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Sequel Question for Readers
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Shailim is a city,capital of Amanah. Malakim are ethereal warriors. Shamayim must be a city or country. Shaitryim????
J.C.
I'm going to skip the quiz and answer your larger question: Must you "explain stuff so people who have not read the first book will understand what's going on" if the books are closely related or in a series?
My understanding of writing a series is two-fold.
First, each book will build on the framework of the book or books that went before. Characters will continue to develop. Story arcs will continue to develop. Plots will continue to build until the story line that begins at book one and ends with the final book is complete.
Second, every book should be a standalone novel. There should be character arcs, story arcs, and a story question that is relevant to each story in each story. The story question for Book 2 MUST be answered in Book 2. The story question for Book 24 MUST be answered in Book 24, for example.
What you want to do is structure each story so that the overarching story questions and plot lines are developed a little bit in each book. But that will be in the background in every book but the last one.
The central question for each individual novel will be front and center within that novel.
You want your books to be written in a fashion that a reader can pick up the second or third (or whatever) book in the series and have a good read. If the reader is interested in the other books, they can look them up. If they aren't, they aren't burdened with a bunch of information they didn't need.
Any information you feel is necessary should appear in the current story organically. That is, it should make sense to the way this story is unfolding. If it's just added to add background, then take a hard look at it. It may not be necessary at all.
I see nothing wrong with the opening paragraphs you've included. I get no sense that there's a dump of back story or unneeded information.
I hope that helps. I would suggest you do an online search for blog posts and articles on writing a successful series. Since series work is so popular right now, there are more articles than I could list in this response.
Now for your quiz:
Shailem -- Jerusalem
Amanah -- Judah or Israel, the Holy Land
Shamayim -- Heaven or the Holy realm
Malakim -- God's warriors
Shaitryim -- Satan's warriors
I will confess, however, that this information comes more directly from your summary of what the story is about than from the paragraphs you included.
I'm going to skip the quiz and answer your larger question: Must you "explain stuff so people who have not read the first book will understand what's going on" if the books are closely related or in a series?
My understanding of writing a series is two-fold.
First, each book will build on the framework of the book or books that went before. Characters will continue to develop. Story arcs will continue to develop. Plots will continue to build until the story line that begins at book one and ends with the final book is complete.
Second, every book should be a standalone novel. There should be character arcs, story arcs, and a story question that is relevant to each story in each story. The story question for Book 2 MUST be answered in Book 2. The story question for Book 24 MUST be answered in Book 24, for example.
What you want to do is structure each story so that the overarching story questions and plot lines are developed a little bit in each book. But that will be in the background in every book but the last one.
The central question for each individual novel will be front and center within that novel.
You want your books to be written in a fashion that a reader can pick up the second or third (or whatever) book in the series and have a good read. If the reader is interested in the other books, they can look them up. If they aren't, they aren't burdened with a bunch of information they didn't need.
Any information you feel is necessary should appear in the current story organically. That is, it should make sense to the way this story is unfolding. If it's just added to add background, then take a hard look at it. It may not be necessary at all.
I see nothing wrong with the opening paragraphs you've included. I get no sense that there's a dump of back story or unneeded information.
I hope that helps. I would suggest you do an online search for blog posts and articles on writing a successful series. Since series work is so popular right now, there are more articles than I could list in this response.
Now for your quiz:
Shailem -- Jerusalem
Amanah -- Judah or Israel, the Holy Land
Shamayim -- Heaven or the Holy realm
Malakim -- God's warriors
Shaitryim -- Satan's warriors
I will confess, however, that this information comes more directly from your summary of what the story is about than from the paragraphs you included.
Carrie, I have posted this question all over facebook and other reading groups and you are the FIRST person to answer the "quiz" 100% correctly. I gave the summary because that will be on the back cover and or Amazon description anyway, so a new reader will at least know that much. Thank you so much for your feedback!!! I have read alot on how to write series and such, and while each book will stand on its own, it is very much like Lord of the Rings, in that it is one continuos story, broken into three volumes. So trying to cater to readers who don't start at the beginning by reading the first book while simultaneously not annoying readers with information they already know is rather tricky. But like I said, you are the first to have understood what's going on, and the how-to series books I've read said most readers who don't know what's going on will put the book down and not bother to find the first one. So it's a fine line.
