On Sequels

November 12, 2007 by maureen.ulrich.

Yes, I know.

I said there’s no money in it.

It doesn’t make the slightest iota of good financial sense.

However . . . I am starting to outline two sequels for Power Plays.

Which will bring about a Power Plays series. A trilogy, if you will. But certainly NOT a dynasty!

Some very nice things about a sequel at this point in my life.

1. I already have a publisher who has expressed interest. That cuts out the likelihood of seven rejections.

2. I don’t have to create many characters. I can very easily get by on the cast from Power Plays. I have some notion of fleshing out “satellite” characters, like Shauna’s older brother – the one who had to quit hockey because of a concussion (or as Robin would say, “Because he was concussed.”)

3. I know a great deal more about writing that I did when I started out eight years ago. I won’t have to switch tenses or forms of narration. I already know that kids prefer first person. I won’t have to “find” Jessie’s voice. I’ve already found it. I don’t foresee having to make MAJOR character or plot shifts after writing an initial draft. And with all the ideas I presently have for these characters, the book should just about write itself.

4. I have the opportunity to do things better – and put in things I didn’t touch on in the first book. The Estevan Bruins. The female Sask First program. And some things I hinted at in Power Plays. Issues like teen binge drinking and adjusting to life in a high school setting.

Power Plays Two will pick up more-or-less where Power Plays left off, dealing with Jessie’s first season of midget hockey. Maybe I’ll throw in a little of Jessie’s summer and her softball season for good measure. It’ll be nice to write about a sport besides hockey.

Power Plays Three will pick up in Jessie’ final year of midget hockey – her Grade Twelve year. My plans for this book are pretty sketchy at this point, but the focus will be on what it feels like to believe your hockey “career” is over at age 17.

Sound good? Let me know what you think.

And thanks to those of you like Wendy and Simone and that mysterious B. Howie (alias Jen the Reader Girl) who posted reviews on Amazon and Chapters. You are simply great!!

Posted in On Writing | 1 Comment »