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Day 21 – Sequels – Have you ever written a sequel to a fic you wrote, and if so, why, and if not, how do you feel about sequels?
Ahhh, yes, the infamous (at least in my mind) debacle of Memento Mori :) I wrote a story and I loved it, and basically the minute people started clamoring for a sequel, I caved. I spent about three months trying to figure out how to write a sequel to a story that was never intended to have one, and, though moderately successful in finding my answer, I learned a great deal from the experience. Mostly, I learned that I am terrible at production under pressure. Anytime people start having expectations about my work (that they share with me, at least), I start to crumble. It's something of a double-edged sword, because I love getting feedback, and it's been a fine line to walk between feeling complimented/flattered/appreciative of reviews, and feeling pressured into writing something that I have no further interest in.
I don't have anything against sequels, in general. I was planning to write one to my very first IY fanfic, in fact, but I became involved in other projects and eventually just dropped it. I'm not so sure it would've been a wise idea anyway, since an original character would have been heavily featured. I have little interest in reading about others' OCs, so how could I expect anybody to give a damn about mine? LOL.
I think one of the most important things for us to learn as writers is where the story ends. There has to be a stopping point - a goal to be reached, a quest to be conquered, a conflict to be resolved - so that there can be a road map for the plot. This is especially true for long multichapter stories, but even for shortfic - anything beyond slice-of-life vignettes - there has to be something driving the plot. So many times, I think people just get caught up in whatever world they're building, and they just want to keep adding to it and adding to it and adding to it, until they've bypassed the original point of the story altogether.
If you're doing it right, readers are always going to want more. You, as the writer, are the one driving the bus, though, so stop when you get to your destination. Maybe there's something more to explore, but that's what new projects are made of, hehe :)
All that being said ~ I pretty much don't write sequels unless I'm interested enough to do so. My stories are complete when they're marked complete. Rare is the person these days who can talk me into writing a sequel for a story I consider complete. (I have a hard enough time fulfilling commissions, LOL.)
I *do* have a sequel to a current WIP in the works, but it's a separate, discrete story that simply builds on the characterizations from the first. Which, I think, is what all good sequels (and prequels) do.
( Other days )
Ahhh, yes, the infamous (at least in my mind) debacle of Memento Mori :) I wrote a story and I loved it, and basically the minute people started clamoring for a sequel, I caved. I spent about three months trying to figure out how to write a sequel to a story that was never intended to have one, and, though moderately successful in finding my answer, I learned a great deal from the experience. Mostly, I learned that I am terrible at production under pressure. Anytime people start having expectations about my work (that they share with me, at least), I start to crumble. It's something of a double-edged sword, because I love getting feedback, and it's been a fine line to walk between feeling complimented/flattered/appreciative of reviews, and feeling pressured into writing something that I have no further interest in.
I don't have anything against sequels, in general. I was planning to write one to my very first IY fanfic, in fact, but I became involved in other projects and eventually just dropped it. I'm not so sure it would've been a wise idea anyway, since an original character would have been heavily featured. I have little interest in reading about others' OCs, so how could I expect anybody to give a damn about mine? LOL.
I think one of the most important things for us to learn as writers is where the story ends. There has to be a stopping point - a goal to be reached, a quest to be conquered, a conflict to be resolved - so that there can be a road map for the plot. This is especially true for long multichapter stories, but even for shortfic - anything beyond slice-of-life vignettes - there has to be something driving the plot. So many times, I think people just get caught up in whatever world they're building, and they just want to keep adding to it and adding to it and adding to it, until they've bypassed the original point of the story altogether.
If you're doing it right, readers are always going to want more. You, as the writer, are the one driving the bus, though, so stop when you get to your destination. Maybe there's something more to explore, but that's what new projects are made of, hehe :)
All that being said ~ I pretty much don't write sequels unless I'm interested enough to do so. My stories are complete when they're marked complete. Rare is the person these days who can talk me into writing a sequel for a story I consider complete. (I have a hard enough time fulfilling commissions, LOL.)
I *do* have a sequel to a current WIP in the works, but it's a separate, discrete story that simply builds on the characterizations from the first. Which, I think, is what all good sequels (and prequels) do.
( Other days )
