My Sequelitis Is Flaring Up
As I mentioned yesterday, I jumped back into EXHALE, book 2 of my urban fantasy trilogy, over the weekend and sent the first few chapters to some new critique partners. I love sharing with new people who haven’t read the first book because I get a different perspective on the series. I intentionally sought out newbies because I want to be sure EXHALE can stand alone for those who didn’t read the first book.
Well…things aren’t looking so good on the stand-alone front. To say I’m disappointed is an understatement. I’d really hoped that once I got all the groundwork laid in INHALE, it would be a piece of piss to continue the world building in book 2, but I seem to have failed miserably. According to CPs, the world doesn’t make sense. Characters are confusing.
The world building in my urban fantasy series took an entire book to establish, and there’s plenty more to reveal in the sequels. How do I condense all that down to something easily digestible for new readers when it took me three years to get it half-way decent in the first book?
Should I not worry, say “Fuck it,” and hope the reader figures out what the hell is going on? Or do I spew off an info dump for the benefit of a small number of new readers to the series and risk book-closing boredom for the majority who already understand the world? An info dump is a huge tension and pacing killer, in my opinion. I don’t know any other way to sprinkle the little details in without murdering the pace.
Fuck.
Resident Geek suggested I write a two or three page set up and put it at the beginning of EXHALE, sort of like a prologue. I’m not a fan of this idea, but if it’s the best way to make it work, I guess I can do it.
I need some advice on how to proceed. Should I write the goddamn sequel without worrying about the few who didn’t read the first book and assume they’ll figure it out as they go? Or should I work harder at re-sprinkling world-building info throughout? I created a glossary for book one, but my editor doesn’t think I need it. Should I include it in EXHALE? Write a back story-laden prologue?
HELP! Somebody please tell me what to do!
Tags: Sequelitis
EXHALE, Revising | Kendall Grey May 31, 2011
22 Comments to “My Sequelitis Is Flaring Up”
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By Bonnie R. Paulson, May 31, 2011 @ 7:46 am
Hey!
Hang in there. Why don’t you write it, ram through and not worry about that part yet? Prologues suck the most and rarely lend any usefulness to the story.
I have to say, the world building in Potter and the Twilight series needed the first book to be full compressible – yours could be the same way.
You can do it!
By Kendall Grey, May 31, 2011 @ 7:53 am
Hi Bonnie! Welcome to Life Is but a Dream. :-)
The book is actually finished. I’m in revisions with crit partners now. My gut tells me not to worry too much about it since most readers will have already “gotten” the world through book 1. But it bugs me that there might be too much left out there hanging. I certainly don’t want to exclude/alienate new readers, but I simply don’t have the time or the inclination to spoon feed them everything they missed from the first book. It’s a tough call.
You may be right about the world building in HP and Twilight thing. Maybe people will just have to suck it up and buy the first book if they want to understand the others. :-)
By Alan Edwards, May 31, 2011 @ 8:06 am
I’ve been faced with the same problem as I finish the sequel to my book. Had a back-and-forth with someone who explained how important it was that the readers who start with book 2 will be confused and unsure of what or why things are happening.
Then I thought, who the fuck are these people?
Who picks up the Book 2 and expects it to be a stand-alone story? It’s like grabbing the Two Towers and expecting to understand the whole friggin’ trilogy. I did add a prologue, which is really just a single witness’ perspective of elements from the first book. I don’t think it helps anyone get up to speed, but it does start with zombie-crunchin’ so that’s a plus.
If there really is a small percentage of people in the world who buy sequel novels then get angsty when they don’t understand, I guess that’s part of the market I’m willing to bypass. Personally, I don’t think you should worry about it.
By Kendall Grey, May 31, 2011 @ 8:18 am
I agree, Alan. I *never* pick up a series mid-stream. I always start at the beginning. Why wouldn’t you? I guess I’m just a worry-wart and expect everything to go wrong. I’m nervous and questioning everything. At first I thought book 2 was awesome, but now that I’m getting back into revisions, I think it might suck. Self-doubt is rearing its ugly head again. I don’t like it.
By Alan Edwards, May 31, 2011 @ 8:31 am
I know (and hate) that feeling all too well. My own self-doubt has me sitting a few yeards short of the finish line looking back at how far I’ve come hating every bit of it. Not good. But I also know it’s me being too hard on myself. SO doubt yourself for a bit if you must: the rest of us will continue on believing in you.
By Kendall Grey, May 31, 2011 @ 8:43 am
You are too sweet. Thanks. I think some self-doubt is healthy, but sometimes we let it consume us. The curse of being a writer, I think.
By Carissa, May 31, 2011 @ 8:14 am
Oh, Kendall… :( You have not failed miserably at all! I think for me what would be helpful is even a brief setup with your main characters. Maybe a prologue sequence where Gavin (or Zoe) is remembering? Something a little more organic than “For scores and seven years ago…” You know? There are ways to be creative with it… you just have to find what works for you. Gah! I was hoping I didn’t freak you out… :S
By Kendall Grey, May 31, 2011 @ 8:25 am
You didn’t freak me out at all! I’m freaking out at myself. What the fuck do I do? How do I fix this? Is it fixable? Is it a waste of time? These are questions probably a lot of sequel writers face. I have a couple other CPs who’ve read the first book. If they have similar issues to yours on book 2, I’ll know for sure I need to layer in some back story. If they’re okay with the intro chapters, then I’m not gonna worry about it. It’s *most* important that the story makes sense in the greater scheme of the trilogy. I’m not going to blow my pacing by throwing in a bunch of stuff that *most* readers already know, but if I can find places to layer in stuff easily, I will.
