When I decided to write a prequel to Confessions of a D-List Supervillain to add more substance to the universe before advancing the storyline, I underestimated the amount of reluctance that goes along with prequels in general.
Curse you George Lucas! You’ve tainted the concept of prequels forever.
I guess it’s not all his fault (just mostly). From a reader’s perspective, they know how the story is supposed to end. Even so, I was surprised at the number of, “Prequels aren’t usually my thing” reviews I’ve received for Origins of a D-List Supervillain. Roughly a third of the reviews to date indicated that they were wary of a prequel. Fortunately for me, they all overcame that wariness and have given it either four or five star reviews.
One of the things that helped me in writing a successful prequel was attention to detail. First I had to read my own source material and arrange the backstory in a logical manner. Anyone who knows me will understand that was a major undertaking on my part. I normally don’t do a large amount of outlining. I’m more the write by the seat of my pants kind of guy. Avoiding plot holes and overly complex explanations became a premium. Even so, I managed to let a minor one get by me which I will correct in the next printing.
What proved to be the most difficult element of crafting this prequel was the death of a character that I’d mentioned in Confessions. Serious effort was devoted into making the reader become invested in this character so that her death would strike a meaningful chord in them. People who’d already read the first book knew it was coming, but I still wanted to get them as attached to her as much as possible. Naturally, it was difficult to overcome my own attachments to the individual to do what needed to be done for the sake of continuity. I previously likened the experience to taking a family pet to the vet to be put down. Hopefully, it resonated with the readers.
From an author’s perspective, it seemed to be an easier experience writing the prequel. I already knew where the plot had to go and it was really a matter of using the keyboard to get from point A to point B. In one case, there was a minor supervillain named Seawall. During Confessions, I had Cal mention a couple of times that he thought Seawall was a jerk. When I sat down to do the prequel, I knew I had to connect the dots and ensure that the readers knew why Cal felt that way. Also, foreshadowing some of the action that took place in Confessions also added to my personal enjoyment of making Origins of a D-List Supervillain happen.
To the readers out there, don’t be afraid to give a prequel a try. If done well, the story should add further meat to the character or characters that you’ve already read and enjoyed.
Thanks again for the wonderful folks here at SFF World for having me on to occupy a few minutes of your time. You can find out more about my works on my website www.jimbernheimer.com.
