Continuing a series after a long break.

[gunhilltrain]

Actually, it's a group of four stand-alone stories that could have been a series if I had known ahead of time. The last one was written in 2021, and that seemed to be the end of it. Recently, I had an inspiration to write a "fifth chapter." I'm going to provide links to the first four. But is it really necessary to repeat the earlier details in the latest one? It seems like it could easily become an information dump that way. Could I just say that it would be best to read the earlier submissions? The new addition could probably work with minimal knowledge of the first four, but ideally those should be read first.

 

[MillieDynamite]

You're the creator, so I'd say it's your call!

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Do a short recap summary, only a paragraph or three.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Actually, it's a group of four stand-alone stories that could have been a series if I had known ahead of time. The last one was written in 2021, and that seemed to be the end of it. Recently, I had an inspiration to write a "fifth chapter." I'm going to provide links to the first four. But is it really necessary to repeat the earlier details in the latest one? It seems like it could easily become an information dump that way. Could I just say that it would be best to read the earlier submissions? The new addition could probably work with minimal knowledge of the first four, but ideally those should be read first.

If you are writing in first person, you can have the narrator do a quick recap. This what I did with Abby Comes To Town, which was published one year after Abby and the Outlaws.

How I come to be standin' on the arrivals platform at the Grand Central Depot in Chicago, Illinois, accompanied by a fine young buck and a satchel stuffed with cash and four loaded hand guns, is a story previously told. But I suppose you ain't all heard it, so there's a few things you'll need to know before I get into the particulars of the present topic.

I then gave a quick recap, about a half dozen short paragraphs. It seems to have worked well.

 

[gunhilltrain]

If you are writing in first person, you can have the narrator do a quick recap. This what I did with Abby Comes To Town, which was published one year after Abby and the Outlaws.



I then gave a quick recap, about a half dozen short paragraphs. It seems to have worked well.

Thanks, I think that is what I will do. I'm writing the main plot of the new story first, and then I'll see what works best as a recap.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I think that is what I will do. I'm writing the main plot of the new story first, and then I'll see what works best as a recap.

I think the trick is to make the recap a hook for new readers, not just a "previously on..."

 

[iwatchus]

My most recent story is doing this in a way, to a smaller extent. It really is the next story in my original series, but it has only been serval months, not years -- but I was averaging a new story every 3 or 4 days while I was writing that series, so 4 months is a long time, relatively speaking. The story introduces a new character to the ensemble and is told from her perspective, so she gets to discover everything, this reminding the reader of the history.

Not sure if that would work for your situation, but I was happy with how it worked for me. Of course, almost no one has read it, so it's hard to tell if it worked for the readers or not.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Actually, it's a group of four stand-alone stories that could have been a series if I had known ahead of time. The last one was written in 2021, and that seemed to be the end of it. Recently, I had an inspiration to write a "fifth chapter." I'm going to provide links to the first four. But is it really necessary to repeat the earlier details in the latest one? It seems like it could easily become an information dump that way. Could I just say that it would be best to read the earlier submissions? The new addition could probably work with minimal knowledge of the first four, but ideally those should be read first.

Add a simple sentence at the top, ideally with a link. I wouldn't recount or precis the previous chapters, just let people know they're there.

It's surprising to find lots of people don't seem to go back and read something from the beginning, but that's their comprehension issue (or non-comprehension, I guess), not yours.

 

[RejectReality]

Just say they either need to read the previous installments to understand what's happening in this one, or tell them they'll have a richer experience with what is essentially a standalone episode if they read the history of what's come before first. ( I'm assuming the latter )

 

[THBGato]

https://www.literotica.com/series/se/25505

Pygmy Coho had a 12 year gap (!!!) between Chapters 4 and 5 of "Options". Chapter 5 has the highest rating (though unsurprisingly nowhere near the views of the first 4) so clearly the gap didn't matter to those readers!