You’ve written the first book and
readers loved it. How can you match it? You really can’t. But there are ways of
continuing the joy.
What is the difference between
sequels, spin-offs and series books? We’ll use romantic suspense as the genre
(because that is what I am most familiar with).
A series consists of books with
similar circumstances but not the same characters; for instance a friend of
mine writes about the hunky firefighters of one department and that is the
similarity. While she may make a reference to one of the other firefighters now
and then they are really not pivotal to the new story at all. Each book in her
firefighter series is a totally new and unique story with the commonality of
the specific fire department. Each story can have its own starting point that
needn’t be dependent on the movement from the previous book.
In a spin-off (of which I’ve already
written two) you start with a specific set of characters and write their story.
During that story one of your supporting characters is created and interesting
enough to want more of, but does not monopolize the original story at all. In
the spin-off your original characters may or may not appear but they are
relegated to secondary characters. Your spin-off character should retain the memories
and growth from the first book. The story should not be a continuation, it
should be new and centered on this new cast of characters.
A sequel continues the journey of
your first characters and their story, however it is not the same story as
before. When writing a sequel it is crucial that you acknowledge the growth and
the memories from the first story. I am currently working on a sequel to my
paranormal romantic suspense. In the first book the heroine was in an abusive
relationship and was saved by a deputy sheriff investigating a series of
crimes. I had trouble starting the second book until another friend pointed out
that I had to allow for the changes in the characters’ circumstances and
remember that they were not the same people they were in the first book.
Between the different circumstances and the time that elapsed since the first
book ended, they were not really the “same” people they were a few months
before.
Think of your own family dynamics –
you and your best friend or partner are the main characters. In a series your
next book(s) may be stories about each of the cousins in this family with the
common theme being the family lineage and no real involvement in each story. A
spin-off might be a story about the friend who introduced you to your partner
and now moving on with a story of her own; this friend was relevant in some way
to the first story. In a sequel let’s go back to the main characters of the
first book and write a story that takes place a year (or so) later with new
challenges and plot twists.
Writing
Exercise: Free-write about your family
life, 30 minutes and anything. It does NOT have to be a cohesive story.
Writing Prompt: Make a chronological list of all of the major
life changing events you’ve experienced.
Challenge
Assignment: Like the example above, use
a basic group from your own world (life). Choose the two main characters for
the first book and write a very short story about a memorable moment. In any
order you want: write 1 to 2 stories from the series perspective; write a
spin-off using a minor but relevant character in the first book and write a
story focused around him/her; and write about the original 2 characters at a
later date and another memorable moment.
