Writing sequels
I just finished writing the first draft of my very first sequel! *Cheers*
And it was such a fun, and new, experience. So here's a few thoughts!
Don't forget to rehash key events or details from book 1
I don't mean write a whole summary or just info dump it in. But weave little reminders throughout the first couple pages for your readers. For example, at the end of book 1 my MC was hurt in a fight so, when the stitches pulled tight as she ran from point a to b, I mentioned that they were at the wound [villain] had given her two nights ago.
An example that comes to mind of this being done well is the Harry Potter series. But you'll find this is done in most, if not all sequels. So dive on into some a see how your favourite authors do this!
A pro: you don't have to spend time setting up your MC's
Everyone already knows who your mc is, and by now they're already on their journey. You might need to remind people of their goal (if there's an overarching plot), but you don't have to introduce them. Which, don't get me wrong, was fun for book 1, but this is book 2, there's things to be doing!
Coupled with this, is that your orphaned farm boy has already been sent on his journey, he's presumably lost his mentor figure by now, and he's moving into the next phase of life as the hero. (I joke, but do you see what I mean?) The story is progressing! It's so exciting!
You know your MC's
One of the reasons why writing a sequel is so different to a first book, is that you know your characters so much better than you did before. Even though I'd had everything plotted out before I'd even written book 1, writing my characters felt so much easier for book 2, because I've spent so much time with them. I know them so well now that, most of the time, their dialogue and actions came naturally.
Writing this book has been a completely different experience to book 1, mostly because I wrote them very differently. I just pumped out those words this time and never looked back. There's a lot of editing waiting for me, and I know I've actually under-written, but I loved every second of it.
Have you written a sequel? What did you love about it? What did you hate?
