The story so far…

[DrRKane]

I’m currently writing part 6 of a series and I've written the first part as a sort of story so far bit where the MC is telling his friend what he’s been up to the last few weeks. It’s not a straight up info dump or anything, I wove it into a scene.

It’s intended to remind readers what’s been going on since I don’t publish on a super regular basis - there’s usually at least a few weeks between chapters. It could also serve as a jumping on point if someone hasn’t read the earlier chapters.

Do any of you do anything like this? Or even if you don’t do it yourself, do you think it’s necessary or am I just wasting time doing it?

 

[gunhilltrain]

I’m currently writing part 6 of a series and I've written the first part as a sort of story so far bit where the MC is telling his friend what he’s been up to the last few weeks. It’s not a straight up info dump or anything, I wove it into a scene.

It’s intended to remind readers what’s been going on since I don’t publish on a super regular basis - there’s usually at least a few weeks between chapters. It could also serve as a jumping on point if someone hasn’t read the earlier chapters.

Do any of you do anything like this? Or even if you don’t do it yourself, do you think it’s necessary or am I just wasting time doing it?

You probably should just link at the top, to the first chapter and then to Chapter 5. I think I've done that before. I may also give a brief statement of plot up there, but not an entire summary. Hope that helps.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Do any of you do anything like this? Or even if you don’t do it yourself, do you think it’s necessary or am I just wasting time doing it?

It's unnecessary, I think. If it's really that important, weave only what is essential into your latest chapter (but it's rarely that important).

I think many authors forget that, over the life of a story, readers will be coming at it months/years after it's been published, and all of the "strategies" to accommodate your publishing lags are therefore pointless. They're either going to read it continuously or they're not.

If new readers arriving half way through are clever and think, "Gee, I wonder if I should read an earlier chapter for this one to make sense?" they're perfectly capable of going to those earlier chapters by themselves. And if they're not clever enough to do that, does it really matter?

Some readers are clever, some are not. Don't try to accommodate both.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Ahhh, the perils of impatience.

In my opinion, readers and writers both suffer when chapters of an incomplete story are posted. Finish the story in its entirety before submitting any part of it and the problem goes away.

 

[Emilymcplugger]

Ahhh, the perils of impatience.

In my opinion, readers and writers both suffer when chapters of an incomplete story are posted. Finish the story in its entirety before submitting any part of it and the problem goes away.

Usually (99%) of the time I’d absolutely agree, but with HOT AND FUZZY (my latest story) I decided it was bogging me down so I posted early and now I’m glad I did because the pressure and the comments I’ve got back helped me find my ending.

Now I’m typing like I’m possessed as I try to get it all down as quickly as possible as it’s helped me re-find my love for my story.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Usually (99%) of the time I’d absolutely agree, but with HOT AND FUZZY (my latest story) I decided it was bogging me down so I posted early and now I’m glad I did because the pressure and the comments I’ve got back helped me find my ending.

Now I’m typing like I’m possessed as I try to get it all down as quickly as possible as it’s helped me re-find my love for my story.

Believe me, I get that putting pieces of a story out there before it is complete can be beneficial to a writer. I just question whether publishing it prematurely is the best option.

Maybe I am lucky to have beta readers and others always willing to step up and read my stuff as I write it. They provide me with the "release" and feedback that you mention without subjecting my readers to something that may not ready for prime time. Is this something that you could consider in the future?

 

[Emilymcplugger]

Believe me, I get that putting pieces of a story out there before it is complete can be beneficial to a writer. I just question whether publishing it prematurely is the best option.

Maybe I am lucky to have beta readers and others always willing to step up and read my stuff as I write it. They provide me with the "release" and feedback that you mention without subjecting my readers to something that may not ready for prime time. Is this something that you could consider in the future?

Well, like I said I agree with you 99% of the time, it’s just that I can also relate that sometimes it can work the other way.

But there is nothing more frustrating than a half-finished story that’s just flopping around in the wind without an end.

 

[Zenith77]

Do any of you do anything like this? Or even if you don’t do it yourself, do you think it’s necessary or am I just wasting time doing it?

Personally I dislike it intently when authors spend the first few pages of a book going over stuff I've just finished reading. Skip, skip, skip. I think it holds even less merit on Lit, when stories are quite short already (comparatively). I deliberately don't do this. I start subsequent chapters exactly where the previous one left off, and if they need a reminder, it'll take them two clicks to get there.

 

[LupusDei]

There's nothing wrong with a "story so far" at a juncture in a longer tale, even in direct unapologetic narrative, if it is kept short and snappy and useful. In theory it can even offer commentary or attitude, or attitude change that not necessarily had been explicit. Or foreshadow events
in current chapter, just out of the selection of reminders. Sneaking one in as a dialogue can be justified if it's important to show what of it exactly -- and how exactly -- the situation had been explained to that third person. Yet, I would say that's where the risks of becoming soap-opera-ish is the worst, especially if the writer's intention is indeed merely to recap events and not to expose ongoing manipulation or something such, and even then if overused.