I love sequels. I love getting to take those characters out on another hair-brained adventure. It's the nature of us as humans to crave very strongly the "Same but Different" feel that a really good sequel is supposed to give you. I love sequels.
Right up until the moment I'm the one writing it.
With sequels, part of the problem is that we've been training to write the first book in a series, not the last book or the middle book. One thing we have going for us is that there are some really amazing sequels out there:
The Empire Strikes Back
and, umm, you know, that other sequel...
Okay, I'm gonna level with you, there are very few sequels that make me happy that I'm dealing with a sequel. There's something about sequels that make me tremble in fear. Largely, the biggest fear is that people lose their ability to tell stories. For instance, the reboot of StarTrek: the absolute pinnacle of the movie (for tension purposes) happens 15 minutes before the end, and then Spock goes and punches out Khan. *sigh* And this is a common problem in sequels. The actual beats are misinterpreted by the very people in charge of making the sequel. And I live in fear that I'm also making those mistakes.
Of course, the real problem with writing a sequel is This Song!
(That's what we do in Hollywood)
(And everybody knows that the sequel isn't quite as good...)
Well, if you're doing a sequel, then that must mean the first one was a hit, right?
ReplyDeleteYes! And for this I am eternally grateful to all the people who have read and reviewed my book!
DeleteGood luck with the sequel. I've never attempted one, because my books don't lend themselves to it (aside from the ones that none of my novels have been published, of course!)
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing about this book was that I left it open for a sequel, but I didn't plan to write one. I thought the book would never get picked up. Shows what I know...
DeleteI think I have the opposite problem: I plan for sequels for easily 90% of the stuff I plot, and I've never gotten to write any of them. :P But I'm glad you get to do this one, and I hope it goes well.
ReplyDeleteA lot of sequels make the mistake of trying explain stuff that didn't need explaining in the first book/movie.
ReplyDelete