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Writing With a Sequel in Mind. Shhhh. Keep a few things to yourself!
Good morning, subscribers! Welcome to this beautiful day! What’s that? You’re not yet finished with yesterday? Tell me more!
Wanting to know more is the delectable tidbit at the center of reading a great book! Like the chocolate center inside a truffle! It’s a surprise you didn’t expect. How do you keep your readers coming back for more? Give them what they don’t expect. Give them something they can’t resist. Hold a little something back for next time.
Keep some things in your head
Just like everyone we know, our characters are unique people with lots of secrets. As the author we know who they are and what they’re hiding but don’t tell everything! Imagine that each book in our series reveals something new about the characters we love!
Make sure they know what’s waiting
Drop a few hints and let them ponder! Lorraine doesn’t actually know whose baby it is? Angela knew where Brian was during the wedding? Derek was in Barbados the whole time?
Promise that the favorites will return
Your readers will return to spend time with their old friends! They will buy the next book because your characters are layered, complex, and struggling with all the same things people struggle with every day! We want Jess to make a better choice next time! We want Gabriel to win over his addiction! We want Claire to come to her senses!
Are you busy at work on the next novel in your series? Are you beginning a new series and want to write a story with impact and staying power? Consider visiting some of these articles for more inspiration!
- MasterClass “7 Tips for Writing Enthralling Cliffhangers”
- Reedsy “How to Write a Series: “5 Fundamental Tips for Expanding Your Story”
- Writer’s Digest “5 Tips for Writing a Good Book Series”
Come back next week when we take a look at some of the Villains We Love To Hate! We’ll be taking a look at the worst people we love best and why we can’t bear to let them go!
Finding Your Characters - They Are All Around You!
I was supposed to be clearing the rockslide from the North side of Newcomb Pass but when I reached the spot it seemed more than I could manage on my own. Maybe some help would appear, but the meeting time had passed, and I didn’t have much hope for the others to arrive. I wondered if they had gotten lost or maybe my instructions had lacked detail.
I dropped my pack and had a seat. I pulled out a thermos of coffee and thought about continuing on over the pass and up the other side when I heard his voice.
“You alright over there?”
I turned to see an older man holding only a rifle. He was holding the weapon by the butt, its nose pointing toward the ground. He stopped about twelve feet away from me and waited for me to answer.
“Good morning,” I said.
The man had no pack and no supplies. He seemed to have just woken up. I told him I was with the Forest Service, even though I wasn’t officially with them, saying it made me feel somehow protected. He nodded and turned to leave but then paused and turned to me once again.
“Never let them see you run,” he said.
“Who?”
“You.”
When he was out of sight, gone off the way he had come, I put my pack back together and started over the pass. I felt a little vulnerable being on my own as I considered this development. Who was that and what was he doing out here? It wasn’t unusual for someone to have a rifle but it’s not hunting season, so the sight was disturbing. Even so, I hadn’t felt entirely intimidated.
As I hiked back, I thought about the man. He had been wearing a brown sweater that was visibly torn at the shoulder. His worn denim jeans hung loosely on hips that were well used to walking long distances. He hadn’t shaven but also looked somewhat freshly bathed.
Now in the comfort of my workspace, I’m reflecting on the man, and I know I have a home for him in my latest novel “A Promise of Murder.” Actually, he was just the man I’ve been looking for.
Check back for exciting updates on how this character develops. Is he a harmless man just out for the day? Is he running from the law? How is he connected to our heroine Viviane? What is he hiding? Leave a comment letting us know how you have discovered some of your most memorable characters!
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