How do you avoid info dump in sequels?

[Luke]

B.A. wrote: "Margie Lawson will tell you:
Write your backstory and highlight what you believe the reader absolutely needs to know in order to understand you story. Now, Is all of it important? Does it move the ..."

Excellent advice. Currently drafted the sequel and it makes sense to write out all the back story required and then see what is absolutely essential.

[Neal]

I started my sequel with a prologue and used a new character who was obsessed with the history of the first novel to introduce the basics. As the new character is my new villain, it worked seamlessly as he tries to undo the past in book 2

[Phillip]

One of the best things I've seen is what Mark Lawrence does. He just leaves a few page summary at the front with all important events and characters. This is not part of the story but part of the front matter. It's useful for those not immediately reading each book in order.

[Gareth]

I agree with Phillip - an optional, front-matter summary of what went before is a clean way of doing this and saves trying to contrive another way of info. dumping in an interesting and "move-the-story-on" type way. This also helps if there has been a long gap before reading the sequel.

On the other hand, I also think that if a reader chooses to start a series mid-way through for some reason, then s/he takes the risk of not knowing what is going on so perhaps you shouldn't feel obliged to deliver a back-story at all.

[Wanjiru]

Phillip wrote: "One of the best things I've seen is what Mark Lawrence does. He just leaves a few page summary at the front with all important events and characters. This is not part of the story but part of the f..."

Oh, I like the summary idea. Thank you.

[Michael]

Anyone else remember horror sequels in the 80s when the first fifteen minutes was the last fifteen minutes of the previous film? lol

[B.A.]

You don't do an info dump----ever. Slip in only what is absolutely necessary for the reader to get a glimmer of what is happening. Pick up a Jack Reacher book....any but he first one and see how he does it. Just hints here and there.

If it is a multibook saga it is more difficult. You will need to add more but remember, the first chapter is all about hooking your reader and an info dump won't do that. An up until now type of forward works but I normally find them boring. So try and slip in little things that are necessary. Never more than a quick thought, a two line memory, a dialogue reference, again only a line or two.

Do not use dreams, flashbacks, etc. they slow down the reader and they are totally overdone. Check out what other authors have done.

[Micah]

If the sequel is a standalone work then it really should be standalone. That is, it should work out-of-context of any preceding work. Any backstory for the characters that happened in the earlier work(s) should be dealt with the exact same way you deal with backstory in a non-sequel: you only give what's relevant to where you are in the plot. Some of Alastair Reynolds's books in the Relevation Space series fit this mold. Sometimes it helps to read them in chronological order, but it's not strictly necessary.

OTOH, if the sequel is not standalone, but is rather the continuation of the preceding story meant to be read consecutively ... then there's no point rehashing what happened in the other preceding books because the reader should have already had that information given to them. "The story so far" is superfluous in this case. Think of it like Lord of the Rings: one story that's broken up into different volumes simply because of the size.

[Barbara]

B.A. wrote: "You don't do an info dump----ever. Slip in only what is absolutely necessary for the reader to get a glimmer of what is happening. Pick up a Jack Reacher book....any but he first one and see how he..."
I am writing semi stand alone, the characters have their own story but they carry through to next. Can you drop in info as it comes up? See I dont mind a flalsh back, I like the details if its relevant but I am not my reader. Your words are very helpful, do you have any other suggestions.

[Barbara]

sorry about some of the grammar, its late at night and didn't check before pressing enter but this topic so interesting

[Micah]

Barbara wrote: "sorry about some of the grammar, its late at night and didn't check before pressing enter but this topic so interesting"

That's what the "edit" link at the bottom or you posts is for!

[B.A.]

You use a line or two for backstory. It can be a quick thought, a reference in dialogue, a memory but only a line or two. Flashbacks slow down the story, Give only what's absolutely necessary, not what you believe the reader needs. Don't underestimate your readers in figuring things out.

[Peter]

B.A. Mealer in message 62 said it all so perfectly!

I'm finishing up work with my developmental editor on the second book in my trilogy, Preternatural: Evolution. I included a lot of references to the original, but not so much that you can skip reading book 1. I never liked books that give excessive details about character's back stories and such. Some cases it needs to happen that way, but I much prefer to feel like I've just dropped into a world and have to learn as I go.

[Barbara]

Micah wrote: "Barbara wrote: "sorry about some of the grammar, its late at night and didn't check before pressing enter but this topic so interesting"

That's what the "edit" link at the bottom or you posts is for!"

Thank you for that, would have replied sooner but haven't been well so computer was off limits.

[T.K.]

I like to try to work my info-dumping organically into the plot as much as possible. I like my sequels/continuing adventures to work equally well as stand-alone works, but I also like hinting to readers that interesting things happened before this story that they may want to look into.

One thing I often find myself doing (and my editors haven't really taken issue with) is to have returning characters explain some past events to a new character. New readers can learn important information within the frame of the story, while people who have read the first book can enjoy the character development of hearing how established characters relate past events, and learning more about the new character through their reaction to what they're learning.

[Barbara]

I totally love what you just said. I have been doing this in my second novel and debating constantly. Having your input makes it so much better to work with.

[T.K.]

Barbara wrote: "I totally love what you just said. I have been doing this in my second novel and debating constantly. Having your input makes it so much better to work with."

Thank you! Glad my input helped.

[Peter]

TK makes another great point. What I found as an interesting way to explore relationships between characters and other important plot points, is to build upon them in the second book. So you're not changing anything, but just adding onto it in new and different ways, strengthening what you previously established.

[Roger]

I would second (or third) TK's comment:
rule No. 1: avoid info dumping because it's boring and unnecessary.
The better alternative is for a character to present the information. After all, if a narrator knows it, then chances are, one of the charactters also knows it (especially if you try to suppress the narrrator). That way, the info dump does other work - it helps the reader identify good guys or bad guys (depending on the tone of the writing, whether it is complimentary, happy, snarky, bitter, etc).
In first person writing, ask yourself how the narrator came to know whatever it thinks it knows. Go from there.

[Olga]

I give my readers the info about the world in small fragments and only when it is necessary for the plot. The best way to do this is by narrating from a character's point of view. When the character doesn't know something, there's a chance to let the readers learn this thing together with him/her. Changing the point of view from time to time helps as well. This way, you don't have to make one character inexperienced/stupid/forgetful in order to deliver the lore, you just switch between several people that learn and explore the world their own way.