AboutSusan Rand Expertise I can answer questions about the elements of fiction and non-fiction writing: how to get started, writing techniques, re-writing, etc. I will NOT write for you, do critiques except from my website at http://pygmypress.com, or give you ideas. I will not answer home-or-schoolwork questions in any category. If English is your second language, please say so, and I will make an exception. Please submit no more than one or two questions at once, as I tend to go into detail in my answers.
Experience I wrote my first book in 1957 and have been writing and studying writing since. I have a BA in Written Communications, and have taught writing both privately and through adult education for 15 years. Have also edited (fiction books) for an online publisher and edited/wrote more than 100 articles for realsexed.com. Currently writing web content and mentoring beginning writers.
Question I'm writing a series. I was on fire with the entire first book and during the outline of the second. But now that I've begun writing the second, my flame has died. I don't know why my characters and my story, both of which I love, can't evoke in me the emotion I felt so easily with the first. Can you please help me?
Answer Hello Mercedes:
I can certainly identify with you standing in the puddle of your dead flame. The same thing happens to me on a regular basis.
It could be that you have extracted all the potential of these characters in the first book, and there is no energy left in them (or in you) for a second book.
It could be that the book was never meant to be a series. Can it stand alone?
It could be that you need to put the second book away for a while and try to sell the first, first. There's nothing quite so invigorating as a contract.
Or put both of them away for a time and see if your flame can be rekindled.
You might consider trying these characters in a different situation, or keep the situation and tell the story from the POV of other characters.
I hope something in here helps. If it does, a nice rating would be greatly appreciated. I am proud of my high scores over 1950 questions.
