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mary rosenblum
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Hi,. all! Welcome to our
Tuesday forum on Sequels!
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mary rosenblum
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This is the Tuesday Forum on
Sequels, with me, Mary Rosenblum, LR Web Editor, fiction and nonfiction
writer. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a
Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the
top of the screen, or use the ask a question icon in order to ask a
question. Your regular 'send' bar won't reach me! You can also type /ask in
front of your question to reach me.
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mary rosenblum
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Judging from the number of
people here this summer morning, there is more than a passing interest in
sequels!
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mary rosenblum
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And sequels are good things to
have in mind as you write your book.
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mary rosenblum
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If an editor loves this book,
he/she will look favorably on the sequel, and if that first book sells
quite well, your publisher will probably ask you to do a sequel whether you
have proposed one or not.
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mary rosenblum
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However there are a lot of
misconceptions about what a sequel is and does.
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jackie7777
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My plan is to do three books,
leaving the end of the first book untold - thereby causing the need to read
the next book....
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jackie7777
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likewise with the second book
leaving a question in the ....
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jackie7777
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readers' mind and causing the
reader to need to read....
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jackie7777
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the next book for the
conclusion.
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mary rosenblum
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This is probably the most
common misconception about sequels...
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mary rosenblum
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which is that you need to
leave the story unfinished so that the reader will buy books two and three.
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mary rosenblum
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Actually, you are
underestimating yourself as a writer, jackie.
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mary rosenblum
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I don't buy books from a
particular author because he/she didn't finish the story in a previous
book!
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mary rosenblum
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I buy the books because I
loved the characters, loved the story and want to play some more!
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mary rosenblum
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If you leave your story
unfinished...the story that drives Book One, I mean...then your reader has
to wait months or a year to finish the story. Publishers do NOT bring a
series out together.
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mary rosenblum
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That is frustrating to say the
least.
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bengalrose
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So, how do I tie up my first
story and yet leave enough breadcrumbs for the next book? How much is just
the right amount of suspense to carry over?
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ducky
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But what constitutes
"unfinished"? At the end of my book, the female lead is pregnant
- I guess that's unfinished, but it's finished for that part of the story.
:-)
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mary rosenblum
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Remember, books are not a
thin, single plot line, folks. They are a rich universe of multiple
characters. We care about more than one person...
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mary rosenblum
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and believe me, there is
plenty to leave 'unfinished' while wrapping up the main plot to a nice
satisfying conclusion. Look at your pregnant heroine, ducky...
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mary rosenblum
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that is certainly unfinished
business that may or may not play a major role in Book Two, but we want to
find out how the birth went.
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mary rosenblum
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You are not going to tie up
every last subplot loose end in Book One...
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mary rosenblum
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Your characters have lives,
they have families, relationships, an ongoing existance and so does the
world of the plot.
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, perhaps your hero killed
the evil wizard. But now we are left with all of the evil minions loose in
the countryside, a country that is in a shambles after the long
dictatorship...wow you have enough stuff here for three more novels...
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mary rosenblum
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even if the main plot --
overthrowing the evil wizard -- is finished.
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jackie7777
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I see. Build a great story and
just continue it.
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mary rosenblum
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That's right. Believe me, by
the time you get done creating a rich and satisfying novel..
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mary rosenblum
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you have a universe that will
continue on as long as you want to think up problems for various characters
to solve.
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margieh
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Is it enough to have a character
or characters that people want to keep reading about? When would you chose
an ongoing story line that has beginnings and ends? And when would you spin
each sequel off around one of the lesser characters.
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mary rosenblum
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Every person's story in a
novel is a small segment of a larger story, margieh. Your character is not
born on page one and most of the time, does not die on the last page.
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mary rosenblum
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He/she had a life BEFORE the
story and will live on AFTER the story.
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mary rosenblum
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That life before and after is
a fertile pool or plots for future sequels...or prequels for that matter.
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mary rosenblum
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It is a BAD idea to craft a
story that does not end in this book. YOu see examples of that, but all the
ones that I know of personally...
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mary rosenblum
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were extremely long books that
the publisher 'chopped' into segments. That is why the don't stand alone,
but must be read in order.
