VIKLIT |
Californians are celebrating rain. 9 inches in some spots last week.
RAIN
At the higher elevations we’re celebrating some fresh powder. I’ve seen cars with skis heading out of town! Proof that we have some white stuff in Tahoe.
SNOW
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Tip #5 How to Write Sequels
Author “. . .the advice I would give a person writing a sequel is to publish the books back to back. Put them all out at the same time or at least the first two if writing a trilogy.”
I can’t take this hint. I didn’t decide to write a sequel to Alligators Overhead until two years later. How do you feel about waiting a long time between series books to read them? I’m sure it’s harder work to re-interest readers and that’s why Rowlings and others kept ’em coming.
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I finished Julie Musil’s book, THE BOY WHO LOVED FIRE, last week and really enjoyed her fast-paced, page-turner story. Her protagonist is Manny, a boy who is self-centered and selfish, but who is given a chance to change his destiny, much in the same way as Scrooge. Musil cleverly brings her visiting spirits up-to-date for readers in this century and increases the tension to the very end of the story. While the story centers on a teen boy, it has an Everyman aspect that teen girls will also be caught up in.
If you haven’t signed up for the A to Z Blog Challenge, shame on you. Still time, though.
And if you like the idea of a beautiful BLITZ, sign up for that, too!
TBM says
Rain–I'm sure it was much needed. As for sequels I think it's best to release them as soon as possible, but I know I personally don't mind waiting for one as long as the first book was great. It's hard cranking them out as fast as the readers want them.
Joylene Nowell Butler says
We leave for back home Saturday to massive cold chills and plenty of snow. That's all I can say on that subject. Too depressing to say more. I'd take alligators over snow any day. Hey–love the trailer!
Old Kitty says
The pic of rain make the thought of rain so lovely!! Take care
x
J. Lenni Dorner says
Congrats on the rain. It's nice to see someone that is happy about snow. (On the east coast, many people have grown sick of it.)
I think the topic of time between squeals would depend on how in touch the writer is with the fan base. A social media savvy writer could probably get away with it easier. The question seems to be more of "How many (buying/shopping) readers have been checking if the author has another book coming?" than re-interesting. But a good book is always worth it!
Cecilia Robert says
aw..snow! I miss snow. We haven't had any since winter started. At least not in Vienna. Yay for the rain, π
Hmm sequels… I'm quite the slow writer, and I think no matter what, if you have fans who loved the first book, they'll read the second. As Lexa says, better to have quality than quantity. π
Happy Sunday!
DMS says
I have been seeing The Boy Who Loved Fire around and am so glad you enjoyed it.
Yeah for rain in CA! I know you guys needed it.
As for sequels- I do like when they come out close together, but when I love a book- I am okay if the sequel or next book in a series takes a while to come out. I know I will be picking up the sequel to Alligators Overhead when it comes out! So excited! π
~Jess
Ann Hinds says
I am hoping for rain too but in our area it's 20%. That leaves 80% no rain. I wish the percentages were better. Looking forward to the A to Z challenge as one of Teresa minions.
I like sequels and I don't care how long it takes till the next one as long as I know one is coming.
Arlee Bird says
They're predicting rain for the L.A. area at the end of next week. I hope we get a lot.
It makes more sense to me to keep the excitement of a series going by publishing books close together. Of course I guess it also depends on the nature of the series and how each book relates to the next.
Lee
Wrote By Rote
An A to Z Co-host blog
M. L. Swift says
Rain, snow…all welcome to the dry California climate. When I lived there, I remember the winter months as the months everything turned green. By summer, it was brown.
I think sequels should come back to back (not concurrently). I do have a series planned, but before ever releasing the first, I want to have the second completely finished and be working on the third. Be one ahead of the game.
M.L. Swift, Writer
Leslie S. Rose says
I know 32 kids who are going to do backflips when I tell them a sequel to Alligators Overhead is coming out. LOVED Julie's book!
Christine Rains says
If the book is good, I'll wait as long as it takes for a sequel. But I prefer not to wait that long. I think a year is a good standard. Have a lovely weekend!
klahanie says
Hey Lee,
Celebrity type lady, I have finally arrived. Yay and wow wee! Celebrating nine inches? Okay, moving swiftly on. I've been to Lake Tahoe. Yep, Bonanza was filmed there.
A sequel to a sequel to a sequel to a sequel, sequentially written in sequential order, does it for me.
Delighted you enjoyed "The boy who loved fire."
A to Z, well I guess, shame on me, then! Chuck some rotting vegetables at me.
Strangely enough, I'm part of that Blog Blitz thingy. However, I really get aggravated by those who comment on the blitzed person with just a reference to the blitz and not anything about the posting. That's very rude of them.
