Last week we looked at come reasons why writing your second book can prove so daunting. Today we’re going to look at some ways to move forward with that writing. All the rules that applied to your first novel still hold, and since you have already succeeded in writing one book, you should have no difficulty producing a second.
Theoretically.
That said, there are any number of famous writers who never managed more than one novel: William Goldman, Emily Brontë, Boris Pasternak, Margaret Mitchell, and many more. If you decide to be one and done, then that’s fine. There’s no law that says you have to write a river of novels. If you’ve said all you wanted in novel one, then move on, I can only admire your self-awareness.
For those who want a dazzling career littered with literary prizes, fame, fortune, and carpal tunnel from signing all those autographs, here are some suggestions.
Start as early as possible
If you’re still working your way through your first novel, don’t try to write book two at the same time. That way lies madness, not to mention frustration. However, if, while writing book one, something sparks an idea for your second book, there’s no reason you can’t note it in your journal. You can add ideas to your notebook as they occur to you, just don’t succumb to the temptation to start writing a draft. Finish book one first.
Allow yourself time to just think
It’s easy in a panic to just start writing in the hope that something will emerge, but it seldom works out that way. Once you have finished book one and you’re in the submission phase, you can start thinking about that second novel. Think about it last thing at night so it will steal into your dreams. Think about it when you’re exercising or travelling. Make notes, but don’t start any real writing. Though, I should add, if a fabulous line or two pops into your head, make sure to include them in your notebook. Give yourself a few weeks. Remember, you’re not just trying to plan a new book, you also have to let your first one go, and that can be fairly traumatic.
Know your characters
If you are writing a series, make a point to know as much about the arc of your characters even before you start to write book one. JK Rowling says of the Harry Potter series,
From the start I knew there would be seven books and I had the whole story plotted out early on. It took me five years to write the first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
JK Rowling
To outline or not to outline
Even if it’s not your normal way of working, start with an outline. Some agents or editors will be happy to look at that and offer suggestions. If that’s not an option, then see if a friend or a beta-reader might offer feedback. Not to scare you, but if you have a plan for a long book series — think John Connolly’s Charlie Parker books — remember that book two is just a step along the way. It has to set up book three as well as stand alone.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can outline several books at the same time. They don’t have to be in close detail, just a sense of what is likely to happen. There are two advantages to this:
- It gives you an idea of where each story should start and end, and
- If you do get a nibble from an agent or a publisher, you can tell them about the arc you have planned for the next few books. This will be a big plus in your column.
Start where you feel comfortable
I know this may shock some of you, but you don’t have to write a novel in chronological order. If you aren’t sure about how the story will go, focus on the scenes you have figured out. Perhaps it’s the end, or a pivotal moment. Very often, ideas will emerge from those pages. For instance, you might write a scene that’s full of tension, an argument or a fight of some sort. Listen to what the characters are saying. If Danny tells Steve that he wants to quit his job because he finds Steve impossible to work for, that suggests another scene that leads Danny to that conclusion. This approach can help you move backwards and forwards through the story, until the plot comes together.
A similar approach is to start at the end and work your way backwards. Other than this helps you to know where the story ends, I can’t say it’s ever worked for me, but some writers swear by it.
Write the blurb first. As I’m sure you’ll recall, this is the brief description on the back of the book and on websites telling potential readers what to expect. It can remind you what the key moments in the story should be.
You’ve got this
Remember, you’ve already done this once. You’ve wrestled the dragons, fought the demons, and emerged victorious. No, this book won’t present the same challenges as the first one did. Each book is a learning experience, that’s why some of us enjoy it so much. But you have learned creative ways of coping with those various problems, and you can this time too.
Have you written more than one book? Let me know in the comments what challenges you faced, and how you overcame them.
Geri Schear 