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Showing entries for Category: Novel
Writing the first novel in a series
Writing a series (i.e. sequel, trilogy or beyond) requires your first novel to be so much more than a stand alone. The first novel becomes the engine which drives the future books onwards. If it's poorly constructed, the series will collapse under its own weight. If well done, the sequels will be a breeze by comparison.
The reason for this is very simple: the first novel in a series defines the world as you see it. Be that the New York City as you're describing it, or another world, the first novel is your chance to set the rules.
Your characters behave a certain way. The important locations are set for the first time. The rules of the world are presented. And they have to be consistent.
The good news is, once you know your own rules (and yes, you have to know them well to keep from contradicting yourself), then you can work on breaking them. And breaking them will often net you your best surprise plot points.
On of the oldest tricks is to lull the reader into a familiarity with the pacing you've presented in previous books, to make it feel that book 2 is just like book 1, and then to spring a surprise on them at the last minute. The surprise fits into your rule structure, but you've convinced the reader you were going down a different path.
Take a look at some of the most satisfying surprise endings you've encountered and reread them. Pay attention to the plot structure and see how the author tricks the reader the entire time. And then do it yourself.
There are lots of wonderful tricks and techniques authors can employ in the later volumes of a series. But none of them will work if the first novel isn't tight as a drum.
Now, this is a lot to ask, since usually in a first novel, the author is still trying to figure out what's going on, what the rules are. Which is why, unfortunately, we have to spend a lot longer editing installment 1 than we do installment 4. The good news is, if installment 1 is tight, consistent and engaging, installment 4 will more or less write itself and allow you to actually enjoy your plot and your characters.
Topics: Writing , Novel , Self-Editing , Authorship , Creativity
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