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mary rosenblum
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And if you have ever tried to
read a series in order, you will discover that this bookstore might have
book two and three, but not one...
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mary rosenblum
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and that bookstore might have
one and three but not two.
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mary rosenblum
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And many readers won't buy
even one of your books if they can't buy the whole series...so making each
book stand alone is a VERY good idea.
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ducky
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What's a prequel?
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jackie7777
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Presequels?
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mary rosenblum
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A prequel is a story set in a
time before a novel that is already out. If I write a fantasy about a young
prince reclaiming his kingdom and then I go back and write a novel about
his boyhood that sets up the first novel...
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mary rosenblum
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the boyhood second book is a
'prequel' because it preceeds the original novel.
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speckledorf
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From personal experience, I quit
reading a series because the end was very unsatisfactory...they have come
out with 2 books since then that I won't buy.
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mary rosenblum
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And often, readers finish that
open ended Book One, and by the time Book Two comes out eighteen months
later, they have lost interest and are kind of ticked at you for making 'em
wait. They don't buy it.
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bengalrose
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Not unfinished...unless the
author is stephen king and the book is part of the dark tower series. Man
when I finished #3 I wanted to toss it out the window...and yet how
deliscious it was...
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mary rosenblum
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Sweetheart, if you have sales
figures like King's you can do whatever you want. But if you DON'T have
sales figures like King, you'd better think a bit more...
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sailor
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When is the best time to propose
a sequel?
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mary rosenblum
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Sailor, the best time to pitch
a sequel...gently...is when you send in the original ms.
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mary rosenblum
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You do need to be very careful
that the editor does not get the impression that you are saying 'buy both
or don't buy at all'.
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mary rosenblum
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While a publisher may take a
gamble on an unpublished new novelist...buying TWO books may seem a bit too
risky.
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mary rosenblum
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BUT if you send in your ms and
the editor wants to buy it, when you send in the complete ms, include a
little three page treatment, and mention that if the first one does well,
you have a sequel in mind.
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mary rosenblum
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This is a selling point when
your editor pushes the book with Marketing.
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mary rosenblum
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I would wait until you get
some positive interest from an editor before sending in a sequel treatment,
though. I don't think I was real clear here.
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mary rosenblum
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Say you send in a synopsis and
chapters and you are told, yes, we like this, send us the full ms.
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mary rosenblum
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You can include that three
page treatment then, with a 'by the way, if this works I can do more' note.
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mary rosenblum
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Now....we have an exception
here...
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mary rosenblum
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And those are the genres of
mystery and fantasy where series are more desirable than stand alones.
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mary rosenblum
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There you can pitch a series
instead of a single book and it's to your benefit.
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ducky
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So if you are going to propose a
sequel when you pitch the first book, how structured do you have to have
the sequel - fully outlined? written?
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mary rosenblum
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Generally, the publisher will
want a synopsis and chapters or the full ms for Book One, and a brief
treatment (which is a very short synopsis) of the subsequent books -- say
three pages each.
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mary rosenblum
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But always read the guidelines
for an individual publisher first! General rules do NOT apply to everyone!
Do what the guidelines tell you. If they DON"T tell you, then fall
back on 'general rules'. :-)
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roe
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We could actually tie up all the
loose ends, say in a mystery series with amateur sleuth, and just start
over on a new case and make references to the past books correct
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mary rosenblum
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Yep. That is how every mystery
series I've read works. Now you can have overarching issues...relationships
with friends, love interests, marriages, and so forth...but each book is a
new case and it is solved every time.
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spider
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Do you get a sense of whose
storyline to follow in prequels,
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mary rosenblum
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Most of the time, Spider, you
will be following the life of a character who played an important role in
Book One.
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mary rosenblum
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Sometimes, you can create a
secondary character in One who is wonderful, but can't really take center
stage in this book..
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mary rosenblum
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so you can give that character
his own book by doing a prequel.
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mary rosenblum
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Generally, you'll know who really
works in the book.
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mary rosenblum
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YOu can't really wait for
readers to tell you for Book Two, since you will probably have Book Two
written by the time Book One hits the shelves...
