I always thought that when a writer had an idea that spanned multiple books, it was because the author had planned it that way from the start.
Well, now I think: maybe not.
I wrote Ring of the Tax Collector as a stand-alone book. – It was a neat idea … Death as an entity, going about their job collecting souls as a karmic tax. There was maybe an idea or two I mentioned in the book, but didn’t explore; however, overall, *I* thought it was self-contained.
But then, weirdly, I had people I know who read it ask me, “What happens next?” And I’m going to just tell you outright: I don’t know. I didn’t think about it. I never even considered there would be a next. But every single person who read the book that knows me, and knows I wrote it, has asked where I am on the next one.
Every. Single. One.
Is this how a series happens? An author writes a book, intending for it to be a single, but the audience propels it forward? Or maybe, the idea is so malleable, that once the author gets to the end, they realize there is more to explore so they keep going. Either way, what started out as an idea for one book has suddenly multiplied?
Which is what is happening to me now. I’ve spent the last few months toying, on-and-off, with the idea of a follow-up book. My problem has been the ending. I need to know how it ends in order to write the rest of it. (That may just be my hang-up as an author and not everyone’s, but for me, knowing the ending helps everything else along).
I now know the ending. And let me say: it’s a doozy. Even for me. It’s just … wow. And would you believe it will cause the need for a third book? Because it will. But at least now I know that, and I can start thinking about how I want that one to end.
In the meantime, I need to think of a cool series name.
Go forth and write!
Well, now I think: maybe not.
I wrote Ring of the Tax Collector as a stand-alone book. – It was a neat idea … Death as an entity, going about their job collecting souls as a karmic tax. There was maybe an idea or two I mentioned in the book, but didn’t explore; however, overall, *I* thought it was self-contained.
But then, weirdly, I had people I know who read it ask me, “What happens next?” And I’m going to just tell you outright: I don’t know. I didn’t think about it. I never even considered there would be a next. But every single person who read the book that knows me, and knows I wrote it, has asked where I am on the next one.
Every. Single. One.
Is this how a series happens? An author writes a book, intending for it to be a single, but the audience propels it forward? Or maybe, the idea is so malleable, that once the author gets to the end, they realize there is more to explore so they keep going. Either way, what started out as an idea for one book has suddenly multiplied?
Which is what is happening to me now. I’ve spent the last few months toying, on-and-off, with the idea of a follow-up book. My problem has been the ending. I need to know how it ends in order to write the rest of it. (That may just be my hang-up as an author and not everyone’s, but for me, knowing the ending helps everything else along).
I now know the ending. And let me say: it’s a doozy. Even for me. It’s just … wow. And would you believe it will cause the need for a third book? Because it will. But at least now I know that, and I can start thinking about how I want that one to end.
In the meantime, I need to think of a cool series name.
Go forth and write!