The Tao of Writing #4: Sequel Problems

Kids, I had a plan.

I got my outline together and I was all set to plunge headfirst into the sequel to The Prisoner and The Assassin when everything seemed to fall apart all at once:  my Prologue didn't gel.  My writing groove flew south for the winter and everything ground to a halt.  Now, obviously, I'm working on changing that- I'm churning out plenty on my blog and I'm feeling like I'm ready to take another run at starting the sequel again, but a recent conversation with The Quiet Man revealed to me the depth of my problem.   Namely, it's a sequel.

Sequels are tricky.   Everyone- whether fairly or unfairly to writers always goes to The Empire Strikes Back- maybe The Godfather Part II in a pinch as the gold standard when it comes to sequels.  My literary tastes tend to run toward genre fiction (science fiction, fantasy, etc) and pure trilogies are rare.   Instead, two books turns into ten, twelve, fourteen books- it gets ridiculous after awhile.  Not that I want to know what Star Wars would have been like had George Lucas chose to stretch it out to twelve volumes, but whether you're working in film or print they present unique problems to consider.

First, there's the plot issue.   You've spun a wonderful web in your first novel and now you have to take all those threads that you didn't quite tie up but brought closer together and carry them over to another book.  You've got to keep track of all your characters, make sure what they're doing is consistent with what you started in the prior book and (if it's your final volume) you've got to tie everything up in a nice, neat bow.

Second, there's the expectations issue.   People have probably (hopefully) read your book and they might (hopefully) be interested in coming back for more- so you've got to raise your game.  You've got to bring everything that you brought to your first book to your second book and you've got to give them a little more.  Bing, bang, boom, ka-zom, explosions!  Something bigger, something better that elevates your characters to new heights- and hopefully takes your writing along with it.

Finally, there's the fear factor.  So many sequels are let downs.  So many suck out loud.  And you've got one hell of a task to keep everything straight, raise your game and write another book- a whole other book.   And you've got really, really good sequels to measure up too.  You're shooting for The Empire Strikes Back, after all but you could end up with  Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo

So, in the spirit of contemplating all of those problems and trying to get all my proverbial ducks in a row before launching into the sequel, I took a step back.  I've been burying myself with other stuff, trying to iron it all out in my head before getting back onto this horse and trying this again.  I want to get this right.  I want the sequel to rock the socks of you, the (fingers crossed) readers.   I want the lightsabers and the hand amputation and the explosions and the dark, twisty surprises that you aren't expecting.

In short, I think I've spent enough time thinking and I might be ready to give this a shot again.   People around me are giving up things left and right for Lent- but if I'm going to give up anything, I'm going to give up this state of deep contemplation and the funk I'm in and get writing.