Prequels, Sequels, and Series

What do you think of prequels, sequels, and other continuations of stories?

Do you think they make a story or ruin it? Are they fun to read or completely unnecessary?

What do you think of reading them? What do you think of writing them?

Feel free to share any do's or don'ts of writing a sequel, prequel or a series.

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Personally, I don't much like stories with, let's say, 50 parts that have a sequel. I do, however, do sequels for stories that are shorter, about 10 or so chapters long.

It depends on the story.
Some just wreck it, while others make it.
Though I like a sequel if there wasn't a proper ending to the first part.
:cute:

Yeah, it really depends on the first story.
If the first story is ended off nicely and the author decides to just do a sequel, sometimes it can't be quite as good.

I honestly don't mind them.
The only thing I hate, more than anything, is when authors start sequels when they haven't finished the first story.
And yes, I've seen it done. Sometimes they get bored of the first story and leave it half done and write a sequel. ::Ranting:

Emily.:

I honestly don't mind them.
The only thing I hate, more than anything, is when authors start sequels when they haven't finished the first story.
And yes, I've seen it done. Sometimes they get bored of the first story and leave it half done and write a sequel. ::Ranting:

:cheese:

Please tell me that's a lie.

It really depends on the story, I think. Writers can either make or break the story, depending on how the first part was left off, and how the sequel was written.

Bleed The Dream:

Emily.:

I honestly don't mind them.
The only thing I hate, more than anything, is when authors start sequels when they haven't finished the first story.
And yes, I've seen it done. Sometimes they get bored of the first story and leave it half done and write a sequel. ::Ranting:

:cheese:

Please tell me that's a lie.

No, I've seen that happen too! It's bad!

I think it really depends, why make the sequel right after the end of the story? Why not just carry the story on? The only time I really like them is when it's a one shot to totally answer any questions I'm dying to know the answer to, or to have a happy ending to a sad story. It's just a really nice way to finish off.

It depends.

I love stories ending just like that - it's a 'sort of' ending, where the story is partly finished and how the rest of the characters' issues go is up to our imagination. It's frustrating sometimes, but I like it a lot of the time.

But then again, I like seeing a new situation in which the characters are in.

I hate sequels that aren't really sequels, and are more like a continuation of the previous story. That annoys me.

If a story stops, say, at a wedding and you want to carry on from there, I think a sequel would be appropriate.

I much prefer sequels to stories with 50+ chapters. Actually, I think 30-40 is enough.

I've read few stories where the sequels have been as good as the original, but if they're done well I think they can really make the story.

I've had a sequel for Desperados going around my head since I started it, but it's going to be mostly self-contained, and what I plan to write in the sequel would be, I think, too much to cram into the first story.

It depends on the reason for writing the sequel.
If it's just because you want to have a new title, but write the same story then it's pretty shitty.
But if you're continuing the story in a different way, then I think they can be good.
I've written one or two.

Some stories run two or three books long, and that's fine, but some people write sequels for stories that are already done. That sucks.

Honestly, though, if you're just starting off, and you find yourself writing millions of sequels, it might be better to just start something new.

I guess it really just depends on the story.
I wrote a sequel for one of my older stories that on Quizilla and it sucked.
Horribly.

I've seen sequels that were just as amazing as the original, but I've just never been able to write them.

I tend to find unplanned sequels are worse than ones the authour planned in advance, like they knew it could develop into a series and ended it at a point where it could be picked up again.

But that's just what I've seen and what I've written. Though I bet some people never planned a sequel and pulled it off perfectly, but i don't think I'll ever be able to do that myself.

Peter Petrelli.:

I tend to find unplanned sequels are worse than ones the authour planned in advance, like they knew it could develop into a series and ended it at a point where it could be picked up again.

^ I agree.

Whether or not a sequel is really good depends on the situation.
If the author wants to make a sequel just to get more readers/become more famous, then I really don't like it--no matter how well written it is. It becomes shallow if you're just doing it to become well liked. It doesn't really have meaning anymore, in my opinion.
But if a sequel is needed, that is, if the first story had an inconclusive ending, then I like sequels a lot.
So, in short, I think the sequel has to be 'needed' to be good.

I like sequels if they're done well. Like, if it's the next bit of the characters lives and deserves a new story. i'd prefer an author to start a sequel then have somethign dramatic and ending like happen, then the next chapter to start with six months later. I find that just ruins it.

I've got a few sequels, or plans for them. I think they're okay. I'm also writing a sequel sort of thing for a film, because it's a good film and I didn't want to rewrite the gilm with my own characters. I wanted to put them in the same situation, but have things play out how I want rather than what happened in the film.

I like sequels, but most of the ones I read tend be disappointing.

AlmostFamous:

Bleed The Dream:

Emily.:

I honestly don't mind them.
The only thing I hate, more than anything, is when authors start sequels when they haven't finished the first story.
And yes, I've seen it done. Sometimes they get bored of the first story and leave it half done and write a sequel. ::Ranting:

:cheese:

Please tell me that's a lie.

No, I've seen that happen too! It's bad!

Completely agree. I hate that so much >.<

I can't stand it when people just put out a sequel for the sake of it. Sure if the previous story has been left wide open for one, but it's not a necessity.

I could never do a sequel. Never. *shudders*

It feels like it's cheating somehow. Like if I wanted to write that, then why couldn't I just put it in the story to begin with?

Depends on the story.
Some work nicely so don't

druscilla; team ryro:

It depends on the reason for writing the sequel.
If it's just because you want to have a new title, but write the same story then it's pretty shitty.
But if you're continuing the story in a different way, then I think they can be good.
I've written one or two.

I would have to agree. I've written a couple and they both turned out good, but in the back of my mind I always thought that maybe it won't be as good as my original.