Which approach would you take?

[DrSqueaky]

I've been working on a couple of chapters of a story called The Spirit Girl (Romance). As a twist, I want to write another story set 25 years in the future that stars the SON of the characters from TSG, with cameos as parents. The question is, how should I name it?

The working title of the story is "The Franchise" for reasons I'd rather not go into. But if I do that, no one will know that it's connected to TSG.

Alternately, I could call it The Spirit Girl: The Next Generation, but that seems a) cheezy and b) wordy.

To the other authors out there, what would you do?

 

[Sidney_1]

. . .

 

[Boxlicker101]

I've been working on a couple of chapters of a story called The Spirit Girl (Romance). As a twist, I want to write another story set 25 years in the future that stars the SON of the characters from TSG, with cameos as parents. The question is, how should I name it?

The working title of the story is "The Franchise" for reasons I'd rather not go into. But if I do that, no one will know that it's connected to TSG.

Alternately, I could call it The Spirit Girl: The Next Generation, but that seems a) cheezy and b) wordy.

To the other authors out there, what would you do?

As Sid said, don't worry too much about a title now, as long as you have a working title. You might call it "Son of the Spirit Girl" and include a paragraph at the start telling readers the story is a sequel to the other. That's what most of us do when we write a sequel.

 

[DrSqueaky]

I've tried putting in a paragraph in one story referring readers to others and had the submission rejected until I took it out. I don't remember what I said, maybe I was making a broad reference to other series I'd written and it read like advertising. Not sure what will or won't be accepted.

Do you think it would be OK to start the story with "This story takes place approximately 25 years from the present day and follows in the story line of 'The Spirit Girl.'"

The more difficult question is, can I put a heads-up in the last chapter of TSG that a related story is coming?

 

[TxRad]

I've tried putting in a paragraph in one story referring readers to others and had the submission rejected until I took it out. I don't remember what I said, maybe I was making a broad reference to other series I'd written and it read like advertising. Not sure what will or won't be accepted.

Do you think it would be OK to start the story with "This story takes place approximately 25 years from the present day and follows in the story line of 'The Spirit Girl.'"

The more difficult question is, can I put a heads-up in the last chapter of TSG that a related story is coming?

If you put a link to your other story in the text then yes it will be rejected. I've referenced the fact that characters in this story were in others and had no problem at all. If you paste into the box instead of use a word doc like I do then the robot reader might object.

 

[jomar]

Do you think it would be OK to start the story with "This story takes place approximately 25 years from the present day and follows in the story line of 'The Spirit Girl.'"

Put it in an author note at the beginning of the story so it won't interfere with the flow of the story.

The more difficult question is, can I put a heads-up in the last chapter of TSG that a related story is coming?

Put the heads-up in an author note at the end of your story.

 

[TE999]

You could have a succinct preface before the actual story...possibly set in a different typeface to set it apart...that's worked for me in the past.