(The sound of a pen scratching.) LOGO.
Hellooo everybody! Today we're talking about companion
novels, and it's not at all because I have a companion novel coming out in a
couple of months... Pfft! Nothing to do with that WHATSOEVER... This topic was actually requested
by one of my patrons over on Patreon, Tylor. He is considering writing a companion novel
himself and he wants to make sure he's on the right track. Because of this, I am answering
your top 10 questions all about companion novels right now. Additionally, my companion novel The
Savior’s Sister is currently available for pre-sale! I have all the links listed below,
AND I'm hosting a pre-sale giveaway! I am handing out over 30 prizes to over 30 winners, and one
of those winners is gonna be announced at the end of this video! This winner is walking away with a
signed copy of One Final Vinyl by fellow YouTuber and rescue dog lover Savy. If you're not familiar
with Savy, you need to fix that right now, because her YouTube channel is not only super informative
but fucking hysterical. We did a drunk reading of Chuck Tingle’s erotica, and I nearly peed myself
laughing. Was it the alcohol? Was it the butt innuendos? Who's to say? One Final Vinyl is Savy’s
most recent release. I cannot wait to read it! And I can't wait to hand it out to today's winner...at
the end of this video. First, let's answer your most popular questions about companion novels
in three, two, one, go! Number One (1): What IS a companion novel? A companion novel is a story
that has the same timeline as an existing book by the same author. Typically, the main character in
the first book becomes a secondary or background character in the companion book. In other words,
the companion book takes place at the same time as the first book but follows a different character.
For example, The Savior’s Sister is a companion novel to The Savior's Champion. Both books take
place during the Sovereign's Tournament, but The Savior's Champion follows Tobias Kaya and The
Savior’s Sister follows Leila. Number Two (2): How does a companion novel differ from a sequel? A lot
of people confuse companion novels and sequels, but they are very different types of stories.
A sequel’s timeline takes place after another book's timeline, whereas with a companion novel
the timelines are the same. TSS takes place at the same time as TSC. Thus, it is a companion novel.
However, TSA–the third book in the series–takes place AFTER the Tournament. Thus, it is a sequel.
Number Three (3): What are the typical executions of a companion novel? There are three different
types of companion books, at least that I've seen personally. These are NOT official titles,
so please do NOT quote me, I am just generalizing. The first is what I refer to as the ‘intellectual’
companion. The ‘intellectual’ companion is one that analyzes another book. It's not necessarily
a piece of fiction, but it is written to be read alongside that book. Next, we've got what I call
a ‘superfan’ companion. This is when the same story from an earlier book in the series is
being rehashed by another character’s perspective. The key here is that while we're following a new
character, we're reading the same story. Outside of the perspective, there is no change to the
story whatsoever. The reason I call this the ‘superfan’ companion is because these books are
typically released when a particular series has a huge fandom and they want more content. It doesn't
matter that they're reading the same story; they're reading it through the eyes of the love
interest. Lastly, we've got what I call the ‘other side of the coin’ companion. This is a novel,
usually mid-series, that reveals a completely new story that is happening alongside another story.
Character A is battling demons in Book 1, but at the same time, Character B is escaping
the underworld in its companion novel. Both of these stories overlap, possibly significantly,
but ultimately they are different stories that need to be told in order for the series to be
understood. TSC follows Tobias as he tries to escape the Sovereign’s Tournament. TSS follows
Leila as she tries to undermine an assassination attempt. Number Four (4): When should you release
a companion novel? If you're writing a ‘superfan’ companion novel, which as I already mentioned is essentially
a retelling of the same story but through a different lens, those are typically released
at the end of a series. It's additional content for those who love the series and want a little
somethin’ extra. If you're writing a companion novel that tells a new story from a different
perspective, then you should release it whenever it makes the most sense within the series. These
type of companion novels typically come out mid-series because they are providing additional
content that help the overall series to make sense over time. Number Five (5): Can a standalone have
a companion novel? Absolutely! This is actually really common in certain genres. For example,
the romance genre. This means the author creates a series where each book takes place at the exact
same time but follows a different character falling in love. If you've written a standalone
but you're not quite ready to let this world go, you could easily write a companion novel
following a secondary character–now the main character, as they experience their own personal
journey. Number Six (6): What are some of the best practices for writing companion novels?
