THE Group for Authors! discussion

How far into the book do you lay the groundwork of the previous book? I’ve read a lot of series and intend to go back and re-read the first few chapters. In your opinion how far in do you divulge the basic backstory of the main character so an original reader can still read the story and feel informed.
TIA

I use flashbacks to scenes from the previous book where I think they are appropriate. Maybe I lose readers, but I am yet to hear that this is the case. I like to think that this works and gives more depth to the character or the current narrative.

I covered the basic events of the first installment in the first chapter of the sequel. Best of All Gifts
I also joined a writing group. These people had not read the first book. As I brought each new chapter to the group, they let me know whether I needed to add or delete references to material in the first book which helped immensely. Good luck!

I added a series recap before the first chapter. That way, readers could choose whether or not they wanted to read the recap or go straight to Chapter One.

That's a very good idea, Lorna.

Anna Faversham wrote: "That's a very good idea, Lorna."
Thanks Anna.

I try to make the allusions to events in the first book as seamless as possible, just as in real life. A character might remember a previous encounter with a certain person who resurfaces in the sequel, or he might say something in dialogue about an event from the past, but I want the second book to stand up in its own plot without having the reader be confused about something he hasn't read.

It’s such a fine line isn’t it? I lose patience when I’m being retold the story, but when salient details are artfully sprinkled in the beginning of a book that hark back to what’s come before. When I was writing book 2 & 3 in my Venice Trilogy I worked hard to avoid an info dump or a long Prologue.

I read and took notes on how people like Charline Harris (Sookie Stackhouse) like 12 books I think and was so impressed by how she’s zip us along the beginning pages and deftly reference who is part fairy and that the last time she saw so n so he was a tiger. Brilliant!