Always leave the wanting more or giving your readers blue balls

[HeyYoureThatGuy]

This topic has been explored before, but I don't know how well resurrecting two year old threads works on this forum and I'm wondering if people's thoughts on the matter have changed over time.

So, I have two stories out. Both have people asking me for the next chapter... that I really didn't plan on writing.

For the two that I've done and a longer project I have in the works, I like to let people know the characters go on to keep fucking each other's brains out, the HEA. But that doesn't mean I'm going to write it all out. (Fully functional relationships are fantastic to have, but I find them both boring to read and boring to write about.) I guess audience demand is a good problem to have; I'm just a little torn on how to proceed.

[I have one WIP that ends with our characters parting ways, so maybe I just need to write more of those. ]

My first one, I figure my characters have completed their arcs, and there's not much else to do with them. The central conflict is resolved. A happy million orgasms for everyone one.

My second... I could do more with, but not particularly compelled to. It's my Summer Lovin' entry and was written almost expressly for that purpose.

I feel like unplanned sequels are a dangerous game. You could maybe end up with a Toy Story where each one ranges from pretty damn good to fantastic, or you end up with Disney direct-to-video quality work.

Now, with the full understanding that I can do whatever the hell I want and I'm writing anonymously, so it's not like I can't just disappear at any time: How have others handled the "Give me more" requests? Have you had regrets about how you've navigated the situation?

 

[HeyYoureThatGuy]

And I just noticed the typo in the thread title. Go me.

 

[NotWise]

Now, with the full understanding that I can do whatever the hell I want and I'm writing anonymously, so it's not like I can't just disappear at any time: How have others handled the "Give me more" requests? Have you had regrets about how you've navigated the situation?

Reader demands for more seem pretty common. I used to think that meant I ended the story wrong, but now I think it's just something the readers do.

I have one story that was a reader's idea for a followup to my first story. It's one of my lowest-rated stories. I'd say I regretted that one.

I also have a series that sprung from a Valentine's Day contest story. The readers wanted more, which I hadn't planned on. Then I had to admit that the ending was an unintended cliff-hanger, so I went ahead and wrote more. It's been a lot of work and a lot of fun to write, and now (four and a half years after the first story) I'm finally going to finish the thing, or die trying.

Generally, I won't continue a story on readers' requests, but it can work out.

 

[SimonDoom]

My general, although no inflexible, advice on this question: Don't.

It's a compliment to your story that your readers want more. It's quite common. But if you've completed the story, you have to ask whether it makes more sense to write an unplanned sequel or to move on to a new story. Usually it's better to move on to a new story. You can be more creative, start a new character and story arc, and probably attract more readers that way, too.

 

[RejectReality]

Only continue something you never intended to go forward if you're excited about it. If you get a flash of inspiration, and you want to continue the story, then do it. Otherwise, leave it be.

Sometimes, you're better off leaving it alone even if you are inspired. Some pieces are lightning in a bottle, and recapturing that is a tall order. You can end up diluting the original with a less stellar follow-up.

 

[jehoram]

Only continue something you never intended to go forward if you're excited about it. If you get a flash of inspiration, and you want to continue the story, then do it. Otherwise, leave it be.

That's good advice, and it's what I do. If you think that you've left part of the story untold, and you want to tell it, that's a good reason for a sequel. Otherwise, you can leave it alone.

I wrote "Bigfoot and the Wood Nymph" as a one-off. When I submitted it to my editor, she said, "I wonder what her side of the story was. Maybe you should write it."

"Maybe I should," I said after I thought about it a bit. So I did. I never would have considered it if she hadn't suggested it.

Or did I do it before she suggested that she write that story, to beat her to the punch?

 

[Voboy]

I always ended my earlier stories on a mild cliffhanger; I like stories that end ambiguously, so I figured others might too.

There were occasional demands for sequels, which I politely ignored; it's my story. I'll continue it if I want to, dammit, not you.

Lately, I've noticed myself getting more brazen with my cliffhangers. My summer contest entry has a big one, though I thought it was pretty well telegraphed. But I'm fond of it, and the story ends just like I want it to.

So I guess that's "leave 'em wanting more." But to me, it just feels like good storytelling.

 

[SimonDoom]

If you have an excellent idea; go for it. But only if you can bring something completely new and refreshing to the story.

I agree with this.

Having looked at the list of OP's two stories, however, I'll say this: Exhibitionist stories can lend themselves to sequels, because if you have an appealing character that the readers like you can imagine a new exhibitionist adventure for the character to have. You can make the exhibitionism a bit more extreme each time. I've read a number of exhibitionist series like this; I'm not sure when they started whether the author really foresaw making it into a series. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't.

Don't ever feel pressure from your readers to do this. Do it only if the inspiration really hits you.

 

[Voboy]

There's also the option, which I embrace in almost all my stories, of writing indirect sequels: the new story needn't branch directly from the old, but it can occur in the same universe with the same characters, referencing the events of the old story.

 

[NotWise]

My Summer Lovin' story resulted in a request for a prequel. Another commenter wanted a sequel that would do more to explain what happened before the story. I've never had requests like that before.

 

[ElectricBlue]

My Rope and Veil story was intended as a one-off, but then the reader response to the way I handled the delicate subject manner encouraged/persuaded me to write another two parts, which turned out to be two of my most successful pieces. I have plans for a concluding chapter, but I'm not brave enough to write it yet.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

It's certainly common. I generally don't, feeling the story in question ended, answered the questions, covered the subject.

Critically, in most cases, I wouldn't know where a sequel would go and, if I can't do it well, I'd rather not admit it by publishing something less than excellent. That may or may not be a limitation on my craft, but it's one I can live with.

 

[KeithD]

I don't feel much pressure to follow up on a reader request/suggestion for a continuation of a story (had two of those in the last two days), because most stories I post here were written a year and fifty-some stories ago. I've moved on. Sometimes the request will put the story back into my mind, though, and my muse might work it over and drop it as an idea to write. That's fine with me. I'll let my muse decide whether there's a continuation or something related to write. I don't either push it or ignore it. It doesn't really matter much that a reader has asked for more, though.

 

[yowser]

Sequels

Besides a couple years ago, we talked a little about this several weeks ago. See http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=1527551

Author responses are fairly congruent to what you have unearthed here.

 

[Carnevil9]

I've found requests for sequels to be pretty common, too. I usually take it to merely mean that the reader enjoyed the story, and doesn't really know any better way to compliment it. I rarely write a sequel unless I was planning to all along.