The Problem With Writing (or Reading?) a Series?

I had an interesting conversation recently that arose out of a reading I did at our writer’s workshop. I was trying on the opening chapter of my latest effort in the Housetrap Chronicles series. They come out first as ebooks, and the publisher will bundle them in groups of three tales to bring out a trade paper version. I have eight of these novellas currently published. I’ve been wrestling with coming up with a Housetrap number nine so I can bug the publisher about bringing out a third collection.

One of the newer members of the group asked during his critique if I was reading from the beginning or the middle of the story. (He missed my opening remarks?) He wanted more description of the location and the characters and raised several valid points. But this brings up an interesting question and an author’s dilemma. Over the course of the nine Housetrap Chronicles novellas I’ve settled into a pattern that tries to lead the reader into the story with just enough information so they know what is going on. In eight out of nine stories I open in the detective’s office, usually with him and his secretary bickering, and then trouble walks through the front door.

I don’t want to bore the regular reader with a repeat of everything that has gone on before, yet I wish to give the individual who starts somewhere in the middle of the series, be it number six or number nine, enough information so they can follow the tale without the need for a repetitive information dump.

I realize people may read these fantasy tales in no particular order. I often re-introduce characters from a previous story, but when I do I try to give enough info so the reader doesn’t become totally lost. If I succeed, each tale stands on its own.

I guess the burning question is how much information does a reader require to make them comfortable when they dive into a new series, when not necessarily reading them in the order they were first written and published?

R.J.Hore