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mary rosenblum
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but if all your fans LOVE a
particular character, maybe you'll give that character his/her own book for
Book Three. :-)
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jackie7777
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Should I then write the 3 books
and present them to an.....
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jackie7777
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editor at the same time?
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mary rosenblum
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No, Jackie. That is a real
turn off to most editors. If they like Book One and you mention that Two
and Three are waiting if wanted...
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mary rosenblum
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the editor will probably ask
you for a synopsis at least. If she likes your work, she likes it. But
sales play a role here, too, and many houses only give you two books to
demonstrate good sales potential. Those houses aren't going to buy three
books.
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mary rosenblum
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They might buy two and wait to
see how your numbers look.
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mary rosenblum
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Alas, money is a reality we
can't escape here, nice as it would be!
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bengalrose
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Mary, I am writing a Fantasy
story in which a holy relic called the Heart of the Goddess has been
stolen. So the big story is the recovery of this item, but in the first
book My MC is just trying to find a girl he has been dreaming about since
the day she was born. He has never met her, but knows he must find her. So
book one is all about his search for her, culminating when he finds her.
But then there's that pesky missing artifact... Does this work for a
sequel?
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mary rosenblum
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It sure does work for a
sequel, Bengal, and not having seen a solid synopsis of your story, I can't
really judge it....but I have to say that my plotting alarms are going off
here.
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mary rosenblum
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Searching for a girl certainly
is reason for this guy to go questing, but from the little you tell me, I'm
not sure that's a compelling enough conflict to found a novel on. Hopefully
there are other things at stake her, too!
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mary rosenblum
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That sounds more like a strong
subplot to me. But you may well have left out details that give this a more
life and death urgency.
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sailor
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Sometimes at the back of a book,
they have the first chapter from the author's next book as a teaser. Good
marketing!
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, and the publishers that
do this will want that chapter one from you when you turn in the final
edited draft of your nove, believe me! :-)
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margieh
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Do editors ever ask an author
for a sequel that tells a specific story or more about some aspect or some
character from a previous book?
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mary rosenblum
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Rarely, in my experience,
although that will depend on the editor, margieh.
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mary rosenblum
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Editors edit. They work with
the stuff you create. They don't tend to do the creative part, although I'm
sure there are editors out there who want to tell their writers what to
write. But not in my personal experience...
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mary rosenblum
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and I know a LOT of editors.
They might offer general suggestions...what about a sequel set on the new
water planet you created in book one...
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mary rosenblum
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that sort of thing. Mostly,
they expect YOU to come up with the story so they can edit it. :-)
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tkat_2
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I read a sequel to Wild Jasmine,
a supposed end to the Skye O'Malley series from Bertrice Small. The sequel
to that book was so forgettable that I can't even remember the title.
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mary rosenblum
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No kidding. Every series had a
natural end, and that end comes when the author has nothing more to add
about these characters and this world. And BOY is it hard to stop!
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bengalrose
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Is there ever pressure from a
publisher to "stretch out" a series longer than it should have
been, just to increase sales? If so, how much should an author fight this
in order to maintain the integrity of the story?
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mary rosenblum
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OH YES! Just try to drop a
series that is selling well. Your publisher will do everything except
threaten to send the Mafia out to break your knees. :-) And if your numbers
are big enough....
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mary rosenblum
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Actually, I'm kidding. Money
is the lever. It's hard to stop if you're making nice fat six figure advances
and selling well, and publishers will often offer far less money for a book
that is not part of the ongoing series...
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mary rosenblum
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You have to have enough
personal integrity as a writer to say 'I'm through' in the face of that
check dangled in front of your nose.
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mary rosenblum
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I've known more than one
author to say "I wish I hadn't done that last book...it was awful'.
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bengalrose
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Actually there are. The MC has a
birthmark that ties him to the girl. Unfortunately is also marks him to the
girl's ememies. And when the MC convinces his brother to get a tatoo that
looks just like the birthmark and is later killed in a case of mistaken identity,
the MC flees the accusatory eyes of his parents. Now he must figure out who
killed his brother. Along the way he will learn that the girl from his
dreams, his brother's killer and the artifact are all tied together.
