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30 Day Fanfic Writing Meme – Day 21
Jul. 27th, 2011 01:54 pm21 – Sequels – Have you ever written a sequel to a fic you wrote, and if so, why, and if not, how do you feel about sequels?
I've written in the same 'series', I think. 'Master and Slave' and 'Mistress and Servant' I feel are connected and I'd like to write a third to tie it all together before cross posting further – one of the pile of 'fics I might like to write one day' – Denna/Rahl where she believes him to be Walter, as was suggested by readers :D
I have got notes and a couple of scenes for a sequel to 'Suit of Swords' but that big bang did give me some grief and I haven't a full outline for it anyway…maybe one day :D
Of course I don't think there's anything wrong with sequels – if I'd loved an author's fic, I'll want to read more. What I do find frustrating is an author who posts lots of one-shots on ff.net where each one says 'need to have read x' and 'won't make sense if you haven't read x, y, and z'. I've nothing against people creating a particular sub-verse or AU to play in, but it can make it difficult to get into their work if no individual piece can be read on its own merits. If they're so related, make them chapters of the same fic. If they're not, then give me some context in the author notes.
In my notes for the 'Suit of Swords' sequel, the first few paragraphs do mention significant events from the previous fic – not just for new readers, but for readers who've forgotten some of the details since it's been so long since the first one. Tie-in novels do this all the time, helping to pin down the book's timeline within the canon, and bringing relevant details to the fore for readers who might not have seen all the episodes. And it pisses me off when readers criticize fanfic for this; 'we know she's the Slayer/he has blue eyes/what kind of car they drive'. The longer the fic, the more detail you can put in – no point wasting words on trivialities in a drabble. But for a novella, I think it helps keep the story in-world.
( rest of the days )
I've written in the same 'series', I think. 'Master and Slave' and 'Mistress and Servant' I feel are connected and I'd like to write a third to tie it all together before cross posting further – one of the pile of 'fics I might like to write one day' – Denna/Rahl where she believes him to be Walter, as was suggested by readers :D
I have got notes and a couple of scenes for a sequel to 'Suit of Swords' but that big bang did give me some grief and I haven't a full outline for it anyway…maybe one day :D
Of course I don't think there's anything wrong with sequels – if I'd loved an author's fic, I'll want to read more. What I do find frustrating is an author who posts lots of one-shots on ff.net where each one says 'need to have read x' and 'won't make sense if you haven't read x, y, and z'. I've nothing against people creating a particular sub-verse or AU to play in, but it can make it difficult to get into their work if no individual piece can be read on its own merits. If they're so related, make them chapters of the same fic. If they're not, then give me some context in the author notes.
In my notes for the 'Suit of Swords' sequel, the first few paragraphs do mention significant events from the previous fic – not just for new readers, but for readers who've forgotten some of the details since it's been so long since the first one. Tie-in novels do this all the time, helping to pin down the book's timeline within the canon, and bringing relevant details to the fore for readers who might not have seen all the episodes. And it pisses me off when readers criticize fanfic for this; 'we know she's the Slayer/he has blue eyes/what kind of car they drive'. The longer the fic, the more detail you can put in – no point wasting words on trivialities in a drabble. But for a novella, I think it helps keep the story in-world.
( rest of the days )
