Sequels

A lot of folks ask me if a particular story that they liked will have a sequel. I know it's only natural to want more of some tale that amused you. How many of us have read a book so good you did not want it to end?
I've been thinking about this recently in view of a lot of requests for sequels and I'll pick on one, Beverly and The Principal as, an illustration.

The main problem to a sequel here is that there is no place for the plot to go without either rewriting the story you just wrote or changing the essential nature of the characters. My characters are frequently "first timers" as were Beverly and Ward. Spanking has not figured in their lives before (Ward's role as principal notwithstanding. I'm talking about erotic/romantic here.). The story is how that comes to happen and how it affects their relationship. But, a sequel forces you to now take the characters from where they are to some new place. Otherwise you'd just be rewriting the same story. So if I pick back up with Ward and Beverly, now that the cat is out of the bag, it could just revert to a DD scene with no real plot unless I introduce something new.

As I see it, to write a sequel forces you to introduce a new element, and that should most often be a new character who forces a change in the dynamic of the relationship. So if a new character idea comes to mind, I'll go with it. Possibly also a dramatic change in circumstance could make things different for these characters. But that is what it would take. I'm not going to concoct a scene with the same characters doing what they did before.

How do other authors feel?

I agree that if the story is about 'my first time' than it's hard to write a sequel, in that it will never be the first time again. I agree that you have to take the characters in a new direction, introduce new characters,, or build on the experience in some way.

Another possibility is new characters in the same setting. I wrote a number of stories set in a reformatory that is basically a sequel in style and tone to the story that Goodgulf wrote (THE MAGISTRATE). It's a different story with different characters, but it still features sanctimonious judges disciplining young women for trivial offenses. So there's a number of directions you can take...

To me, much of it depends on the original story. Many of my stories will lend themselves to a part 2. Others will not. For example, Attitude Adjuster has the potential for a part 2 as the mother took the paddle back home. A part 2 would not be set in the cabin but back at home. When I originally wrote the story about Erin getting caught smoking at school, I did not envision a part 2; however, I wrote one about her partner in crime also getting a spanking due to comments asking for a 2nd part.

I see Rollin's point when it comes to stories that have reached a natural conclusion. My Woodshed story comes to mind. Yes, the girls could earn another spanking from their mother, but when I wrote the story, it was based on a picture, and to me, the story is closed. Likewise, my Dollywood or Bust story does not lend itself to a natural part 2. I really don't think those kids are going to try to make a successful sneak trip to Dollywood after their previous failed attempt. Yes, the story does imply that the kids are in a spanking family, but the original story was based on a real life escapade of two siblings and a friend, who may or may not have been spanked for what they tried to accomplish. Future stories under a Dollywood title would not make sense.

I feel honored when someone leaves a comment asking for a sequel. It means they liked the first story enough to want to read more. If I feel a sequel makes sense, I have time to write one, and I can figure a logical sequel storyline, I try to write one. However, even when I read authors, such as Rollin, where I would love to have a sequel to a particular story, I will respect the author's desire not to write one. For example, I would have loved Cropton Hall to go on forever, but I understand The English Master's need to bring that series to a close. I know it allows him the freedom to write new stories with new characters that I will also enjoy reading.

Sequels are odd things. There are some stories you write that seem to demand them and others that you just can't come up with a good one for. The Spank Shop was written as a one off. When I first posted it people wanted sequels and the ideas just came. I'm currently writing #20. There was another story that people asked for a sequel for, but I couldn't write it and may never do so as I just can't think of an idea that won't just turn out to be a replay of the first one and that's not what I do. However there are some stories like the PGB ones which were always going to have sequels. It's just how it works with the ideas.

I consider myself an expert on the subject o sequels. Well, in NOT writing them in any case.


Exactly. That first time (which may be the ONLY time) - is what I consider to be the most interesting case to explore, and what I tend to write about. As an analogy, "boy meets girl" is inherently a more interesting story than "boy continues to see girl." That doesn't mean there isn't a tale to be told about an ongoing (spanking) relationship; I've read many good ones. Very occasionally I've explored that angle myself. But again, even here, once you've explored that, do you want to go exploring it again? Many of my stories leave off at a point where they know a spanking relationship will ensue (I may even tell them so). If they want more, I figure that they can imagine it however they choose.

Something (like a new character) that forces a change in the relationship is definitely a good basis for a sequel. I've just never chosen to go that route.

I agree with Rollin that many stories that come to an obvious conclusion, just do not lend themselves to a continuation without spoiling the original storyline, or taking the characters in an entirely different direction which often make the plot unrealistic.

However I have responded to some requests from readers, and written some sequels to stories, which were intended as stand alone when first composed. But only where I could logically see the characters developing further in a believable relationship, and I have to confess I have not always been satisfied with the results.

On the other hand I do start writing some stories which were from the start intended to be one off complete tales, but myself got so involved with developing my characters personalities that, I could see more possibilities for enhancing the story into a serial.

A recent example of this was my entry to the recent Winter Competition, which was fully intended to be a single complete story, but I soon realized when struggling to limit the words of my entry, that I had so many more ideas for my characters to enact, that a series was inevitable. Which is what eventually happened in practice.

I suppose my problem is that like Beth says I feel obliged in some cases when several readers ask for a story to continue, even though at times my own inclination is to leave it and move on.

Personally I think more than anything any Author has to follow their own initiative, and do whatever comes naturally by writing and composing in their own style, I learned a long time ago that to write something just to satisfy someone else's ideas of where a current storyline should go is fraught with danger, and more often than not ruins the original plot.

I agree that the author has to feel moved to write the story, especially as we're not paid for this! However, I've often had an idea sloshing around for a long time without feeling convinced it would work, then started the story without enthusiasm, but become fired by it and written something other people liked. A sequel has to introduce some new element, as others have said, or it lacks dramatic point. That can be a new twist in the tail, and the risk with this is that you meddle with a good theme and character in ways that don't quite work: someone innocent and naive, say, becomes knowing and this rather ruins the character. However, some new twists work. Moreover, two or three people have suggested "sequels" to my stories that have involved picking up a side-plot or minor characters and making them major. This is not really so much a sequel as a second story around the same broad situation (just like the "Band of Brothers" sequence, say, for those who watched that unconventional TV Second World War series). I suspect it can often work, and what's more, allows a little more light to be thrown on the original main characters without rewriting them.

I've only posted two serials so far but having written several stories for my own amusement I can say they seem to come from a genuine curiosity as to what the characters would do in a given situation. One begins with the situation, the spark that sets the story on fire, one peoples it with characters and suddenly curiosity takes over, the characters flesh out into real people and the story grows. The point is that once the curiosity is exhausted the story is complete. A sequel of any value is almost impossible unless and until one grows curious all over again which means that the writer is the best person, indeed the only person to judge whether a sequel is possible or even necessary. Of course this only applies if one is writing for own amusement. Writing to order or contract is a different matter.

Even I was wiling to write a story when offered significant compensation. Alas, they failed to 'show me the money."

Reading Patxi's comments, I realise they fit quite well my Father Monaghan stories: I created a character, originally a minor character in another tale, thought he'd be worth expanding to be the main character in something very specific (for "Confession" you alsolutely need a spanko priest) and then, finding him a fairly complex and attractive character, wondered what he's do if he fell in love on holiday ("The French Correction") or if he had a run-in with an attractive female protester at the Pope's recent visit to Britain ("A Papal Malediction").