Please don’t think I was freaking out on you! Not at all! I appreciate your comments. They’re just what I needed. :-)
By Carissa, May 31, 2011 @ 9:01 am
Whew… Seriously. I can’t shut my brain off from ideas sometimes. But there has to be a way to introduce a few more of the items. Maybe start it before Gavin sends for his “meeting” with Zoe? (But that’s not knowing how book 1 ended). There are a lot of ways you could take it and explain. I don’t think it’s a waste at all, just something worth elaborating a bit. :D As you said, though, it’s most important to keep in line with the series. Think about how Harry Potter did it. It was brief, but to the point. You can do it!!
By Kendall Grey, May 31, 2011 @ 9:17 am
Yeah, that is a great idea, but it would be backtracking into the end of book 1. The second book literally picks up *right* as the first one ends. I even backtracked a tiny bit to before the kiss in the opening of 2 (INHALE ends with him kissing her and introductions). I’ll look at it and see if there’s anything else I can add. Thanks for your help!
By Carissa, May 31, 2011 @ 10:41 am
What if the prologue included some of the last chapter? Hmmm… I don’t think I’m being much help! :S
By Kendall Grey, May 31, 2011 @ 6:53 pm
The opening of EXHALE already has part of INHALE’s last chapter, just from Gavin’s POV instead of Zoe’s. I’ll think of something. Thanks for your help!
By TL Jeffcoat, May 31, 2011 @ 8:39 am
Well it’s book 2 of a trilogy right? I don’t know anyone that starts with book 2 if it’s labeled as the 2nd part. Wait, I do know someone and he’s a dope. I wouldn’t sweat it too much.
By Kendall Grey, May 31, 2011 @ 8:41 am
Hahahaha! Thanks, dude. I appreciate your advice. :-)
By Erin Danzer, May 31, 2011 @ 8:44 am
I have to say, in my trilogy I sprinkled back story throughout the second and third books and it seemed to work. But the world was pretty simple. In what I’m working on now, I have a few flashbacks and explanations because the world is more complex. Of course, I’m still in the depths of writing book 2. Good luck! What you just said to Carissa seems to be what you want to keep in mind: “It’s *most* important that the story makes sense in the greater scheme of the trilogy.” Take a deep breath and stop freaking out. You can do it! You will figure it out!
By Kendall Grey, May 31, 2011 @ 9:20 am
I’ve sprinkled *some* back story through the opening chapters, but I don’t think it’s enough for new readers. Anything more is gonna kill the pacing (I actually feel like the pacing is too slow already). I’m going to give it a few days to settle and then go back to it fresh. Maybe something will spring to mind. :-)
By Gina Mosley Lamm, May 31, 2011 @ 9:41 am
STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!!
I am loving this book. If I inadvertently pick up book 2 first, and I get confused, but I like it as much as I’m liking yours, I STOP READING AND BUY BOOK 1.
You have an awesome story here. Do NOT give the exhaustive info dump it would take to get me up to speed. You’ll hate it, and it will slow the story. Pick up where you left off in book 1, keep a few mentions that other stuff happened before, and keep on rocking.
I demand that you stop hating on Kendall!
(this has been your Gina-rant of the day, brought to you by THE JUST BREATHE FAN CLUB)
By Kendall Grey, May 31, 2011 @ 9:51 am
I’m not hating on Kendall at all. I’m hating on Kendall’s inability to do what Kendall wants to do. I wish there were an easy way. I’m just frustrated with myself. Why can’t they just make an info dump machine that shits all the back story into the reader’s head before she picks up the book? Like you push the “INFO-DUMP” button, and presto! Literal shit for brains! Man, life would be much easier, wouldn’t it? Hahahaha!
By Lynn Rush, May 31, 2011 @ 10:43 am
I say write up the prologue-type thing, you don’t have to use it. Just do it and see how it looks/works. Then, at least you have it, and who knows, you might be able to work it into the story in the first couple of chapters.
I know in Gena Showalter’s the first few chapters are filled with info from the previous things. I often skim over that since I’ve read all the books, though. LOL.
Something will work out! :)
By Kendall Grey, May 31, 2011 @ 6:55 pm
Yeah, I may do the prologue thing just for me. I’ll also work on tossing in a few more explanations in the first couple of chapters. You’re right. I’ll think of something. :-)
By Ciara Knight, May 31, 2011 @ 8:19 pm
I’m just now trying to write a sequel. Wow, that’s tough. I like Lynn’s comment about a prologue. It could help. You just need to take a step back then go back to it. You’re a brilliant writer and I know you will figure it out.
By Brenda, June 1, 2011 @ 9:49 am
Brenda’s Two cents. Keep going. Keep writing. Press on. It’ll all work out in the end.