This past weekend I completed my edits for “Chronicles of the Roc Rider” and passed the manuscript on to a second set of eyes to catch stuff that slipped past me. While that’s happening I’m working my way through things such as cover art, book descriptions and formatting for the first time. Trying to decide on a release date and how much marketing to do in advance of launch etc. It’s all exciting and terrifying simultaneously.
However, as is wont to happen, my mind is turning now toward my next project. A beast looming on the horizon with equal parts frightening demeanor and welcoming embrace. Yes, I am referring to none other than the sequel to “Chronicles of the Roc Rider”.
Why the juxtaposing emotions? Well, it is a fact that the second Roc Rider novella will be the first opportunity I’ve had to write a sequel to a completed work. I’ve completed a number of unpublished manuscripts, but for various reasons their sequels have never been written (even though most were intended to be the first in a series). This means the second outing for Tanin Stormrush will be my first turn at the wheel of a full-on sequel.
In a way this is comforting. I’ve been living in the world of the Roc Rider for a while a now already, so continuing to write in it shouldn’t be too difficult, in theory. The tone and world are still fresh and ideas still bubble to the surface when I dream in that place.
Still, we’ve all heard stories of Second Book Syndrome, where an author writes a great first book only to flop on their second published offering. A sequel is a different animal, with different elements to balance than a first book. The author (i.e. me) can easily make a misstep in any number of ways that might ruin a reader’s experience of the series.
But hey, no pressure, right?
Don’t worry, I’m confident I can deliver a sequel that lives up to the first book. I know how the series ends and some of the major points in between. Plus I have ideas I can draw from that didn’t get used in the first book. I’ve written briefly before how the first book underwent a major plot overhaul when, after several dozen cracks at chapter one, I realized I was starting in the wrong place. I needed to go back a ways, and write a story that was more intimate for Tanin to show how he becomes invested in the overall conflict.
This is unusual. I’ve had to change the starting point of manuscripts before, but generally because I was starting too early. Turns out the opposite was true this time, but it means I have plenty of fodder for the second book that was always meant for this point in the timeline.
As I look over my old notes on some of it, I also realize the story changed enough in the telling of the first book that some of that material no longer works. One supporting character I was quite excited about doesn’t really fit in the new timeline. As much as I’d like to find a way to keep him I’m afraid if I try too hard I’ll be forcing it, and it will show.
Similarly, decisions made in the first book mean the opening of the second will have to be radically different in one way or another from what I had originally planned. Tanin’s ally Able didn’t exist in the original story idea, for example… well, he did, but he was more of an antagonist at that point. Tanin was also never meant to discover the identity of Able’s mysterious employer as early as he now does.
So how do I develop this? Does Tanin join their cause? Does Able’s employer wipe a portion of Tanin’s memory to protect her identity? I’m starting to feel the unbeatable thrill of first draft creation coming on, and yet scared of making a huge misstep and disappointing everyone.
I suppose that worry is a moot point, really, until I release Roc Rider One and find out whether people even like it enough to be disappointed by a sequel. So perhaps I should stop fretting and just get to work, eh?
On that note, I’ll be ending this rambling, introspective post in order to get some work that is not formatting or description related done.
Thanks for listening.
