Recaps in chaptered works

[EmilyMiller]

One of my lovely beta readers is looking at Chapter Three of one of my series (A Good Girl Gone Bad).

It’s been a while since I published chapter two (Nov, 23). Chapter three picks up in the second half of a scene where one FMC is restrained on a custom-made bench by the other two FMCs.

Everyone has cum (and done other stuff to each other). In the story, it was was a decision point whether FMC#1 wanted to take a break or have more holesome () fun. She goes for the latter at the start of chapter three.

My reader was asking about how she was restrained (the FMC, not the reader). Particularly given the time, I probably need to do some sort of recap, either in the main story or as a foreword.

What would you do?

I guess I maybe broke chapters in the wrong place. Total hack that I am.

Emily

 

[StillStunned]

If you do, limit it to the very minimum. A couple of lines with the highlights. Most readers will want to get started on the new story right away.

Or begin with a note saying, "Here's a recap. Don't read it now, just refer back if anything in the story isn't clear."

 

[Djmac1031]

Wouldn't the easiest solution be to just add those details again in the next part?

 

[Bamagan]

I would think it might depend on whether or not you ever expect to combine the works for publishing elsewhere. If no, then I might lean toward trying to artfully bring the reader up to speed with necessary details from the previous chapters by means of flashbacks or other brief mentions. If yes, doing so in the middle of what will one day be a complete scene would be weird, so a brief preface might be a better option.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Wouldn't the easiest solution be to just add those details again in the next part?

That’s what I meant by a recap in the main story… as opposed to “when we last saw our heroine, she was tried to the railroad tracks…”

 

[EmilyMiller]

If you do, limit it to the very minimum. A couple of lines with the highlights. Most readers will want to get started on the new story right away.

Or begin with a note saying, "Here's a recap. Don't read it now, just refer back if anything in the story isn't clear."

Yeah. I think minimalist is probably good.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Since there was a gap between the two chapters and considering that the same scene had overlapped from chapter two into chapter three, then yes, some small subtle recap was needed probably.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I would think it might depend on whether or not you ever expect to combine the works for publishing elsewhere. If no, then I might lean toward trying to artfully bring the reader up to speed with necessary details from the previous chapters by means of flashbacks or other brief mentions. If yes, doing so in the middle of what will one day be a complete scene would be weird, so a brief preface might be a better option.

Got you!

 

[EmilyMiller]

Since there was a gap between the two chapters and considering that the same scene had overlapped from chapter two into chapter three, then yes, some small subtle recap was needed probably.

Something is needed. I started writing chapter three before I finished editing chapter two, so the gap wasn’t planned. But it is what it is.

 

[Djmac1031]

That’s what I meant by a recap in the main story… as opposed to “when we last saw our heroine, she was tried to the railroad tracks…”

Ah. My mistake. Because when I hear "recap" that's exactly how I think of it: "Previously, on Weekly Drama TV Show..."

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Allude to the information as you move forward. If it's the bindings, describe how she pulls against them when the funs starts again.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

And whatever you do, DO NOT include the last few paragraphs from the previous chapter as the first few i this one. I've given up on good series becasue half a chapter is an exact copy of the last half of the previous one.

That's not really for you. Just a convenient vent on chapter stories in general.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

One of my lovely beta readers is looking at Chapter Three of one of my series (A Good Girl Gone Bad).

It’s been a while since I published chapter two (Nov, 23). Chapter three picks up in the second half of a scene where one FMC is restrained on a custom-made bench by the other two FMCs.

Everyone has cum (and done other stuff to each other). In the story, it was was a decision point whether FMC#1 wanted to take a break or have more holesome () fun. She goes for the latter at the start of chapter three.

My reader was asking about how she was restrained (the FMC, not the reader). Particularly given the time, I probably need to do some sort of recap, either in the main story or as a foreword.

What would you do?

I guess I maybe broke chapters in the wrong place. Total hack that I am.

Emily

This is yet another reason that one should not post serially as they go. There are so many advantages to completing your work before submitting any chapters.

