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Hey all, I'm gonna have a poll here, but I'd like some written-out opinions as well.

As you know, I just finished my first book and am beginning the process of shopping it to agents/publishers. Now, however, I'm feeling a lot of writing juices flowing. So, I want to start a new book while trying to sell the first one. So, here's the question:

I need to write the sequel to my first book (I designed it to be a duology with a second duology in the same world but a different time frame to follow).

I have an idea for a second series about a mythological creature trying to make it in today's modern world, set in the Washington, D.C. area.

So, the problem is, which should i start on now? I wouldn't mind having a second book in my original series ready to go as soon as the first one sells. However, I'm a little tired out on those characters after all the editing I've been doing over the last year or so.

Also, if I write the other one, I can try to sell them both at the same time. The books are different enough that I could shop them to different agents and publishing houses, thus doubling my chances and giving me a shot at getting the non-sold one published based on the success of the first one I get sold.

So, what do you think, should I do the sequel to my first book, or start my new series?

bjornolf wrote:Hey all, I'm gonna have a poll here, but I'd like some written-out opinions as well.

As you know, I just finished my first book and am beginning the process of shopping it to agents/publishers. Now, however, I'm feeling a lot of writing juices flowing. So, I want to start a new book while trying to sell the first one. So, here's the question:

I need to write the sequel to my first book (I designed it to be a duology with a second duology in the same world but a different time frame to follow).
So, what do you think, should I do the sequel to my first book, or start my new series?

Maybe doing different themes so he wouldn't get bored with the characters is why Tom Clancy wrote his Jack Ryan fiction books concurrent with his more factual books. Both have been successful, but Jack Ryan's are far more lucrative!

OZZIE4DUKE wrote:Maybe doing different themes so he wouldn't get bored with the characters is why Tom Clancy wrote his Jack Ryan fiction books concurrent with his more factual books. Both have been successful, but Jack Ryan's are far more lucrative!

I think he did it out of desperation. He was a failed real estate agent whose wife had left him, calling him a loser who'd never amount to anything (boy, I bet she's sorry now!). I believe he'd even contemplated suicide. He didn't even have any military background. He had an old buddy who was in the navy that advised him. He ended up writing it SO well that my dad had to vett his work for classified information.

So, what's your vote, Ozzie?

bjornolf wrote:
So, what's your vote, Ozzie?

I just voted write the new series next. If you are so bored with the first characters, the second book would probably suck if written now. Let the adoring public clamor for the sequel!

OZZIE4DUKE wrote:

bjornolf wrote:
So, what's your vote, Ozzie?

I just voted write the other one next. If you are so bored with the first characters, the second book would probably suck if written now. Let the adoring public clamor for the sequel!

Maybe I overstated that, I'm not SO bored that it would suck. Actually, writing NEW stuff as opposed to just reading and editing (for the tenth time) the old stuff would probably get me excited about it again pretty fast. However, your advice is sound, and that's the way I'm kind of leaning.

OZZIE4DUKE wrote:... Let the adoring public clamor for the sequel!

The proof will be in the pudding. I didn't vote. The paying public will vote for you.

bjornolf wrote:what do you think, should I do the sequel to my first book, or start my new series?

I vote continue the series. Of course this is subjective and depends on a ton of variables. But if you are not bored with the characters/story from your first story, why not go for the sequel and, whilst working on that, maybe in the back of your mind you can start planning to branch out into the other realm, of which sounds interesting too.

Yep, go for the sequel!

I like variety. If I were you, I'd move onto the next series first.

Write the one that excites you the most. It will end up being a better storyline because you're creatively engaged with it.

Thanks for all the votes, folks. I decided to go with the new series. I started today, and between chasing the kids, I managed to write a background history for the protagonist and the first couple chapters of the book. It feels great to be writing new stuff again. We'll see how it goes.