tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738657.post1172531990518506196..comments2023-10-22T03:44:10.146-04:00Comments on Fierce Romance: Starting A NovelVonda Sinclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680397260476850190noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738657.post-83888863968519921682013-05-10T19:30:00.428-04:002013-05-10T19:30:00.428-04:00I just wrote a sequel to one of my Brazens and I s...I just wrote a sequel to one of my Brazens and I strugged with everything you're dealing with! Argh! How much backstory...when...and from which character?!! Ultimately I decided backstory is backstory, whether it exists in a prior book or just in my head, and doled it out with the same restaint, using the same "need to know" threshold I use for regular old backstory. <br /><br />I may get a lot of reader comments along the lines of "What the hell is going on in this story!" Sam Beckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14705518962394643795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738657.post-18575288769527820722013-05-10T17:47:30.851-04:002013-05-10T17:47:30.851-04:00Thanks for your comments, everyone! I appreciate t...Thanks for your comments, everyone! I appreciate the pep talk, and it's reassuring to know that other writers go through this, too!<br /><br />JennaJenna Iveshttp://www.jennaives.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738657.post-18389023316283349342013-05-10T15:53:34.204-04:002013-05-10T15:53:34.204-04:00Yep, I agree there is a very fine dance required. ...Yep, I agree there is a very fine dance required. I just wrote three spin offs and it was hard to not overexplain or info dump. : )<br /><br />But I think this is this character's story so you start there. You feed in a tiny bit of a character from the prior book, a familiar setting, a reference or two, it can be as simple as a phone call, something that ties the two books, and then over the next few chapters you continue to do that. <br /><br />I like your idea of just forging ahead, and then coming back to rework the first chapter later.Robena Granthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18389730409379890816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738657.post-42108190501736104952013-05-10T14:23:26.738-04:002013-05-10T14:23:26.738-04:00I'm doing a sequel now and you've certainl...I'm doing a sequel now and you've certainly highlighted some of the challenges!Veronica Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04732940088047026021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738657.post-14369203749472894202013-05-10T13:31:07.302-04:002013-05-10T13:31:07.302-04:00I struggle with beginnings all the times. And not ...I struggle with beginnings all the times. And not just with sequels. It's a balancing act to juggle the info the reader needs to know right now with the action that's happening...well...right now. I think you did the right think to jump to ch 2. Sometimes I struggle for days trying to find the right place to start. Good luck with your new story!Natasha Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12254323950791396984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738657.post-43834700745707711602013-05-10T13:29:44.754-04:002013-05-10T13:29:44.754-04:00Hi Jenna
I definitely found it hard to find the fi...Hi Jenna<br />I definitely found it hard to find the fine line between repetitious and informative.<br /><br />Last year I wrote the sequel to my first Harlequin Special Edition. It was the brother's story, and wound up writing a scene or two from the first book, but this time it was in his Point of view. It was a very interesting exercise to repeat the same scene but giving the other person's take on it. The overlap from story one to story two was necessary. I hope I handled it okay.<br />I'm sure you'll do fine, too.<br />and YES writing IS hard!Lynne Marshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17156587180087372120noreply@blogger.com