Hi! Your advice on breaking down plotting a story have been great! Do you by chance have any similar advice/breakdown on how to write a sequel or a next installment in a series?
I’m going to split this response in two, because before we talk about how to write a sequel, I think it’s helpful to talk about types of sequels and how they work. It’s not unusual that an author plans to write a sequel(s), but first has to pitch a book as stand-alone. It’s also not unusual for an author to plan a stand-alone, but land a multi-book deal, so it’s a good idea to give it some thought regardless. (Indie authors, you have more leeway with this, but there’s no reason not to consider sequels as well.)
Duologies. Increasingly popular, especially in YA, there’s a lot of advantages to the duology. Readership-wise, it’s easier to sell folks on a two-book series than a longer one, and if you’re writing for younger readers, you don’t have to worry about them outgrowing the series by the time the third or fourth book comes around. Duologies are good for tight-knit plots, first book cliffhangers, and I see them most commonly in fantasy and sci-fi. If you have a idea you know you can’t fit to one book, but aren’t sure you can manage three, consider the duology.
Trilogies. Still very common in adult sci-fi and fantasy. Good for long-reaching, expanded plots that need three books to cover, the final book dealing with the ultimate threat, finishing with a bang. If you want to do a trilogy, make sure you have a plan. The biggest issue trilogies face is readers dropping off after the second book, especially if it seems like the writer doesn’t know we’re they’re going.
Serial Stand-Alone books. Most common in mysteries, from cozy to police procedure, though you’ll also find it in urban fantasy. Stars the same characters, but deals with a different mystery (or monster) each time. Like a TV show, you’ll want a “series bible” for this in order to carry forward character development, but these books often operate as stand-alone stories for anyone picking them off the shelves. Interested in mysteries? Want to write the better version of Supernatural? This structure is for you.
The Episodic series. Useful for pretty much any genre, this type of series can’t really be read out of order. Like that part of Supernatural, where suddenly you had to know all the backstory from the last season (confession: I have not actually watched Supernatural), you’ll have to be familiar with the last book in order to fully understand the next, even though the problem or challenge might be completely different. A Song of Ice and Fire or Jonathan Stroud’s Lockwood and Co are good examples of this. Middle Grade also has a lot of these, like the Rick Riordan books.
Other:
- The-not-quite-sequels: Books that seem unconnected, but actually carry through key characters from the last book. Diana Wynne Jones was a master at this.
- Same World books: Just as it says, books based in the same world, but involves different characters. Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series is a good example of this.
- Anthology series: Linked by theme or similar elements. Really common in romance.
In picking the type of series you want to write, consider the following:
- How much story do I have to tell? If you’re focusing on a tight-knit, dynamic story focused on a character’s development, you’re going to want to lay out how long it’s going to take against the typical book lengths of the genre you’re writing for (remember, YA and MG tend to have strict word counts, and even adult fantasy readers might balk if your book becomes a doorstopper.) Duology/trilogies are your best bet here.
- Is there enough of the world to explore over multiple books? If you want to do a serial or episodic series, you’re going to have to consider how much you have to work with. On one hand, if it’s a mystery, you’ll never run out of murders. You also have plenty of slice-of-life situations and mythology to pull from if you’re leaning toward those directions. But you’ll need to determine that before you launch down that road.
- Consider your genre. Duologies/trilogies work well with sci-fi and fantasy. Literary novels are probably not going to get many sequels. Mysteries are going to lean toward stand-alone serials. Horror probably works best with episodic books, etc. You’re not limited by genre, of course, but it’s worth considering your audience and what they expect (and therefore will buy).
In Part 2, I’ll break down how to plot for your series, but I’m going to tackle that one tomorrow. Hope this helps in the meantime!