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mary rosenblum
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Now that is a nice strong
plot, Bengal, and a compelling enough conflict to found a novel. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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This is the Tuesday Forum on
Sequels, with me, Mary Rosenblum, LR Web Editor, fiction and nonfiction
writer. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a
Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the
top of the screen, or use the ask a question icon in order to ask a
question. Your regular 'send' bar won't reach me! You can also type /ask in
front of your question to reach me.
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tkat_2
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I hope J.K. Rowling can keep up
the momentum up with the Harry Potter series so that it never gets dull.
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mary rosenblum
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She is under a HUGE amount of
pressure, tkat. I'm curious to see what she does.
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jackie7777
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Can you expound on standalones?
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mary rosenblum
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In a series, a standalone is a
book that you can pick up and read and enjoy fully, even if you have never
read any other books in the series.
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mary rosenblum
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My mysteries are like that. You
do not need to have read book one to enjoy book two and so forth. You can
read a standalone series out of order.
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mary rosenblum
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Now nearly all standalone
series, my own included, have overarching storylines concerning the main
characters that develop over the series.
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mary rosenblum
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That is a bonus for the loyal
readers who read the series in order.
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mary rosenblum
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But the 'mid series' reader
won't realize he/she is missing anything.
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mary rosenblum
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The other type of series is
the continuous or 'slice of bologna' series.
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mary rosenblum
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JRR Tolkien's Lord of the
Rings is one. I read Book Two first, when I was a teen. Talk about LOST!!!!
Whew!
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mary rosenblum
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Now the reason that LoTR is
like that is that it is one book.
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mary rosenblum
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But it would have been a
fourteen hundred page book, so the publisher simply chopped it into three
parts.
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jackie7777
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Can I have a huge ms consisting
of i.e. Book One - Book Two.
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mary rosenblum
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Well, jackie, I'd try to have
a couple of novels published and earning money before you send that off to
a publisher if I were you.
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mary rosenblum
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Remember that the average
editor's office has novel ms stacked all along one wall, two ms deep and
four feet high, no I am not kidding.
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mary rosenblum
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Any excuse to send this one
back and get on to the next one is seized with gratitude, because they all
get at least a look.
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mary rosenblum
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So you your box contains 1000
pages and the first page is okay, but no better than six others she read
that AM, guess what the editor is gonna do?
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mary rosenblum
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If your ms is the same size as
the other five, she may read it more carefully, comparing it to those other
five, and may buy it. She may later buy the other book, but it's a bad idea
to send it in right off the bat like that.
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mary rosenblum
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In an ideal world, every ms
would get careful consideration and a first to last page read.
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mary rosenblum
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This is not an ideal world and
editors tend to read slush on the subway. Again, no kidding.
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mary rosenblum
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Guess how much fun it is to
lug 1000 pages home on the subway...
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bengalrose
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*shudders* I could never be an
editor. I do not read nearly fast enough for that!
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mary rosenblum
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Laughing, bengal. Editors
don't read FAST. They read SHORT. This is why the first paragraph of your
short story and the first three pages of your novel had better be gorgeous!
LOL..
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mary rosenblum
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If they read beyond that,
you're half way to a sale.
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margieh
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Mary, can you give an example of
an overaching storyline?
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mary rosenblum
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Sure, margieh. Say you have an
ongoing mystery series.
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mary rosenblum
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Each book will involved a
villain, a crime, and a solution. But in book one...
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mary rosenblum
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the heroine may be falling in
love...
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mary rosenblum
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in book two, she may be having
family troubles and her relationship with the boyfriend is strained...
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mary rosenblum
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in book three she may break up
with boyfriend...
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mary rosenblum
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and in book four, may find a
new love interest, although she is resistant...
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mary rosenblum
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And the readers who have read
the series from beginning to end are, of course, waiting to see if she
falls in love with this new and better boyfriend..
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mary rosenblum
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and to find out if she and her
father ever speak to each other again.
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mary rosenblum
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BUt the mid series reader will
simply learn from say, book three, that she had a boyfriend and she broke
up with him.
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mary rosenblum
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It's a minor subplot to that
particular book.
