though, especially when you’ve set the bar high. Scary!!! Happy writing!
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That’s tremendous! Good for you.
The difficult part for me of writing series is fitting in the back story a) in the right place and b) without it feeling like an info dump. My beta readers (who are the best beta readers on the planet) are indispensable in this regard.
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Yes, that’s always a challenge! Good beta readers are worth their weight in gold 🙂
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Congrats that’s an incredible word count. I tried to write a sequel to my first novel and it came way faster than the original because I already knew the world and the characters were the same. The only reason I never finished was because I wanted to write adult books instead of YA and decided to move on.
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Ah, I see! Well I suppose it’s always there if you ever change your mind. Definitely easier though 🙂
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WOW! That’s insane…I would probably be half comatose at that point, haha 🙂 Congrats! I started writing a sequel to my manuscript, and I think it really helped me focus and see where I wanted to go with it, and inspired a lot of changes to the first. Some secondary and minor characters jumped out at me in the sequel and made me fall in love with them so much more. I love when that happens!
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Yeah, I definitely went a bit mental. It’s already been plotted and I know how it ends and I know the character super well, so that made it much easier. Plus it turns out I really love this character, perhaps more than the POV characters in the original. Like what happened in your sequel! It’s also helping me re-think a few things in the original, too. Happy writing and thanks for stopping by 🙂
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Haha! The planning and plotting definitely help, but that’s still a feat! I loved mine from the second so much so, I made her into another POV in the first…funny how they kind of write themselves like that 🙂 Happy writing to you too!
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Nice! They do write themselves!! So I’m doing the prequel now. Then they’ll be the original. Then I’m going to do a sequel with all three as POV characters to wrap all their story lines up 🙂
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Oh wow! Go for it 🙂
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Best of luck on your sequel as well 🙂
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Thank you, you too! 🙂
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Fantastic! Have you remembered to eat and sleep? 😛 Let me borrow some of the creative flow!
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Haha that’s not been the most regimented, that whole eating and sleeping part. I’ll probably go comatose here pretty soon.
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