The Beginning of the Sequel

[introvert_girl]

I’m on the quest for tips on writing the opening of a second book. It has different needs/challenges from the opening of a standalone or first book in a series. I’d like to hear some wisdom from fellow kapeefers! 🙂
(Answers can address the first page, first act, whatever.)

@dekreel @dragon-snapper @valtmy @anyone

And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

[MNValentine]

How did the first book end? That’s really important when it comes to starting a second book.

In general, a second book beginning should include a brief review – not a super long, in depth info dump – of the last book. If it has skipped time between books, you need to set up what the characters’ lives have been like and are now like since the reader last saw them.

What part of the plot are you covering in the first part of this book?

Silence! Silence everyone, for the king's speech!

[introvert_girl]

@mnvalentine Yes! I think showing the reader who the characters are presently and how things around them are different now is very important.
Is it necessary to review events of the previous book if they’re not relevant to the current events?
And I’m not sure I quite understand your last question. Could you maybe elaborate a bit?

(Also, I love your signature haha)

And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

[valtmy]

@introvert_girl

Hi! Just some tips…

• If events that happened in the previous book are not important, then there is no need to cover them again. Just cover the main points.
• Please don’t have a “nothing happened” time jump between books. Your characters will not seem active if they just sat around for a couple of months/years.
• Weave in a summary of what happened in the previous book and in the time jump as you write about new scenes or events (avoid infodumps going on for pages or paragraphs which will slow down the pacing).
• Maintain the tone from your previous book unless there is a good reason.
• Keep in mind how your characters have developed and grown in your previous book so that there is no unexplained advancement or regression.
• Try not to repeat scenes/conversations between characters from the last book to remind readers what happened and focus on having new events.
• Avoid using the “character has nightmare about horrific last battle from the previous book” cliche as a means for summary.
• Make sure to give the sequel its own story apart from the previous book’s. So think about how you want the climax and ending of the sequel to go and set it up in the beginning with foreshadowing etc.

[Snapper]

@introvert_girl

I usually like to start my sequels (I’ve only started one sequel…sooo….) by focusing on a scene that actually entails the villain. What he’s after. Especially if you’re villain has already been introduced in the first book.

I also like to have some sort of initiative on the villain’s part. There’s something needing to be done.

But really, to me, it’s not so much as starting a sequel as it is starting a new book.

☀ ☀ ☀ ENFP ☀ ☀ ☀

[introvert_girl]

@dragon-snapper
I think that can be effective, but in the sequel I’m working on right now the external antagonist isn’t the main conflict of the story. I think it would be misleading if I did that in this instance.
I think it’s very important to think of it as a *new* book. If there’s nothing new, then there’s not really a point in telling the same story again, right? Thanks for the tips!

@valtmy
Yes! I love when characters feel “real” enough that you sense they are living their lives even between books.
And I also love what you said about tone and being mindful of the character’s growth. I can’t tell you how often I see unexplained regression used just for the sake of creating tension.
Thanks for your input!

And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

[MNValentine]

@introvert_girl Sorry about that, I was really tired and not making sense… I guess what I’ m trying to ask is where is the second book picking up? Have they defeated one problem and are now facing a new one? Are they in hiding in the middle of a battle, or are they in the middle of a previous conflict? You would approach these beginnings a little differently.

I would say you should remind the reader what happened in the last book whether or not it feels relevant at the time. The reason is, a lot of the time books are published a year or so apart, or at least a few months, so the reader might need a little reminder of the events of the last book. Also, even though the last book might not seem relevant to the plot of the next, whatever happened must have had some effect on the characters themselves.

Now I’m just rambling. I hope I said something helpful 🙂

Silence! Silence everyone, for the king's speech!

[introvert_girl]

@mnvalentine Yes, I think the effect previous events have had on the characters is super important to keep in mind! Thanks 🙂

And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

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