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craig
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I am a member of the Writers
Digest Book Club and they have a selection of books on writing query
letters and they emphasize using personal stationery with your name,
address, telephone number, and e-mail address is that still correct
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mary rosenblum
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Obsolutely, craig. How else
can a publisher contact you? But 'personal' does not mean informal and
cutesy. Editors HATE that. Me, I use the same recycled-paper that I use to
print my ms on. You know what? Your editor doesn't care at all about the
paper your letter is written on...
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mary rosenblum
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it is what you write that
counts. If you want to use expensive linen stuff, feel free. It won't help
sell your novel at all. Some very famous writers use cheap paper . LOL
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realityczech
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Not a series question, but a
serious question: I was recently told NOT to mention ICL/LongRidge course
in a cover letter or on a resume, as it would mark me with the scarlet A
for Amateur. Do you concur?
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mary rosenblum
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That totally depends on the
publislher, reality. :-) There are a lot of 'by mail schools' out there and
lots are pretty awful. One of the things I've been able to do because of my
connections to the publishing world...
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mary rosenblum
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is to make quite a few editors
aware of LR as a serious and good school. You are certainly ahead, say, if
you tell Patrick Swenson at Talebones that you are a LR student.
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mary rosenblum
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But generally, it won't help
you. The same goes for boasting that you have a Masters degree in Creative
Writing. How nice. Now can you write me a good story? That kind of
assertion really doesn't...
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mary rosenblum
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tell the editor anything
he/she needs to know. Your story does that.
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mary rosenblum
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In nonfiction, it is your
credentials that matter. Yes, you need to write this well, but you need to
offer some form of expert credential before the publisher is interested.
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mary rosenblum
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If you're writing about the
Arctic, did you spend time there with a research team? Are you a PhD on
Arctic Ecology?
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mary rosenblum
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If you're writing about
dealing with drug-addicted children, what is your experience here?
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mary rosenblum
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School credentials -- no
matter what they are -- don't help much in the long run.
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mary rosenblum
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Now some programs ARE well
respected.
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mary rosenblum
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The Clarion Writers Workshops
(which I attended). The Iowa Writers Workshop.
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mary rosenblum
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Those are the main two I can
think of.
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roe
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I don't mention I'm a student or
graduate of LR but I do add that I have been published on the website.
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mary rosenblum
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Always do that. Published is
published!
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diana
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Doesn't letting the editor know
you had attended a writing, ANY writing school, tell him you're at least
SERIOUS about writing?
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mary rosenblum
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Not really, diana. This is a
good point and thank you for asking this question.
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mary rosenblum
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We have MANY misconceptions
about what editors look for and want when we start out. I sure did!
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mary rosenblum
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But I can tell you for sure
what tells an editor that you are serious.
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mary rosenblum
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ONE THING ONLY:
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mary rosenblum
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You send him/her mulitple
stories.
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mary rosenblum
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THAT says you will keep trying
until you get it right.
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mary rosenblum
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That is why it is so critical
to keep sending your best work even if you get rejected, as long as your
stories or articles suit the magazine.
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mary rosenblum
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That doggedness spells 'up and
coming pro' to the editor...
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mary rosenblum
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Remember...the magazine will
only make money from your name if you publish regularly so that readers...
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mary rosenblum
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begin to buy the magazine
BECAUSE you are in it.
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mary rosenblum
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Fifty good stories are a whole
lot better than one single great story and nothing else.
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mary rosenblum
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This is the Tuesday Forum on
Sequels, with me, Mary Rosenblum, LR Web Editor, fiction and nonfiction
writer. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a
Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the
top of the screen, or use the ask a question icon in order to ask a
question. Your regular 'send' bar won't reach me! You can also type /ask in
front of your question to reach me.
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bengalrose
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I keep my letter simple. Dear
Jack Smith, Editor Please consider my story, "Really Cool Story"
for publication in "Cool Stories Magazine". Enclosed is a SASE
for your reply. Thank you for your time and consideration. Joshua
....something like that. Am I on the right track?
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mary rosenblum
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Yep, exactly. Since you don't
mention publication, your editor has no way to know if you are published or
not. Of course, as you makes sales, you mention the most applicable ones.
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craig
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what do you mean when you say
send multiple stories to an editor does that mean you send them more than
one of your stories at a time. I thought you send an editor one story at a
time and wait for a response before you send it out again. Please clarify
that for me.
