What Should I Write Next?

Hello!

For those who don't know, I like to write romantic fantasy. Recently, I finished my first draft of an apocalyptic romantic fantasy novel. I know I'm getting very ahead of myself here, but I'm curious. Let's say, after much editing, I managed to find an agent and get published. What would the agent/publishers/market like next? After all, I'll have to start writing another book before that one ever gets that far (if it ever does.) I have a large collection of ideas, most of which fall into two categories: apocalyptic or war (for want of better words). Do I write another apocalyptic idea next, while I'm on an apocalyptic roll? Or do I write something a little different, so that any readers who decide they like me don't think that all I will do is write apocalyptic stuff and then be surprised when I release something about war?

Again, I know I'm looking quite far ahead. But I'd like to know so that I have a good idea of what I should be writing next in case such a scenario ever arose. Thanks!

 

Is there any way to tie the second in to the first, at least loosely, so you could try to sell it as a standalone novel with series potential? Like, same apocalypse, different characters, or something like that? If so it might be a useful marketting tool - romance publishers love their series potential!

 

BayView has a solid notion. It potentially sets you up for more success.

Series does tend to sell better than standalones. (followed by my speculation/slightly off topic commentary -->) which makes it odd in some ways that publishers don't want a series right off. I think some of that comes from the 'series novels' by many writers early in their career are not 'complete' novels, with a full story arc, but are dependent on the reader continuing to read the story in the next installment.

 

I'm with Homer. I'd say if you enjoy romantic fantasy, just keep to that and try to find a new creative approach to it for each book. Perhaps dystopia could be cool? Or maybe even a utopia for everyone else, but a dystopia for your main characters. In the end though, it's your writing, so just do what ever comes naturally or inspires you the most.

 

Thanks for the help!

I was intending to write the other apocalypse book at some point anyway, regardless of when I decided to. However, you have both raised some food for thought. When I planned out what I just wrote, I had a lot of ideas for the apocalyptic world. This time, I have more ideas for the characters and their quest than the world itself, so turning it into a dystopian novel could be quite interesting. I just wanted the characters that I've already got in my head to travel across the land trying to save the world from whatever started the apocalypse (roll your eyes all you like ) but it could work somewhat the same with a dystopian twist, right? Except, instead of saving the world, perhaps they're trying to save just their country because it's been taken over by cruel rulers, or something along those lines.

Some more food for thought! I never really wanted to make a series or a sequel out of what I've just written - I like where I left my characters, and I like knowing that there's a lot left for the readers to imagine in terms of their adventures afterwards (without leaving the main threads untied, that is). But I never considered looking at a different set of characters in the same world. An interesting idea. Actually, it's giving me a brainwave. The story I've written took place in one fantasy country, but mentioned several others along with an uncertainty about whether they were suffering the same fate. Perhaps I could set the next book in one of those countries. (It could even be the country that partly contributed to the events that lead to the apocalypse in the main country of the story. I painted them somewhat as "bad guys", so I could have fun turning that around a little.) Would that be a link enough for the publishers to be pleased?

 

It might be... they usually want a tighter connection, I think, like a side-character in the first book being a main-character in the next, but... could you have your MCs in this book have a sibling or other loved one trapped in the other country? Or could you have someone from this book travel off to investigate things in the other country? Anything like that?

 

Most side characters were already dead before the start of the book due to the apocalypse and are only side characters through the dreams and flashbacks of my two narrators and protagonists. However, some were just assumed dead, so I suppose I could bring them back to life in my mind and somehow put them into my new story - though with main characters already somewhat mapped out for it, it would be tricky to make them the main character/s. I could make them the next step down, though. The only candidates for that are some of the best friends of the protagonists, however, because the reader does actually get to see that the siblings and family members are dead in my first book.

 

Yea, you could make it about that. Or if you've ever seen a lot of dystopia films, the characters don't always try to really change the whole country, but rather free themselves from the oppressive over mind or society they are apart of (Logan's Run is a great example of this along with 1984). Though you could either set it up for your characters to wanna free a small group of people, or as you mentioned, you could make it so they try and destroy the big brother of the world or country, (V for Vendetta). Dystopia's are always fun and offer a great perspective on societies.

 

Funny. A great article in the Sunday Herald (Glasgow) about this very topic today. And mentions Logan's Run and 1984 and lots of others as well. The is apparently the 100th year anniversary of the release of the German film Metropolis, which inspired the article.