How to Start at the End: a condensed, unqualified guide to writing sequels
Having recently finished a sequel of my own, I can confidently say that I am the last person to be writing a guide on the topic. Don’t misunderstand me—Song of the Tiding Bearer is immaculate: complex and captivating, immersive and imaginative, exciting and emotional. But it was a two-year process with much frustration and hair-pulling-out and head-banging-on-the-keyboard-screaming-for-answers. It made me dig deeper, think harder, and search scripture in ways that Gift never did. So while I’m no expert, I can disguise this book two marketing scheme as a handy how-to on crafting sequels of your own. Don’t worry, it’s spoiler-free, so if you haven’t rushed out to buy the book yet, you’ll be safe. ;-)
My own experience and advice is heavily supplemented by the incomparable genius of author and writing advisor K. M. Weiland, may she live forever.
1) turn victories into consequences.
Like any good story, Gift of the Tiding Bearer concludes with a rousing string of victories for our heroes as they escape the deceptions of Anwir’s stronghold and scale the High Places for their long-awaited meeting with the Giver. It’s satisfying; it’s complete. So how do you turn an end into a beginning?
Look no further than the masterpiece classic Shrek 2 (I said what I said). After audiences celebrate the unlikely but no less “ship-able” romance of an ogre and a cursed princess in the first movie, the sequel tackles the very real results of such a choice when that same ogre has to meet the princess’s family. Our appreciation for the couple is, understandably, not shared by Princess Fiona’s parents. Throw in an evil-but-surprisingly-likable fairy godmother and you’ve got the recipe for a compelling part-two that will force all our heroes to rethink their choices, take bigger risks, and, eventually, see even bigger rewards.
Although my sequel features fewer dance-offs and fairy tale puns, I applied the same principles. I asked myself a lot of questions about Gift of the Tiding Bearer, the primary ones being: what was the biggest victory and how do I turn that into a bad thing? in what ways do the characters still need to grow? and how does the story change with Mavis as the main character? I won’t give away all the answers yet, but those three questions formed the platform of my entire plot and allowed me to develop a story which surpasses book one and sets in motion even bigger events for the final book in the trilogy.
2) raise the stakes
Revenge, adventure, and redemption: these are the motivations of our intrepid trio in Gift, and while they’re each important within the context of the characters’ personal journey, they don’t have any lasting effects on the world around them. If Doran doesn’t get justice for his family’s deaths, he might be killed or forced back into slavery, but those consequences, however dire they may be to him, have no impact on Tenebra as a whole. Book two changes all of that in a couple of ways.
First, the characters have a great deal more that matters to them as compared to where they started in the first book (this is especially true for Doran). As a writer, everything a character holds dear provides an opportunity for pain—I mean, uh, character development and plot conflict! The higher your characters climb, the farther they can fall, and thus the higher the stakes are raised. I have to use Shrek 2 again because it’s a near-flawless example; since Shrek and Fiona end the first movie by falling in love, the sequel explores how much they matter to each other by threatening to take away what they have come to value. Of the trio, Mavis has the most to lose, making her the perfect central character for Song.
The other way to raise stakes is a little more obvious: make the consequences for failure matter more, reach farther, hurt deeper. Keep the conflict personal but make the effects universal. Without giving too much away, Song widens the scope of the conflict to include innocent people whose lives are immediately impacted by the villains our heroes are trying to stop. It’s more than just Mavis who stands to lose everything—it’s all of Tenebra and failure on this level means decades of suffering for thousands. Stakes officially raised.
3) challenge the remaining flaws in your characters
Chances are your characters ended their first adventure with a few rough edges yet to be smoothed. These are the starting point for their development in succeeding stories. Sure, Doran learned mercy, but he still struggles with fear and guilt. Mavis has begun to value heavenly treasures more than earthly ones, but she’s still vain and self-centered. And Errol has a lot to learn about humility and service. Thankfully, character arcs are relatively the same whether its your first or fiftieth in a series: set up the conflict to challenge the flaws your characters have yet to overcome and force them to face their fears in order to conquer the villain.
4) dig into world building
This is a somewhat optional step, but if you’re writing any level of fantasy, take full advantage of the extra hundred-thousand words to add to the religion, politics, history, and culture of your world. This is where part-twos have a major advantage over part-ones, because now you can build on what you’ve already established. Gift introduced the land of Tenebra, with its variety of complex regions and people and Song explores two of those regions in detail, the fire lands and the coast. But more than just the geography, the tiding bearers’ lore and culture are a central element of the book as well. Take time to dive into some of the unexplained portions of your world—it’s one of the most rewarding parts of being a writer.
5) keep writing
This may seem like the most obvious tip, but it was the hardest for me to master. Writing a sequel is challenging and you will need every ounce of stick-to-it-iveness and resilience you have to get through it. Find the people who support and encourage you, and ask for reassurance, advice, feedback, and hugs (DM me on IG! :)). Take breaks when writer’s block strikes, and push through the million and one excuses until you have something you’re proud of. Then… share it with the world!