The biggest advantage is that your story will be better written if you finish your plot before publishing anything. New ideas as you go can be vertically integrated for foreshadowing and such and you can clean up loose ends and satisfy Chekhov at every turn. Your plot will be tighter and better written, guaranteed.

The next one - and the one that helps your specific question - is that you can pace your postings every few days and control the gaps between. When everything is fresh like this you will have no need for recaps.

I can see that in rare cases for the sake of style and feel that an "in our last episode ..." could work off the top of each chapter, if you really want that soapy serial feel, but in most cases it'll probably just come off tacky.

There really is only one reason why anyone would publish chapters before knowing the whole story and that is instant gratification and impatience for scores and accolades. There is literally no other advantage to publishing early. So ask yourself why you're publishing early and answer honestly and you will learn a lot about yourself as a writer.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I reckon people worry too much about this. You don't get recaps in novels, and in six months, when the whole thing is published, readers are going to think, that's just weird, I just read that in the last chapter, five minutes ago.

I wouldn't do it, ever. Trust your readers, they're probably cleverer than you give them credit for.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Allude to the information as you move forward. If it's the bindings, describe how she pulls against them when the funs starts again.

I do. But I might need to do so earlier.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I reckon people worry too much about this. You don't get recaps in novels, and in six months, when the whole thing is published, readers are going to think, that's just weird, I just read that in the last chapter, five minutes ago.

I wouldn't do it, ever. Trust your readers, they're probably cleverer than you give them credit for.

I think I can work in an allusion to the situation a paragraph earlier without jarring too much.

 

[samhasstories]

It's probably hackneyed and awkward, but sometimes I plant little reminders within the text of relevant things that happened in previous chapters. Since mine are pretty smutty there's a pretty convenient device for that - when the main character runs into a particular character he pictures them in whatever sweaty/messy position he last saw them in.

I do this in part because I often have too-long breaks between chapters. Because I'm slow and disorganized and easily distracted. And also because as a reader I have a terrible memory. If I go more than a few weeks before reading a sequel (which I often do, because slow and disorganized and easily distracted), then I start the sequel with an embarrassingly limited recall of what the hell is going on and who that fuckin guy I'm obviously supposed to know is.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I do. But I might need to do so earlier.

Something about Ella trying to get used to being tied to the bench could be as early as your opening paragraph.

You're a clever girl. You've got this. Besides, I'm sure your mistress will forgive minor transgressions, and will punish more severe ones appropriately.

 

[EmilyMiller]

So, this is the actual first two paras:

—

Amy was still straddling Ella’s face. She briefly slipped into her normal persona. “I know you want more, Ella. But do you want to take a break? Have a drink? Or just shake out your arms and legs? We have all day.”

I added my thoughts from between our friend’s shackled legs. “And remember you’re in control. Just say ‘Snow White’ and we stop immediately.”

—

I thought maybe I needed to explain that Ella was restrained before the text in bold.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I just went back and re-read chapter 2. I think you're golden as is. This story is not that long. Any reader can do just what I did and, to be honest, will enjoy the revisit.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I just went back and re-read chapter 2. I think you're golden as is. This story is not that long. Any reader can do just what I did and, to be honest, will enjoy the revisit.

Chapter 2 - come for the lesbian bondage, stay for the sapphic urination

 

[ElectricBlue]

So, this is the actual first two paras:

—

Amy was still straddling Ella’s face. She briefly slipped into her normal persona. “I know you want more, Ella. But do you want to take a break? Have a drink? Or just shake out your arms and legs? We have all day.”

I added my thoughts from between our friend’s shackled legs. “And remember you’re in control. Just say ‘Snow White’ and we stop immediately.”

I don't think you need the sentence in bold. The dialogue line makes perfect sense to me.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I don't think you need the sentence in bold. The dialogue line makes perfect sense to me.

The point of that was a gentle reminder that Ella was bound to a bench by wrist and ankle cuffs. I just thought it was maybe not enough…

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

You know when the sun comes up across the pond, someone's going to accuse you of 'taking the piss' on this story, right?

 

[EmilyMiller]

You know when the sun comes up across the pond, someone's going to accuse you of 'taking the piss' on this story, right?

Now I know enough Brit-speak to get that…