Writing a trilogy

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job

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romantic/erotic story. I am wondering if the scope is too big for one novel and whether it would better fit into a trilogy.

It's not so much the scope or structure of the story that calls for separate volumes. It's the word count.

You'll get a much better handle on your final word count when you start putting your story down on paper. Perhaps all three of your stories stories will combine to less than 90 or 100K. If that's the case you'd have one conveniently-sized book with three sections.
 

blacbird

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That's just not true. It happens multiple times each and every year. Tolkien was not an anomaly, he was, and is, the rule.

It sounds like you read, very, very few trilogies.

What I meant was that the manner in which LOTR got split into a trilogy was unusual. I still think that's true, compared with more recent trilogy efforts, which most authors construct deliberately, and don't leave it to a publisher to subdivide. Maybe I'm wrong about that, but if you have other examples of books that were handled in the way Tolkien's was, I'd like to know about such.

caw
 

Buffysquirrel

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I'd really like to be a proven writer. *stares at keyboard*
 

spiralus

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*Note to self as a newbie. Never use Tolkien in any discussion. Ever! ;)
 

Spiral Jacobs

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In my mind, my story is a trilogy. However, I plan the first book to be around 100,000 words and to stand alone. When I query, I will query it as a standalone with series potential. Then, if it gets sold and does well, I will write the next book. I also envision the second book being able to stand largely on its own (though of course it is a continuation of the previous book) and to end in a place where the series conceivably could stop. That seems like the way to maximize my publication potential and my time.
 

Lillith1991

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You're learning! :D

Awwe! But Tolkien discussions are always fun and interesting!

On a other note, OP. The one huge story type of trilogy doesn't work well with Romance or Erotica because of genre objectives and reader expectations. If your story had been Epic Fantasy or something along those lines it would have likely worked though.
 

spiralus

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I read LotR three times in my twenties. I don't think I could get through it again.
 

Buffysquirrel

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Last time I read it, I had the most horrible flu. LOTR got *me* through it.
 

WriteMinded

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Was it not?!!

Goodness gracious, I've been going about it all wrong.
:D Glad to have been of help.

My point was this:

. . .
The one huge story type of trilogy doesn't work well with Romance or Erotica because of genre objectives and reader expectations. If your story had been Epic Fantasy or something along those lines it would have likely worked though.

*Note to self as a newbie. Never use Tolkien in any discussion. Ever! ;)
If Tolkien ever wrote erotica, I missed it. But, I miss a lot of things. :)
 

BenPanced

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Hey, I'm sure there's some Smaug/Gandalf slashfic out there you can find.

And if there isn't now, there will be by tomorrow.
 

Sonsofthepharaohs

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I plan the first book to be around 100,000 words and to stand alone. When I query, I will query it as a standalone with series potential. Then, if it gets sold and does well, I will write the next book.

I don't think this is a sound plan at all. A more sensible one would be to start writing the second book before you query, and have it almost done by the time your book sells. Because any editor interested in publishing your book is going to ask when they can see the next one, and the answer had better be fairly soon (editors have asked me this even before the first one is finished)
 

Spiral Jacobs

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I don't think this is a sound plan at all. A more sensible one would be to start writing the second book before you query, and have it almost done by the time your book sells. Because any editor interested in publishing your book is going to ask when they can see the next one, and the answer had better be fairly soon (editors have asked me this even before the first one is finished)

The querying process takes a long time, no? And I don't have lots of time, since I work full time and have a small child. I think the querying for the first one can take place simultaneously with writing the next one... though here's my hang up. My novel is about werewolves, and I fully realize that they are out of vogue. Do I want to spent time writing a sequel to a book that might not be published, when I could be writing something else?
 

Aggy B.

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I don't think this is a sound plan at all. A more sensible one would be to start writing the second book before you query, and have it almost done by the time your book sells. Because any editor interested in publishing your book is going to ask when they can see the next one, and the answer had better be fairly soon (editors have asked me this even before the first one is finished)

I disagree. My agent is pitching my series (I have two) with a completed first MS and synopses for the potential sequels. But until they sell there's not a lot of point in writing the next two books unless you just have loads of free time to spend on something that may not make any money ever. I do not have that kind of free time so I'm working on diversifying until I get a contract.

