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Q&A What books should have a sequel?

Check with your publisher and specifically with the editor who worked with you during final polish to see what they think. That editor is probably intimate with the subject matter of your story an...

posted 6y ago by Henry Taylor‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Answer
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T06:59:43Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/30158
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by user avatar Henry Taylor‭ · 2019-12-08T06:59:43Z (over 4 years ago)
Check with your publisher and specifically with the editor who worked with you during final polish to see what they think. That editor is probably intimate with the subject matter of your story and simultaneously may have a more current, less emotional view on its suitability for continuation. They may also have insights into the marketability of a sequel in your chosen genre.

Beyond that, consider what kind of sequel you want to create. Is it a continuation of the character, dragging your protagonist into new challenges and upheavals? Is it a continuation of your plot, investigating the new problems which arise from the solution which was found during your first tale. Is it just another story set in the same universe, with little attachment to the original work. All three of these options have proven precedence and can help you build [the long tail](https://www.wired.com/2004/10/tail/) which is a recipe for writing success.

The only thing you shouldn't do is write a sequel because you think you have to. If you don't have anything more to say about the characters or issues of your first book, let it stand on its own. You can always come back and add a sequel after your second through tenth unassociated published works are already filling the bookstore shelves. There is no hurry to specifically write this sequel.

The only urgency is that you keep on writing!

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2017-09-10T02:35:22Z (over 6 years ago)
Original score: 4