Ten Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing a Sequel

Is your book a one-off, or the start of a series? Ask yourself these questions…

1)      Can your protagonist carry a series? Is he interesting and relatable enough to headline more stories? What do your reviews tell you about your main characters?

2)      Will book two take place immediately after book one with book three following that?

3)      Will your characters age?

4)      Which characters will comprise your core cast?

5)      Will you include references to current events (which movies are playing or who sits in the Oval Office) or try to write a story out of time?

6)      Will your main characters grow and change over time or will they remain the same?

7)      How many books do you want to write? Do you foresee a trilogy or a dozen books?

8)      Can you commit to your readers? Don’t promise them a trilogy and lose steam after book two.

9)      Will you get bored writing about the same characters for year after year?

10)  Can you kill off characters if they need killin’?

My upcoming book BYOP: Be Your Own Publisher will include more lists, tips, and ideas about writing, publishing, and marketing your own book. Put it on your To-Read List!