Hello again!
This week, I want to give a quick update about my next project. In #writingcommunity circles, people often debate whether you should follow-up your first novel with a sequel, or make a clean break and start something new. Honestly, I think it depends. Many authors start out with no intentions of writing a series, so for them the choice is easy! In certain genres, however, multi-book stories are mainstream. Epic fantasy is an obvious example, but multiple sequels are also quite common for detective novels and some subgenres of romance.
My first novel, Rise of Exile, is written as a standalone epic fantasy, but has huge series potential. Long before I finished the first draft, I could see the endless places the story could go! Interestingly though, when it comes to putting pen to paper on my second novel, I’m not deciding what to write based on genre trappings or the notes I’ve built up. I’m simply choosing in line with the publishing path I wish to pursue.
I’ve never made a secret of the fact that I’d like to be a traditionally published author. I once thought that was down to vanity, or some mistaken belief that self publishing cannot produce the same rigorous quality as a publishing house. I know now that’s not the case. In truth, I’m tempted by a lot of the benefits self publishing offers in terms of royalties and authorial control. But whenever I do consider striking out on my own, I come back to one fundamental truth: I write fiction out of the joy of writing itself.
For me, writing is a lot like pharmacy; I am at my happiest when I am focused on the work alone. Traditional publishing is built on the notion that the best use of an author’s time is writing new novels. In self publishing, on the other hand, there is arguably as much reward in good marketing and publicity as in the writing process itself. For some business-savvy authors, this balancing act is a blessing. For me, it threatens to prove a curse. This is the main reason I find myself staring down the traditional publishing path.
Choosing the traditional publishing route, however, means my next project needs to be a pragmatic decision as much as a passionate one. I can’t say for certain if Rise of Exile will find an agent, meaning it may never be published. In that scenario, a sequel could prove a waste of time. Producing a new epic fantasy, however, could take anything from months to years, depending on the complexity and level of worldbuilding required. That option carries a different sort of risk. All things considered, the obvious choice for my next project is a fantasy story based in the same world as Rise of Exile. This is the book I started writing today.
The idea for this book came from the long-standing argument that you should write what you know. Honestly, it’s an idea I’ve shunned before. Part of the allure of writing fantasy is escaping the everyday world and exploring far-flung places. How can anybody achieve that if they only write what they know?
The answer, of course, is that readers assured of the real are often the most likely to believe in the fantastic. And nobody convinces people something is real like someone with first-hand experience.
The basic idea I had for the novel is an epic fantasy setting meets a buddy cop movie. Brandon Sanderson vs. Brooklynn 99. The twist, of course, is that the two detectives, Summer and Eve, are qualified pharmacists. Initially, they’re brought onto the force to help track down a criminal gang distributing a lethal drug to the citizens of Mist Rock. When a series of high-profile murders rocks the city though, Summer and Eve will have to put all their skills to the test to bring the culprit to justice!
I’m definitely wary about starting my second novel—far more than when I started the first. I guess that comes with the territory. Trying something completely new also makes me extremely excited though. This book will feature new genres (police procedural/murder mystery), extensive dual point-of-view, and a more intimate narrative distance. It will also have more romance and humour than my other work.
Next time, I want to talk about plotting and story structure, and how planning my second novel felt far different than my first!
Kyle Malone 