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Feb 19, 2024 · So, aside from just bringing in color and dimension, the primary purpose of backstory and why it’s important is that it allows us to create a sense of depth and cause and effect to a character’s motivation within the main part of the plot. Sometimes the reason for a character’s goal in the main part of the plot will be directly connected to a major backstory event.
Why writing effective backstory matters. Ultimately, you need to use some backstory in your story, but weak backstory slows the plot. Compelling backstory adds depth to your characters—it makes each one feel like a real person. So, let’s review a few reasons why you should care about nailing backstory in your manuscript.
- When Backstory Works
- When Backstory Fails
- Balancing Backstory
I often joke that skillful writing techniques are a little bit like Supreme Justice Potter Stewart’s infamous 1964 opinion of pornography:You may not be able to define it, but you know it when you see it. But well-used backstory is often invisible, woven so seamlessly into the tapestry of the story that you don’t notice the individual threads. It c...
Walking the tightrope of balancing backstory is often unfortunately often weighted to one side—backstory traps are legion and easy to stumble into: 1. Frontloaded backstory:This is among the most common missteps I see with backstory—authors worry that readers won’t understand or invest in their characters and story without “bringing them up to spee...
I always suggest a few basic guidelines to make sure that the backstory you’re introducing feels organic and seamless to the story: 1. The Watergate question: This is my paraphrased version of the famed standard of guilt in the Nixon hearings:What do readers need to know and when do they need to know it? Successfully incorporating backstory means u...
Jul 14, 2018 · All of a sudden, a meaningless, ordinary interaction with a stranger turned into a surprising event with your sister…and there is only one difference involved: backstory. You know your sister, better than you know yourself. You’ve grown up together, shared a room for all of your childhood. You know that she is terrified of spiders and ...
Jan 13, 2020 · Have too much backstory and too many flashbacks, you might rob your readers of the urgency and tension of the current narrative. For the most part, I much prefer to look forward in a story than ...
- Brian Rowe
Jun 6, 2013 · Backstory refers to the characters’ history and other story elements that underlie the situation at the start of the book. Backstory helps to establish the setting and makes the reader care about what happens to the characters. But as authors, we need to be careful: Backstory by definition takes the story backward.
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1. Make sure that all of your character’s past details are consistent and believable. 2. Pay close attention to how your character has changed over time and their relationships with other characters. 3. Ensure that any events or experiences in your character’s past are relevant to the present-day plot of your story. 4.