Tip Number 1: Keep the timeline tight. Companion novels follow the same timeline as another book,
so you have to make sure those timelines match up to perfection. Character A was in the garden
on Wednesday in Book 1. Guess what? Character A needs to be in the garden on Wednesday in Book 2.
The easiest way to do this is to have Book 1 open while you are writing that corresponding scene.
Tip Number 2: New perspective means new voice. You are following someone new in this story and that
means the voice is going to change. That doesn't mean you have to completely change your writing
style, but the storytelling is going to be altered at least slightly. Tobias is a laborer; his voice
is more informal. Leila is a queen; her voice is more precise. Tip Number 3: This is a new book,
so it should FEEL like a new book. Readers should notice the difference in the storytelling right
away, whether that's through new scenes they haven't yet read, new characters they haven't
yet met, or new conflicts they haven't yet experienced. A lot of people assume companion
novels are for fan indulgence, so this is a pivotal step if you want to prove the naysayers
wrong. Number Seven (7): What are the pros to a companion novel? Pro Number 1: Necessity. If an
additional point of view is necessary in order to continue your series, then a companion novel HAS
to happen. Pro Number 2: Backlog. A companion novel is another book to add to your backlog,
and a beefy backlog is an asset to an author. The more books an author has, the more opportunities
they have to rake in new readers. Pro Number 3: Points of entry. Giving a reader multiple points
of entry into a series is a great way to expand your audience. Examples of different entry points
are spin-offs, short stories, prequels, and of course, companion novels. Lastly, Pro Number 4:
Fan appreciation. If you have a large fandom who is crazy about your story, a companion novel will
soothe their insatiable hearts. You are giving them another taste of the cast they love and
they will live for it. Number Eight (8): What are the cons of a companion novel? Con Number 1:
Repetition. As I mentioned, some companion novels offer no deviation. No new scenes, no
new characters, nothin’. Super fans may not give a shit, but some readers are gonna wonder, “What
was the point of this?” Con Number 2: Beating a dead horse. If there's no story left to tell,
then there's no story left to tell. Leave it alone and write something new. The horse is dead, move
on. Number Nine (9): What are some common mistakes people make when writing companion novels? On the
topic of beating a dead horse, let's kick it in the ribs one more time. The most common companion
novel mistake is writing one that offers nothing new. No new scenes, no new faces, no new dialogue,
no new subplots. If you have a large audience and people are excited for the content, then
this may not matter. But not everyone has a large audience, so in this case, writing a companion
novel that offers nothing new may feel redundant and self-indulgent. Lastly, Number Ten (10):
Do I HAVE to write a companion novel? No, you don't! There are plenty of series out there who
don't include companion novels whatsoever. This is often because only one perspective is necessary,
or it's because each book within the series offers multiple perspectives at the same time,
so companion novels aren't necessary. No one's putting a gun to your head. Write a companion
novel ONLY if you need to. That's all I got for you today! As you guys know, The Savior's Sister–a
companion novel–is available for pre-order right now! So get on it! I've got all the information
listed below. I've also got a pre-sale giveaway going down and I have a prize to hand out to a
winner right now! Today's lucky winner is walking away with One Final Vinyl by the amazing author,
YouTuber, and small business owner Savy, and that winner is...this person! Thank you so much for
pre-ordering The Savior’s Sister, and a huge thank you to Savy for supporting my upcoming release!
I have her information below, get on it! And a HUGE thank you to Tylor for requesting today's
topic! If you'd like the chance to have a video dedicated to you, or if you want access to TONS
of other awards, check me out on Patreon! You get early access to videos, I have an exclusive
writing group, we've got a monthly livestream, we get signed merch! It's awesome! Do it! It's
linked below! Don't forget to subscribe to my channel! I post new videos on Wednesdays,
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Bye! (Male Voice) Hey, this is Nick! The voice of Tobias and the narrator for The Savior’s Champion,
written by our Jenna! If you enjoy her writing advice, or if you want to find out about her
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