I do recommend, if one is thinking about a series/trilogy, to have some sort of outline or synopsis ready for those sequels. Because someone interested in representing (or contracting) all of them will want to know where you see the overall arc going.

If you were writing a series in which each book was stand-alone and not dependent on what came before or after, that might be different. (You could potentially sell the second book, then sell the first as a prequel, etc.) I would also not be discouraged if you don't pick up representation right away on something with a currently hot topic. Markets do unsaturate and that werewolf novel will eventually stand out (if it doesn't already).

Aggy, has werewolves in one series too
 

RedWombat

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Ah, looking way back to the beginning post--straight romance is rarer as a trilogy. There are some super-obvious exceptions--Fifty Shades!--but I see a lot more stand-alone romance, and later books tend to focus on the romances of other characters rather than the original couple.

This could absolutely be changing, but something to be aware of.
 

ishtar'sgate

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Not your genre, but the first trilogy that came to mind was The Hunger Games. Instead of 'the End', it read End of Book One, so we know there's more and we want more. Whether or not it was intended as a trilogy or split up later, it works.
 

Spiral Jacobs

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I disagree. My agent is pitching my series (I have two) with a completed first MS and synopses for the potential sequels. But until they sell there's not a lot of point in writing the next two books unless you just have loads of free time to spend on something that may not make any money ever. I do not have that kind of free time so I'm working on diversifying until I get a contract.

Precisely my thinking on the subject. I have a solid outline for the second book and think it would write much easier than the first book. I write very fast--it's the revision process that bogs me down. I have another novel outlined as well, in a completely different genre. I was thinking of working on that while querying the werewolf novel. Then I'd have two novels, different speculative fiction genres, ready to go.

I would also not be discouraged if you don't pick up representation right away on something with a currently hot topic. Markets do unsaturate and that werewolf novel will eventually stand out (if it doesn't already).

I hope it does sell so I can write that sequel. But I have to be realistic. Writing a sequel before I even have representation feels excessively optimistic to me. Maybe if I got an agent, s/he could advise me about this.
 
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Katrar

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The most commonly accepted mode of presenting a trilogy seems to be:

1 mega-arc encompassing the entire trilogy.
1 lesser arc introduced and concluded within each book. The lesser arc should have strong bearing on the mega-arc.

This is the system I lean towards as I endlessly plot my fantasy trilogy. lol
 

Cathy C

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And I'm wondering how a romantic/erotic story can be long enough to require three books. In any event, and IMHO, make them stand alones. I, and many others, detest cliff hangers - UNLESS warned ahead of time.

:roll: Ask Sylvia Day how a romantic/erotic story can be long enough. Her Crossfire series is up to four books now. The first 2.5 books are the heroine's story. The next 1.5 books are the hero's. Yes, 2.5 books. The heroine's story ends in the middle of book 3 and you pick up the hero's story at that point for the next book.

Oh, and did I mention that they're #1 international bestsellers, sold for big bucks to have a television series, and she just received an EIGHT figure advance for her next two books? ;)

Erotic trilogies are the rage right now. It's a good time to be writing them. :)
 
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Calliea

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So to the people who get irked unless warned about the trilogy/quadrology/whateverlogy: what kind of warning do you expect to be at ease reading a story that's coherent in the space of its volume (deals with minor issues, gives some answers, has a construction that's doesn't lead to a random cut mid-event), but definitely not a standalone (the important things are only beginning, and they're NOT the background behind a case-like plot, they're the foreground)?
 
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Buffysquirrel

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I would have liked some warning that Lirael was not complete and there was another whole book wrapping up the story that hadn't even been published yet. Book One of the Lirael duology? Part One? This story will continue in Abhorsen (and NOT on the freaking last page thankyou HC!).
 

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While I would love to turn my current project into trilogy, I'm planning on having the protagonist be completely victorious over the antagonist without actually offing him. I'm doing this just in case I'm not as successful with it as I hope to be; it can be a standalone. In my humble opinion, that's the best way to approach it.
 
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