Naming follow up story/series/chapters

[Beneaththesurface]

I am a first I'm writer that recently published a story just for fun, “A Girl Named Desire” (3500 words). It was meant to be just one short story but I got a good response and decided to continue with it. I have the follow up complete and ready to submit. So without deleting the original how would you suggest naming the next part?

A Girl Named Desire (original already published on LIT)
A Girl Named Desire 2,3,4 etc. (do I name it like this?)

 

[MColton84]

Title of your work.

I have done it both ways. I usually do a 1,2,3, for chapters and a name for a continuation. I.e. if you second is just what happened next, then I would use a number. However if it were a case of same characters or situations in like a different setting, I would give it a name. Halloween one and two take place on the same night, but Die Hard and Live Free or Die Hard are set decades apart with different antagonist. That is just me though.

 

[AlinaX]

When you submit Chapter 2, you can drop a note to the editor asking her to rename Chapter 1 to match the series pattern.

 

[BiscuitHammer]

I started Alex & Alexa, thought it would just be a quick series. But it got popular, and even after I finished it, found the need to continue. It had a sequel, Mike & Karen, and MK has a story running alongside it, Freja & Jeanie.

Those are the three central stories of the Alexaverse, but other spinoffs are coming.

So I just got lazy and named the new series after their central characters, but thematically, it fit. Keeping a name or a word from the original title in the new stories is a continuity readers will appreciate.

If you're talking, formatting, however, I just submit 01, 02, etc. Keeps it really easy for you to follow as the author.

 

[PennameWombat]

I am a first I'm writer that recently published a story just for fun, “A Girl Named Desire” (3500 words). It was meant to be just one short story but I got a good response and decided to continue with it. I have the follow up complete and ready to submit. So without deleting the original how would you suggest naming the next part?

A Girl Named Desire (original already published on LIT)
A Girl Named Desire 2,3,4 etc. (do I name it like this?)

I've done this in two ways.

• Series where each story is tightly linked, e.g., Mel's Phone Call followed by Mel's Phone Call Pt. 2 and a Pt.3. A followon series is Chronicle: Mel & Chris Ch. 01 (and which is now up to Chronicle: Mel & Chris Ch. 05). In these, it's essentially one, long single story that is broken in parts because I publish them as I write them. But it could be re-edited into a single volume and would flow pretty directly.
  
• More loosely linked 'serial' style, one such started with You Promised Me Geeks, which was followed by You Promised Me Geeks: Asha & Tracy (and a third entry published a while back.) These stories feature the same two main characters but other than that each story isn't a strict follower to the previous but I want readers to know they're connected.

That's my style, but you can simply submit with your choice. If you want to do the 'chapter' style, then simply set your title as "A Girl Named Desire, Pt. 2" (or Ch. 2, your choice).

 

[stickygirl]

You should find out about asking that the chapters be linked. When I did my first series, there was no 'Series' category. I've forgotten how it was accomplished but I suspect you make a request when you upload it. That way the next chapter(s) links show up in a box at the end of a chapter, making it easier for readers to continue

 

[ElectricBlue]

I am a first I'm writer that recently published a story just for fun, “A Girl Named Desire” (3500 words). It was meant to be just one short story but I got a good response and decided to continue with it. I have the follow up complete and ready to submit. So without deleting the original how would you suggest naming the next part?

A Girl Named Desire (original already published on LIT)
A Girl Named Desire 2,3,4 etc. (do I name it like this?)

Yes, but if you plan more the nine chapters, use 01, 02 etc. If you plan more than 99, use 001, 002.

The story link software sorts in alpha-numeric order, so if you wanted you could something like this:

Floating World - Annabelle
Floating World - Beatrice
Floating World - Catherine

And they too would be clustered as a series.

If you submit a Part 02 the site will join together with the un-numbered first chapter - you don't need to resubmit.

 

[Handley_Page]

I am a first I'm writer that recently published a story just for fun, “A Girl Named Desire” (3500 words). It was meant to be just one short story but I got a good response and decided to continue with it. I have the follow up complete and ready to submit. So without deleting the original how would you suggest naming the next part?

A Girl Named Desire (original already published on LIT)
A Girl Named Desire 2,3,4 etc. (do I name it like this?)

Try "A Girl Named Desire 02,03,04, etc"
The machine finds rhat easier.

 

[Beneaththesurface]

Thanks to everyone for the input. It is so nice to find so many people taking the time to help each other out on here.