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mary rosenblum
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No, Craig. It means that when
you get a rejection slip, you log it into your submission file, and when
you finish the next story...
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mary rosenblum
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or have a great idea for a new
article, you send that story or that query off to the same editor.
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mary rosenblum
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You don't say 'Oh, he doesn't
like my stuff, I won't send anything more there'.
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mary rosenblum
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Editors WATCH you to see if
you stick with it. Really. Most new writers are shocked when they meet the
editor who has been routinely rejecting...
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mary rosenblum
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their stories at a conference
and the editor recognizes their name and says something about their recent
submission.
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mary rosenblum
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I've seen it happen many
times. :-) The expression of total shock is priceless! LOL
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mary rosenblum
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A form rejection does NOT mean
you are an unknown. Just unbought.
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lynx
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What about writing contests?
Should you mention winning?
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mary rosenblum
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Absolutely, lynx. And if it is
a large contest, such as the WRiters DIgest contest or Writers of the
Future, mention that you are a finalist even if you didn't win.
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jesika
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where is a good place to send a
story on panic anxiey
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mary rosenblum
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Well, Jesika, this is where
you learn how to do market research. Me, I'd start with Barnes and Noble or
one of the big chains with a big magazine section...
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mary rosenblum
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Start looking at mags. You can
eliminate things like travel and cooking right away, probably. Ask
yourself, who would want to read about this? And then pick up mags that
might appeal to those people.
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mary rosenblum
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Flip to the index. Any similar
article there? No, you're not looking for an article on panic anxiety...YOU
want to write that one.
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mary rosenblum
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BUt any article on mental
health issues and their effect are good indicators. Buy that issue, write
for guidelines and study it to see what the editor seems to want.
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mary rosenblum
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There you are...magazine
market research 101.
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mary rosenblum
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The short class! :-)
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jackie7777
|
Bottom-line--To focus on the
story and nothing else?
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mary rosenblum
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When you're submitting
fiction, Jackie? Yep. That is what will sell you. Period.
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, sales will maybe get your
ms put on the semi-pro pile by the first reader, but it won't sell your
work.
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mary rosenblum
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Your work will sell your work.
End of story.
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mary rosenblum
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This is the Tuesday Forum on
Sequels, with me, Mary Rosenblum, LR Web Editor, fiction and nonfiction
writer. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a
Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the
top of the screen, or use the ask a question icon in order to ask a
question. Your regular 'send' bar won't reach me! You can also type /ask in
front of your question to reach me.
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mary rosenblum
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And realize, mistakes are not
going to necessarily cost you a sale.
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mary rosenblum
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Small mistakes anyway! :-)
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mary rosenblum
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Editors are not looking for
perfection.
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mary rosenblum
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They're looking for something
that is going to appeal to readers. They'll help you make it
stronger...that happens to be their job!
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jesika
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are assignments ok to submit
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mary rosenblum
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Of course! Many of my students
have published their LR assignments!
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mary rosenblum
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I'm especially pround of
those!
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bengalrose
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Mary, what if I wanted to write
a story about a professional author who writes mysteries and SF and many
short stories and runs this really cool web site and attends all these chat
sessions who suddenly finds herself whisked away to the magical land of Coollandia?
What would you think of that? LOL! :-)
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mary rosenblum
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I'm laughing, bengal. I think
a committee is already writing this one. :-) I just hope I don't end up
getting murdered! lOL
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jesika
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i'm only on assignment 4 do you
think i am rushing it
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mary rosenblum
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Hey, you're ready to submit
when you're ready to submit. I did have one student who sold Assignment
One. That was pretty cool.
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mary rosenblum
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So as far as sequels go, as
you work on Book One, even if you don't see this as a series...
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mary rosenblum
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keep your mind open to what
you could do with a second book...a sequel.
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mary rosenblum
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That way, you won't be 'blind
sided' if an editor asks you to submit a proposal for a second book..and
wants it next week!
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mary rosenblum
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And if you sell this book, or
the editor expresses interest in your synopsis and wants to see the whole
ms...
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mary rosenblum
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you can include a brief
treatment of a potential sequel.
