For me I vowed and declared that there was NEVER going to be a sequel to "Broken Pottery the Life of an African Girl". Mainly because sequels can fall into the "ho hum" and "going nowhere fast category". Personally, I think writers need to think really carefully as to whether there is enough material for a sequel and take the time to write it properly.
After much thought and prayer I finally became convinced that a sequel was needed. What changed my mind?
1. Requests from readers: It was very kind of readers to want to know more about the characters and what happens next - which made me think, what does happen next?
2. Strong themes: For me books are theme driven first and I as the writer need to be invested in those ideas and believe that it is useful for all of us to think about these things together. You may be surprised but my sequel has two main themes woven into the storyline.
a. Witchcraft and wrong belief in the supernatural and what does the bible say?
b. Persecution of Christians, our response and the comfort that God gives.
What made you decide to write or even not to write a sequel?
Are sequels harder to write than other books? - definitely I have found the answer to be "yes". Just making sure that all the characters remain true and the scenery is exactly the same as the first book does pose its challenges especially if you haven't catalogued any of this. Cataloguing details of your first book is very time consuming.
I'd love to hear from any of you about helpful tips for sequel writing that you may have to offer. All advice is helpful.
By the way the working title of the sequel is "The Vulture and the Finch" - due out February 2015.
Jennifer Ann
JenniferAnn.info
Jenniferann/aroma of Life
