I'm writing the fourth novel in my Lincoln Steele series so, of course, Steele is the main character. But it's written in 3rd-limited from multiple POVs so he's not the only POV character.
I'm in Chapter 7 and it's the first mention of Steele. That's about 14,000 words into the story before bringing the main character in.
Is that odd?
Is that odd?
The other POV characters never even mention the one you consider the MC, even if he isn't present in the scene?
How approximately how long is the final story going to be? Chapters and/or words?
Yes, I would consider that a bit odd (in the sense of unusual). It's less odd if that's less than 10% of the final story.
The other POV characters never even mention the one you consider the MC, even if he isn't present in the scene?
No.
The novel begins with the kidnapping of the president's daughter and the first 6 chapters are about that, the FBI being ineffective in finding her, and the demand made on the president to get her back. The first scene in Chapter 7 ends with the president's chief of staff who served with Steele in the Army telling the president to call Steele for help. So that's the first time Steele is mentioned. My Lincoln Steele novels are like Jack Reacher novels where the MC saves the day and makes the bad guys pay. The first novel in the series is called "Steele Justice" for a reason.
I don't know how long it will be, but it will be a full-length novel. I'm guessing 70,000–90,000 words so maybe 40 chapters.
I don't know how long it will be, but it will be a full-length novel. I'm guessing 70,000–90,000 words so maybe 40 chapters.
So 15-20% of the way through before the MC even gets mentioned.
That sounds rather unusual. Which is not to say it wouldn't work with the setup you described.
I can think of other examples where a similar ploy has been used. Some of Arthur Conan Doyle's 'Sherlock Holmes' Stories. Or the Dr Who story starting with the episode 'Blink'.
AJ
All depends on how you do it, why you do it, and most importantly, if you pull it off in a way that makes this this best way to have done it. Unusual stories done well is how you make a name for yourself; unusual stories done poorly is how you lose readers.
Years ago I read a fantasy novel called The Dragons of the Cuyahoga by Andrew Swann. The story was told from the POV of an investigative reporter following a story. Despite the fact that he was the only POV character, he was functionally the narrator, not the protagonist. He did not instigate any action, resolve the plot in any way, or even experience significant character growth, but he was present for all major events and told the story.
Not sure I'd necessarily recommend the book to the average reader, but it was deeply interesting and I remember the gimmick despite having completely forgotten the story.
To me, as a reader, the fact it is in the fourth novel in the series would make a big difference.
To me, as a reader, the fact it is in the fourth novel in the series would make a big difference.
How so?
The 4th is not a continuation of the 3rd. They are a series like the James Bond series or the Jack Reacher series. Sometimes shared characters but different stories.
How so?
The 4th is not a continuation of the 3rd. They are a series like the James Bond series or the Jack Reacher series. Sometimes shared characters but different stories.
Exactly, knowing it's a Lincoln Steele book and that he'll get called in to save the day, I think I'd be okay with that beginning. But, I can see your question of you are thinking of the series as one where a reader could start with any book.
are thinking of the series as one where a reader could start with any book.
They can. Each novel is standalone. In fact, the first in the series is only on Bookapy and Amazon while the 2nd and 3rd are also free on SOL. I'm sure many people have read the 2nd and/or 3rd without buying the first book.
If I had to do it over, the first book would have been free and not the others. I think that book should be read to understand Steele and some of the other characters in the other novels. But I wrote it not knowing it would be a series of books. I ended up writing the 3rd one next as a free SOL story as novella length. And then I wrote the 2nd in the series as a full-length novel, also available for free. The reason for the numbering is due to references in each about previous novels.
Not your original line of inquiry, but could you link your Lincoln Steele stories into a series?. I have only found 2 of them in your story list. (His name in the description)
Not your original line of inquiry, but could you link your Lincoln Steele stories into a series?. I have only found 2 of them in your story list.
Someone recently messaged me asking me to do just that.
When I wrote "Steele Justice," I put it for sale on Amazon (it was before Bookapy existed). I had no intention of writing more Lincoln Steele novels.
Then I wrote "Death of a Hero" as a short story on SOL. It was another Lincoln Steele story written to get people interested in the main character (Steele). In the notice up front, I mention the "Steele Justice" novel. (I noticed it points to Amazon rather than Bookapy. I will change that.) Then I modified that story, expanding it and doing fine tuning, and put the new version up for sale (I believe that was prior to Bookapy too). Then I wrote "High School Massacre," yet another Lincoln Steele novel, and put that on Bookapy and posted it a chapter at a time until it was completely on SOL. But although "High School Massacre" was the third written, it really is the second in the series.
On the covers of "High School Massacre" and "Death of a Hero" on Bookapy (and Amazon), I have "a Lincoln Steele erotic thriller" at the bottom. That's not on the "Steele Justice" cover because it was the only one when I created the cover.
On Amazon, after each title it has in parentheses — (Lincoln Steele Book #) so it's:
Steele Justice (Lincoln Steele Book 1)
High School Massacre (Lincoln Steele Book 2)
Death of a Hero (Lincoln Steele Book 3)
If I remember, that is a feature built into Amazon's KDP. After the person messaged me, I changed the titles for the three books on Bookapy to include the (Lincoln Steele Book #). I don't know what to do about them on SOL, though.
First, the first book ("Steele Justice") is not on SOL. Second, the version of "Death of a Hero" on SOL is different than the one on Bookapy. So I can't create an SOL Lincoln Steele series. I also have to be careful about mentioning the first novel that's only on Bookapy because of the SOL teasing rule. I don't want people to think they have to read the first one to enjoy the other two. All three are standalone like James Bond and Jack Reacher novels. But like those series of novels, there are characters that come up from earlier novels and there might even be references to what happened in earlier novels (which is why I chose the order even though I wrote them in a different order). So in "High School Massacre" Steele has a lot of money that he got in the novel "Steele Justice," but you can read "High School Massacre" without that detail. And the agent from the clandestine government agency in the first novel pops up in the second one. Steele's Army buddy in the first one pops up in both the second and third.
Sorry for the long post, but it's complicated.
I don't know what to do about them on SOL, though.
Okay, I slept on it.
I can't create an SOL series with book 1 not on SOL, but I did add the "(Lincoln Steele Book #)" to the titles of the two that are on SOL.
(I modified my previous post because I realized when I published "Steele Justice" Bookapy didn't exist so it was put on Amazon only at that time.)
