Tip #1:  Keep the story moving forward in a way that will allow readers to follow where you left off  with the first book. Of course you don’t need to pick up exactly from the last sentence but you do need the story to flow seamlessly in conjunction with the story before.

Tip #2 :  If you plan on using all the same characters in your sequel, including minor ones, find what works for you whether you use an notebook to detail things like eye and hair color, traits and background history or use software like Scrivener (which I love!). As characters grow and become more experienced, they can change and those changes need to follow forward into book three and so on.

Tip#3:  When plotting the sequel take your time and make it interesting and complex. Make sure the plot isn’t predictable otherwise readers will lose interest.

Tip #4:  Remember characters need to grow and change by the end of the book. It doesn’t have to be a huge change to make your characters appear more human-like and not cookie-cutter-card-board characters.

Tip #5:  Happy Writing!