With that, I'm going now. Have a nice weekend, celebrity type lady.
Your forever starstruckest fan,
Gary π
Lexa Cain says
I think sequels should take as long as they take – like writing books. OK, it's great to get a bunch out and be creating your brand and everything, but wouldn't you rather be remembered for quality not quantity? I would. (Although I still wish I could write faster. π )
VikLit says
Pretty pictures!
Tyrean Martinson says
Love those photos – I'm glad you're enjoying the rain and snow as blessings! I keep hearing great things about The Boy Who Loved Fire.
and although I did plan the Trilogy for The Champion Trilogy, I just want to start getting the books out there. I wish I had followed this advice for sequels. Maybe with the next series. π
And A to Z – I wish, I wish, I wish – but so far, April looks crazy and I'm still on the fence.
S.K. Anthony says
Glad you're enjoying the rain, those are pretty pictures!
"Shame on you" hahaha…I'm all signed up. I'm very excited to participate the first time this year. I think that's great advice on sequels…I'm not one for them really, but you never know when a trilogy idea might hit me square in the brain lol
Enjoy your weekend π
Cherie Reich says
You can have the rain and snow. π
I'm of mixed opinions when it comes to sequels and how quickly they come out. I think having them out quickly can help build more rapid sales. People read book one, and they can jump in with book two, three, etc. At the same time, if the series has several books out, I might be hesitant to start book one, if I don't have time to sit down and read all of them. Sometimes it's nice to have some space between readings.
As a writer, a downside to getting several books in a series out quickly can also be if book one doesn't take off. Here you've wasted a lot of time on a series that very few people are reading. Of course, the flip side is they can get really popular that way too. You just don't know until you publish.
I'm spreading out my series a bit because I didn't want to have to wait one or two more years to get book one out when it's almost finished right now. It can be difficult to have the funds to publish a series quickly, if you don't already have some books out. That said, I do have some series in mind that I'm going to write 2-3 books and publish two at a time. It just depends.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Thanks so much for this great comment, Cherie. I see how these decisions are critical and certainly not easy to make.
Marcia says
Interesting about the sequels back to back. When I published in the CBA, they never published fewer than two at a time. That seems to be the advice given for SP, too — get them out AFAP so your audience doesn't leave. In mainstream trad publishing you had more time. Don't know how that might be changing.
C. Lee McKenzie says
It seems everything is faster. I'm not sure my brain is, however.
Julie Musil says
Lee, thanks for your kind words! I appreciate it.
Here in sunny so cal we only got a little bit of rain. I know we need it, but I sure do love this gorgeous weather. Should be in the high 70s today!
C. Lee McKenzie says
I know you guys are on the sunny side of the state. Hope we have enough water to share! Our reservoir is darned empty.
Congratulations on your book.
M.J. Fifield says
We're supposed to be getting rain here today, and I'm celebrating that because it isn't more snow. Of course, it'll freeze overnight, and tomorrow we'll have to deal with ice, but I'll worry about that later. Right now, I'm focusing on the fact that it's warm enough to rain!
And my plan with my trilogy is to publish each book a year apart. I don't know how that'll actually play out, but that is my plan.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Here's to those weather gods. May they look down on us with sympathy. Great plan. I think you're right on with that.
Angela Brown says
When you know you're writing a series, I can see turning out the books in a decent flurry with some short period of time between them. But if you don't know it's what you're going to do, well, the readers will read the sequel it when it becomes available.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I sure hope you're right, Angela! I'll let you know. π
Suzanne Furness says
Glad the rain is welcome in California. Here in UK we have had way too much of late!
C. Lee McKenzie says
I hear that. Shame we can't figure a way to spread that rain around a bit.
M. J. Joachim says
lol – Yes, you're all invited to join the Challenge! Please, sign up and join us π So glad to see California is finally getting some rain. It's so pretty when it rains there. Send some our way. We need it too!
MJ, A to Z Challenge Co-Host
Writing Tips
Effectively Human
Lots of Crochet Stitches
C. Lee McKenzie says
We need so much more of that wet stuff. Hope we get zillions of A to Z sign ups!
L. Diane Wolfe says
I churned out my five book series in a hurry, that's for sure.
That's good there's snow for skiing.
C. Lee McKenzie says
See, you're the smart one here.
Alex J. Cavanaugh says
Shame on you! Funny.
Glad you guys finally have some rain. We've had more than enough here on the East coast.
I messed up as well and didn't start writing my sequels until after the previous book came out. Of course, I never planned on sequels…
C. Lee McKenzie says
Glad I'm not the only one. Catching up is hard to do!