Jumping Genres?

[PrincessaMiranda]

So I have a series going. The first book has little to no supernatural or fantastical elements. The last two are chock full of the supernatural. Is it a good idea to have the first book as just a jumping off point? Or should I use it as a sort of prequel?

 

[FatCat]

Having no dealings with publishers, this is a wild guess, however; I think it would be odd for a publisher to pick up a trilogy for a certain genre in which the very first book has no hallmarks of that genre. Again, this is merely personal opinion, but it does seem logical. Especially from a business perspective, you advertise a product then change the product later? I don't know.

 

[PrincessaMiranda]

Yeah, thats what I was thinking, but perhaps I make them in the same 'world' and not have them be in a series? The main character from the first is the only link to the other two. Her character is extremely dynamic and literally changes in the blink of an eye (Or turn of the page)

 

[Kim]

Can't you insert some supernatural elements in the first book? Clues of what's to come, or something like that... I think it is strange when this aspect is not in the first book.

 

[PrincessaMiranda]

It wouldn't fit in right with the last book. The very last scene of the first book is the start of the supernatural elements.. It involves a deal with the devil, so to speak. Though the first book does have ghosts, which is as supernatural as it gets. Until the end that is.

 

[Kim]

I guess the devil isn't just arriving at the end of the book? There must be some hints of what is coming, I think? Of course, you don't want to spoil the surprise, but with these hints and the ghosts, there might be enough supernatural elements in the frst book, so it formes one whole.

But now I am talking about a story that I don't know, so I might be completely wrong.

 

[Chime85]

Howdy doody PrincessaMiranda, long time no see Have you ever heard of the gunslinger series, by Stephen King? If memory serves correctly, there is little to none in the way of supernatural or other-earthly ideas occouring in the first book. Its a matter of skill in your story telling and relationship towards your reader.
If your story is several parts long, would it be worth considering placing parts one and two into a longer story? that way, the readers have established the setting, as well as a paranormal exposé on the situation they are left in.

x

 

[PrincessaMiranda]

Kim- The only allusion to this demon in my story is Gabriels moments of insane rage. His 'wrath' if you will. The ghosts could probably warn of 'something sinister'. I'll have to go through and check to what can be done.

Chime- Good to hear from you too. The first story is already split into different parts. Based on the characters and who is talking at that time. The second story has only the main character from the first as an antagonist, but the main character becomes someone else. The third continues the first main character through the struggle to deal with what she has become.

Heres a quick synopsis of what happens.

At the end of book one Gabriel, Helenas alternate personalities ex, sells his life for revenge. He tells the demon not to kill her though, because he still loves her in his insane way.

Book two is about another girl, Desiree, who finds out her crush has been taken by a satanic cult and has become this beast creature. All because Helena has unleashed another character, Adam, who sold his soul for immortality.( he does this by drinking the blood of the demon that Gabriel made his deal with.) So Adam cursed Helena.

Book three follows Helena in her search for a cure to the curse and her struggle to become human again. All while befriending a stranger and trying not to kill the girls brother who she has fallen in love with.

I know its complicated, but I think that makes it unique.

 

[Chime85]

Maybe you can entwine the two by POV. Being that you give say three chapters to Gabriel, then three to Desiree. Not only does this pass on to the reader your intentions of the supernatural, but it builds up a semi coherence between the two. It sounds like the two characters are linked, why not place that connection to the reader by sharing chapters, a few after another few?

I imagine you have around 60k words per character for the first two books, why not split those to 30k each on each book. Their story still gets told, but it keeps the reader faciniated about the eventual connection between the two.

 

[PrincessaMiranda]

oh, Gabe dies at the end of book 1... Helena is the ongoing character.

 

[Jess A]

You've got ghosts in the first book. That's enough to start it off. You can always throw other hints - subtle hints - that other 'things' exist. Gabriel's moments of rage could work. There are ways to allude to something without stating what it is. Throwing some red herrings in never hurts, either. Keep the reader guessing, build the tension so that they want to get to the end. Ghosts are a good idea to introduce early because a lot of people are turned off seemingly 'normal' books when paranormal elements are thrown in. Ghosts will work fine.

 

[Asheiel]

As long as there's SOME allusions to that sort of thing you should be fine. You see, my thing is, all the elements of a given story should be introduced relatively early on in the story. By elements I particularly mean the kind of world you're working with/the level unreality in your world. If its a world where ghosts exist, then ghost need to show up in the first novel, like you said. If time travel or mythical creatures, or magic, etc are possible, the reader should be aware of it in the first novel.
Otherwise the reader doesn't accept those things when the suddenly appear too late/they feel like they're just there suddenly to get the writer past plot blocks that they couldn't deal with properly.