Writing a sequel (how to make your life easier when writing the second book)
Thank you to @through-shadows-falling for requesting this post. As I started planning this post, I reliased that I have never written a sequel. So, these tips are from research and the things I believe could help. They are not from personal experience.
1. Accept that it'll be harder than the first book
- I have heard this from so many authors. The pressure of writing the second book is intense; this is accepted across the board.
- So, before you go in, know that it will be more challenging. Prepare yourself for a process that may differ from that of writing your first book.
2. Outline
- Ideally, you should outline the entire series before you start. That doesn't mean that you have to have detailed outlines for each book.
- It just means that you have a good idea what will happen in each of the books in order to move the big plot forward. This way you know what to reveal and focus on in your first book. And you won't write yourself into the corner.
- However, if you haven't outlined the series, you still can. Create a somewhat detailed outline of the second book, keeping the first book at hand.
- Even if you're a pantser, I think some kind of outline will make the process much easier.
3. Series bible
- A series bible contains everything you need to know about your series. Character sheets. World-building. Outlines. Photos. Whatever.
- Once again, it would be ideal to make this before you start the series, but you can do this after having written the first book as well.
- Use whatever you established in the first book to consolidate everything you may need going forward.
- Then, keep this with you in order to maintain consistency and speed up the process.
- I haven't really used a series bible before, but many authors swear by it. So, it might be worth a try.
4. Keep the first book at hand
- Have the finished version of the first book with you while you write.
- This way, you can check details you need when writing the sequel.
5. Don't fix what ain't broken
- If your first book was a success or you liked it, don't try to change a lot of things in the sequel.
- If the writing style and plotting style worked, keep on that trend. Use what you already know works.
- You can obviously change things as you improve as a writer, but don't freak out over trying to make your sequel something completely new/different.
- Trust yourself. You've written a book before. You can do it again.
Those are as many tips as I can give without personal experience. I hope that this helps somewhat.
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