Backstory

[pelwrath]

In book 2+ how much backstory should you add for those that didn’t read the earlier book(s) and how?
Is it like a tv episode where they say: “Previously on …”


I ask as my beta comments are coming in and that was one of them. They like the story but didn’t know how/why my vampires are different. She called mine day walker’s and asked why mine don’t suck blood.

[RAVENEYE]

Ah! This is always troubling.

When I write backstory in a series, I think of those hints as refreshers and write them for people who have read the earlier books. I do not write them for people who jump into the middle of a series. You shouldn't feel obligated tell the same story twice, so refreshers should be just enough to jog the memories of readers who've read the earlier book(s).

So your beta reader, IMO, needs to read the first book to be able to make a judgment call on whether you've included appropriate refreshers. Otherwise, ignore that part of her feedback.

How much is appropriate? I loathe trying to find that balance, and probably fail at it much of the time. Some readers won't re-read your first book before reading the second, even though they read the first one several years ago, and therefore may need/want bigger, more frequent refreshers. Some readers will read both books back to back and won't require refreshers at all, so reading extensive refreshers will be irritating.

So I'd say, compromise somewhere in between. If you find yourself telling Book 1 again, it's too much. And many refreshers can be done subtly, where readers won't even realize they've been reminded, b/c that detail is such an integrated part of your world/characters that the info comes out naturally.

[pelwrath]

Raveneye,
Thank you for that answer. Yes, a refresher mention vs a retelling.

[pelwrath]

Decided that a preface might fill the bill.

Preface

I call this the about us section, where I explain about us vampires. We’ve been around for a very long time. How long, well the Zanclean Flood saved us from slavery when it wiped out the advanced civilizations. You’ll hear a mention of one of them in this book, but I digress. The only way for vampires to survive was to interbreed with humans. We were never a populous people. The story we created about us, the myth if you will is based on fact. When some of us get old, we can go bat-shit crazy. Those must be put down. I do like the term day-walker you created, because the afflicted don’t like sunlight very much, they can rip the arm off a person. We are excellent at jumping and no, the capes don’t help us.

For us regular Vlad’s, we’re fine at the beach in the summer and love walks in the parks under a blue sky, but we do need a good sunscreen. Garlic gives us agida, the need for blood for us to survive was born out of a lack of science. We are a mutation of anemia, and blood solves that need. Science has made that unnecessary, though when we revert it can get messy, it also explains why we live so long. A wooden stake in the heart will kill us. Yes, sure will, along with any other living creature. We fear the cross, not really. We fear a component that was used when silver was made and used in holy water. We’re allergic to Luna Caustic, it doesn’t kill us, but it hurts like hell. I loved how you took this from that stupid book, we sleep in a dirt filled coffin. We don’t, nor do we have harams of the opposite or same sex. I’d never allow my significant other to have such no he me to. Oh, a dalliance is fine, they happen all the time. Fangs don’t suck blood, they aren’t hollow. They’re a vestigial remnant and occur when we go feral. Fangs are nothing more than neck openers, or writs.

I think I’ve covered the basics, oh, there ae no half-breed vampires, so if you have a vampire parent, you’re a vampire. Now, I do have to talk with your author about a few things for the next book.

[HDSimplicityy]

Sum it up in a few lines the first time. Dribble it in bits when needed elsewhere. I am thinking that infodumping more than once adds unneeded exposition.

[HDSimplicityy]

Mar 5, 2022 10:41:27 GMT -6 pelwrath said:

Decided that a preface might fill the bill.

Preface

I call this the about us section, where I explain about us vampires. We’ve been around for a very long time. How long, well the Zanclean Flood saved us from slavery when it wiped out the advanced civilizations. You’ll hear a mention of one of them in this book, but I digress. The only way for vampires to survive was to interbreed with humans. We were never a populous people. The story we created about us, the myth if you will is based on fact. When some of us get old, we can go bat-shit crazy. Those must be put down. I do like the term day-walker you created, because the afflicted don’t like sunlight very much, they can rip the arm off a person. We are excellent at jumping and no, the capes don’t help us.

For us regular Vlad’s, we’re fine at the beach in the summer and love walks in the parks under a blue sky, but we do need a good sunscreen. Garlic gives us agida, the need for blood for us to survive was born out of a lack of science. We are a mutation of anemia, and blood solves that need. Science has made that unnecessary, though when we revert it can get messy, it also explains why we live so long. A wooden stake in the heart will kill us. Yes, sure will, along with any other living creature. We fear the cross, not really. We fear a component that was used when silver was made and used in holy water. We’re allergic to Luna Caustic, it doesn’t kill us, but it hurts like hell. I loved how you took this from that stupid book, we sleep in a dirt filled coffin. We don’t, nor do we have harams of the opposite or same sex. I’d never allow my significant other to have such no he me to. Oh, a dalliance is fine, they happen all the time. Fangs don’t suck blood, they aren’t hollow. They’re a vestigial remnant and occur when we go feral. Fangs are nothing more than neck openers, or writs.

I think I’ve covered the basics, oh, there ae no half-breed vampires, so if you have a vampire parent, you’re a vampire. Now, I do have to talk with your author about a few things for the next book.

Is this you talking to the reader in the book, or comments from your Beta readers?

[pelwrath]

The lack of backstory was the reason for this, and it’s one of the characters talking to the reader.