Backstory

[Tariel]

Do any of you have any thoughts or strategies on how to effectively insert backstory into a novel? Many of my characters have pasts that are essential to the plot, but I'm not sure how to insert that information into the story without the use of flashbacks or having my characters sitting around having lengthy, angst-ridden conversations about their childhoods.

 

[Radagast]

It depends on how complex the past is. Sometimes just having other characters mention the past as something that's understood will let the reader work it out.

 

[sunstruckdream]

Heh - yeah, no angst-ridden conversations What I try to do is try to discern which parts of the backstory I need to know versus which parts the reader needs to know. One thing I've found through sharing my work with people is that a lot of the elaborate backstoryage I used to do isn't always wanted/appreciated. So once I know what I really do NEED to include, I try to insert it here and there through inner thoughts, snips of conversation or comments. That helps to distribute it/spread it out and keep it from interfering with pace or becoming boring.

 

[Radagast]

What I try to do is try to discern which parts of the backstory I need to know versus which parts the reader needs to know.

That's a nice distinction!

 

[jimmyl]

That's a nice distinction!

Yeah, that's a good way to look at it. How much of the backstory is necessary to understand the... ah... frontstory?

(Entirely unhelpful)-> For example of a way not to do it, check out the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. Book 4 (which is thick) is entirely back story and completely destroys the flow of an otherwise pretty good series. <-