Need some prequel examples

[WaterFish]

I’ve got this story which has the main theme of existentialism, exploring it through essence vs existence.

The sequel is a standard epic fantasy with a fallen hero as the secondary main villain. He wants to change the world where everyone is forced to take ‘Jobs’ in an RPG World. By doing so he could create a future where his half-demon child wouldn’t be hunted for all its life.

The heroes are a group of misfits who themselves had already transcended the system they are trying to protect. Who in the end, only prove that the Fallen Hero’s success would do good for the world instead of more harm.

I wanted to make a prequel set in on Earth. This being a two part book I’m trying to create.

I’m unsure what kind of backbone can make another story like this. The only idea I thought of before is ‘Essence=Job’ and ‘Existence=Person’ like this. I can’t think of other examples of this.

Need some help thinking of something. If not, I might have to write the exact same story again.

Just with another paint.

 

[TotallyHuman]

I’ve got this story which has the main theme of existentialism, exploring it through essence vs existence.

I have no idea what this is

I’m unsure what kind of backbone can make another story like this. The only idea I thought of before is ‘Essence=Job’ and ‘Existence=Person’ like this. I can’t think of other examples of this.

Need some help thinking of something. If not, I might have to write the exact same story again.

Just with another paint.

Since your next (or previous) book had a system with jobs, you could write a story about how it came to be through, say, a technological singularity or something.

The main theme could be something stupid like individual vs society, or technological change effects on mankind or something interesting like science ethics.

 

[Tempokai]

I can't come up with anything except some slice of life psychological stuff. Perhaps the heroes were slightly insane before becoming heroes, and they healed with whatever and other stuff, you know, psychological

 

[detroitapollo]

If I were you I would write them on two separate paper and read them aloud. Whatever my neighbor find cooler is the one I will make for the prequel.

Joking aside, why not try to probe first the implications that was still not resolved from your previous story? Normally a sequel is a continuation from something that hasn't been resolved yet from the previous chapter etc. Like it's trying loose ends.

Deep down, maybe it will help you think a better resolution along the way.

 

[KrakenRiderEmma]

Since the sequel is set on a fantasy world structured by jobs, and the prequel is set on Earth... then is it the story of how the fantasy world was created? Or is this a full-dive sim kind of story? Either way, if the prequel involves the creation of or evolution into the fantasy world, then you could continue the essence/existence theme by describing how "jobs" came to be the dominant "essence."

For instance, if the MC in the fantasy sequel is hot for the idea that existence precedes essence, and that one's existence as a person is a more fundamental truth than the "essence" discovered by their job assignment... then maybe the creation of the fantasy world involved an opposite philosophy. Either that finding the "essence" of each individual is the way to happiness (this is more of a religious/spiritual idea right, opposed to existentialism) or that "individual ego" is a false idea of essence and that the job a person actually does every day, the function they serve in society, is the true existence and should be exalted. Of course, you could decide whether this "counter-philosophy" is evil, or just misguided, or meaning well but leads to this world where the half-demon child is hunted, etc.

 

[WaterFish]

I have no idea what this is

Since your next (or previous) book had a system with jobs, you could write a story about how it came to be through, say, a technological singularity or something.

The main theme could be something stupid like individual vs society, or technological change effects on mankind or something interesting like science ethics.

I see… Reliance on Technology makes sense.

Since the sequel is set on a fantasy world structured by jobs, and the prequel is set on Earth... then is it the story of how the fantasy world was created? Or is this a full-dive sim kind of story? Either way, if the prequel involves the creation of or evolution into the fantasy world, then you could continue the essence/existence theme by describing how "jobs" came to be the dominant "essence."

For instance, if the MC in the fantasy sequel is hot for the idea that existence precedes essence, and that one's existence as a person is a more fundamental truth than the "essence" discovered by their job assignment... then maybe the creation of the fantasy world involved an opposite philosophy. Either that finding the "essence" of each individual is the way to happiness (this is more of a religious/spiritual idea right, opposed to existentialism) or that "individual ego" is a false idea of essence and that the job a person actually does every day, the function they serve in society, is the true existence and should be exalted. Of course, you could decide whether this "counter-philosophy" is evil, or just misguided, or meaning well but leads to this world where the half-demon child is hunted, etc.

This is an interesting tale.
Thank you TenderHuman and KrakenRiderEmma. I have good idea to start from now.

Didn’t make the connection between technology and essence before. It is opening my mind to new possibilities, and trains of thought.