Thanks again for your input!
J.C.,
I'm surprised I was the first. The answers seemed so obvious.
I was going to suggest that you write your novel like Tolkien wrote Lord of the Rings. Looks like you're a step ahead of me on that.
A lot of things about writing are a "fine line". What works for one novelist won't work for the next. My experience has been that what works for one novel might not even work for the next.
Best wishes with your work. If you need a beta reader, let me know!
I'm surprised I was the first. The answers seemed so obvious.
I was going to suggest that you write your novel like Tolkien wrote Lord of the Rings. Looks like you're a step ahead of me on that.
A lot of things about writing are a "fine line". What works for one novelist won't work for the next. My experience has been that what works for one novel might not even work for the next.
Best wishes with your work. If you need a beta reader, let me know!
Thanks for beta read offer! Would you like to read the first one, first? I can only assume people aren't getting it because they think allegory. They see the unfamiliar terms and don't realize it's just a name change. That's my guess anyway.
I'd love to read the first one. Can you do a PDF?
Do you have a ereader? I have both a mobi file and an epub available. And it's on both Scribd or Oyster if you have a subscription to either of them.
I do have an ereader on one of my computers, so that would work.
carrielynnlewis@carrie-lewis.com
Okay, sent. The first book is called Prophecy of the Heir, so that is in the subject line. Hope you enjoy!
J.C.,
Thanks! I see it in my inbox!
Thanks! I see it in my inbox!
Wind whipped through the skull-like cavities of a hill lined with Excrucio beams. Compelled beyond his control, Michael stared across the city of Shailem at the rotting corpses nailed to the tree posts, the blood spilling down the timber, and the vacant stares of the dead.
Surrounded by a convoy of Malakim, he tore his gaze from the execution site, and escorted the infant Heir into the City of Peace. The irony of the moniker was palatable, for Shailem was more saturated with strife, riots, and chaos than any other city in the country of Amanah.
Carried by his mortal mother and accompanied by his adoptive father, the long awaited Heir—the Prince of Shamayim and Captain of the Malakim—lay bundled against his mother’s chest, oblivious to the danger around him, and to those who hunted his soul.
As they strode through the city streets, Michael glanced up at the numinous citadel hovering over Shaliem. Invisible to mortal eyes, the citadel was an open-centered fortress that hovered several leagues above the perimeter of the city. Malakim—ethereal warriors who served Jehuva El Elyon, King of Shamayim—lined the parapet, and bowed in reverence as the Prince passed by in his mother’s arms.
A Malakim imperiel nodded towards Michael, signaling that passage to the temple was safe. But Michael knew better than to lower his guard. He eyes swept the temple complex, and rested on the Rhoman garrison jutting from the southwestern corner of the outer wall. The Antonia Fortress was a constant reminder that Shailem, capital of Amanah, was owned by the dark lord, Shaitan. Michael scanned the ranks of Shaityrim scowling from the numinous outpost above the fortress, but the dark lord was not amongst his minions.
The convoy reached the temple without incident, and the couple traipsed up the steps unaware of their ethereal escort. Michael tensed as they passed beneath the mortal soldiers stationed atop Antonia, gripping their gold, eagle-mounted standards. Though they paid the couple no heed, Michael wished his Captain’s mission was over, that he had already fulfilled the prophecy and broken the curse, and was back in the numinous world of Shamayim, where he was immortal…and safe. But gone were the days of sparring with the Prince in the hidden garden beneath King Elyon’s palace, or planning military strategies to ensure the King’s chosen people, the House of Jacov, lived securely in Amanah. Now the Captain was a mortal babe, subjected to all the frailties that came with living in a cursed world.