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Tips for writing sequels

7 years ago

Hello as some of you know I'm currently writing sequel to one of my stories. I'd appreciate if anyone would mention do's and don't's when writing a sequel.

Tips for writing sequels

7 years ago
Sequels can be tricky because you can't assume everyone has read the first one. In a way they're like... *shudder* ...fanfic, in that you have to include details about the characters and universe in a way to make at least the basics clear to readers unfamiliar with the source, without bogging the story down in exposition or naming it tedious for people who already know these things.

Tips for writing sequels

7 years ago
Commended by JJJ-thebanisher on 1/15/2017 4:16:53 PM

Sequels to CYOAs are a pain to write due to the whole multiple endings thing. It’s generally the reason why I tend to avoid doing them, but you can still get around it a bit.

There’s basically 3 routes you can go (though you could even combine some of them)

1. Canon path

You just pick one path from the last story as canon and go from there. It’s an easy way of doing it since you’ve got a solid base to work with. If you’re using the same protagonist it’s almost necessary to do it this way.

Some people might get mad about how choices didn’t matter in the last story, but what the hell, it isn’t like they’re paying for this free entertainment and this isn't real life anyway, but an incredible simulation!

2. Time jump

You just jump ahead far enough that it doesn’t really matter what happened in the last story. You can still make vague references, and maybe imply some of the events happened or maybe they occurred differently (Just like a CYOA!) that nobody in the story even cares or has forgotten by that point.

It’s a little harder to write in some ways if you’re still trying to connect things, since you have to remember to do it very vaguely.

3. Same universe, far far away

With this, you can still do one of the above or neither, but you essentially put the sequel area so far away from the original area where the events occurred in the last story so they don’t matter at all. If there’s a time jump AND a different protagonist, it’s even easier.

Tips for writing sequels

7 years ago

I guess with the whole Canon Path thing, it wouldn't be a problem if all the endings were canon endings. Like if they all technically occurred with different characters under different circumstances, but it's just the one that the reader-player ends up on that's the one his main character goes on. So in the next game, all the events that happened in the last game did in fact happen, but it just didn't happen to you per se or you're playing an entirely new character so all that's irrelevant until you meet the old protagonist.

Tips for writing sequels

7 years ago

I sort of cheat sometimes doing that anyway by using the whole alternate realities thing. (Suzy)

Tips for writing sequels

7 years ago

Don't: Write part one of a sequel, end the game with a "to be continued" and still have no sequel almost 3 years later... People don't like that . >.>

Tips for writing sequels

7 years ago

at the risk of sounding like a Rabbi, thanks for the tips everyone