After you release a book, it doesn’t take long for people to ask, “When is the sequel coming out?” The question is a compliment, as it means they enjoyed the story and want to read more about the characters. If you haven’t considered the possibility of a sequel, however, it can leave you tongue-tied, perhaps making you wonder, “Should I write one or not?”
How do you decide whether to continue a story and possibly roll it into a series, or to leave it as a standalone book?
Back in his days of playing Superman™ on the big screen, Christopher Reeve told an interviewer that Hollywood had sequel-itis, cranking out sequel after sequel when a film did well. He was clearly frustrated with how the original movie’s follow-ups turned out, as they didn’t meet with the same type of success. Stars like him also seem to grow tired of playing the same character time and time again, not enjoying that it labels them as only capable of playing that kind of character.
Though books and their authors may not face that level of pressure, the same result can happen. If we indulge every request for a sequel without a good plot in mind for one, we could make the mistake of pushing one out that doesn’t measure up to the original. That could taint our reputation, appearing to be just a one trick pony.
When I started out writing, I didn’t think I would write any sequels at any point in my career because of this threat. Having watched and read plenty of sequels that were just disappointments, I didn’t want to run the chance of letting readers—if I ever had any—down. Even my favorite author, who I won’t name today, put out a sequel to one of his beloved novels that paled in comparison to the first book, in my opinion, anyhow. When I was finally coerced into composing a follow-up to Husband in Hiding, I went into it with much trepidation and only began it once I had a viable concept in mind. (See Brother of Interest Release: Sculpting a Sequel)
In this case, I came to revel in continuing the Avery family’s storyline, so much so that I wrote another two. My approach to it was to make the plot different from its forerunner, in order that readers wouldn’t be as prone to compare the two, like they might with a sequel called Wife in Hiding! Along with that, I didn’t want to undo everything I reconstructed at the end of the book, but instead, I wanted to build on those resolutions and carry them into other twists. At the same time, I endeavored to preserve the family dynamics that readers and I could resonate with and enjoy rediscovering.
The biggest thing to consider in this “Do I or Don’t I” debate as an author is if there are bigger character arcs to be had or if you’ve taken them as far as you can. This doesn’t always depend on age, either. Obviously, if you truly killed off one, you wouldn’t continue their arc, unless you write in a genre with alternate universes or similar fantastical twists. Even if characters live happily ever after, you may decide there isn’t another set of circumstances that would draw readers as well as the original.
A major factor for me personally is how much I’ve already revealed about the characters’ pasts and futures. I love creating flashbacks throughout plots and at times, have jumped ahead to the future in the epilogue. With those, I feel I’ve given a complete cross-section of their arcs, and it wouldn’t do them justice to return to them. I’d rather leave it lay, with readers hopefully satisfied with the conclusion.
All said and done, there’s no one answer about how to decide what’s right for you and the individual story. It can be good to listen to readers and confidantes about possible sequels (or prequels), but your own instinct can serve you well, too. With any story, the author needs passion, which will translate to readers and engage them. If you don’t have that craving for more, it might be best to leave your readers with that one destination to explore however many times they’d like. If you have that desire, though, go for it, like a locomotive barreling from one train station to the next, delighting passengers the whole way.
On the other hand, what if you feel you can continue the trip but with another character leading the way? Find out in my next post.
KarinaBartow.com 