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mary rosenblum
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A new young writer in New
Mexico recently sent his first novel ms off to Torr with a proposal for at
least two more.
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mary rosenblum
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They bought all three up
front.
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mary rosenblum
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So it's worth doing.
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mary rosenblum
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And there is NOTHING more
terrifying to most people than to have an editor call and say, 'Can I have
a proposal for a sequel...say by next Monday? Just FedEx it to me..."
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mary rosenblum
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Talk about brain freeze!
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realityczech
|
What about a second book that
places a secondary character in the driver's seat--not necessarily a
sequel, but a connected novel?
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mary rosenblum
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Sure. THat is most likely to
sell if the secondary character plays a strong role in the first book and
is a charismatic character.
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mary rosenblum
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If the editor isn't thrilled
with that character and doesn't think readers will be, he/she will be
lukewarm about that sequel.
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mary rosenblum
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Remember...editors only know
what they see, not what is in your brain. :-)
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realityczech
|
If they ever have a live chat
race, you are going to win hands down as fastest question post-er and
responder! ;>}
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mary rosenblum
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oooh, you should SEE how fast
I type when I'm on a roll...LOL
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mary rosenblum
|
One thing I haven't mentioned,
which sequels are particularly good at...
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mary rosenblum
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is keeping you from foundering
in 'post partum blues' after you finish the novel.
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mary rosenblum
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This is something that you
don't find out about until you DO finish that novel..and by that, I don't
mean the draft...
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mary rosenblum
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but when you turn in the
final, copyedited, page proofs and you know you're all done, you won't be
working on it any more.
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mary rosenblum
|
You can really crash. You have
lived in this world, you love these people...
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mary rosenblum
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and it's OVER!
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mary rosenblum
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But if you have a sequel to
work on, it helps.
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paja
|
I can't remember what a proposal
is Mary. Got a quick refresher?
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mary rosenblum
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Well, in nonfiction, a
proposal is a detailed outline of the book you propose to write.
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mary rosenblum
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In fiction, it is a rough
treatment for a book, rather than a complete synopsis.
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mary rosenblum
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The proposal would just tell
the editor what the book would be about, who the characters would be, would
take up two or three pages...
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mary rosenblum
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While a synopsis would
describe the plot and dramatic arc in detail.
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bengalrose
|
Mary, I just wanted to clarify
something you mentioned earlier...You said not to mention that I am a LRWG
student as a general rule, but as it happens I am just getting ready to
seal an envelope and send it to Patrick Swenson. Should I mention my ties
to LRWG or not since he seems to be very open to it?
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mary rosenblum
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Oh, DO mention it to Patrick!
He is giving LR students some very nice and helpful responses.
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mary rosenblum
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He really is impressed with
the school. :-)
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paja
|
rough treatment?
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mary rosenblum
|
Sort of a brief statement of
the central plot and theme without a lot of detail, paja.
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realityczech
|
Any words about prequels?
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mary rosenblum
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Well, they can work well if
the readers love a character and want to know what cool adventures set
him/her on the path to your Book One.
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mary rosenblum
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It is fun to read a prequel
and point to events, saying, aha! Now I know how she came to do this in
Book One!
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mary rosenblum
|
So if nothing else, jot down a
few notes that might work for a sequel as you write. You may never do the
sequel, but you'll have those ideas if you need 'em...
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mary rosenblum
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and they may fuel an entirely
different story one day.
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mary rosenblum
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On Friday, at our After Hours,
I'll be talking about Point of VIew...ALL of them!
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mary rosenblum
|
A lot of new writers seem to
have trouble distinguishing between the various third and first peson
POVS...there are more than one of each!
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mary rosenblum
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So we'll talk about them all,
when to use them, when not to, and what they do best.
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bengalrose
|
Cool. POV is a favorite topic of
mine.
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mary rosenblum
|
Good!
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mary rosenblum
|
Well, I'll post the transcript
in the usual place...
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mary rosenblum
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Writing Craft: Forum
Transcripts.
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mary rosenblum
|
Have a good week, all!
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mary rosenblum
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See you tomorrow, same time
and place...
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mary rosenblum
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for our Wednesday casual chat.
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mary rosenblum
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Have a good day, all!
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