Writing Exercise of the Month: Backstory
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- 9/5/2009 |
- 10:00 am
When I was writing The Comet's Curse, I spent a lot of time writing things that would never make it into the book. No, they weren't unused scenes or chapters; I'm talking about background information for me to use, the stuff you compile to create what we call backstory. Here's more on that...
One of the tricky parts about writing fiction is creating characters that have depth. It's impossible to know everything about that character, but you do want to provide your readers a glimpse into some of the important things that make them tick.
For example: When I created Triana Martell, the lead character of my book, I spent some time jotting down ideas about her childhood. I decided that it was crucial to outline the relationship she had with her father, which became a key element to her actions in the story.
I wanted to know where she grew up, what she liked to do, what her personality was like, how that personality was shaped by her father and his guidance, and what impact his death would have on her. Many of those notes never found their way into the book, but they gave me the details I needed in order to write the backstory on Triana.
This month I would like for you to sit down and build a character. That doesn't necessarily mean writing the story itself, but collecting snapshots of the person's life, especially the experiences that will help to define their actions, and who they are as a person. Then, when you're ready, draft a scene in which you peek into that past. Be sure to make it compelling; don't just put down words to fill up a page. Each bit of backstory must allow us to gain some insight into your character. At one point later in your story we might even say "aha, I know why he did that."
Your story should never be overloaded with backstory, but give us enough to get inside that person's head. Treat it like a spice in cooking: you don't want to overpower the dish, but to instead bring out a nice flavor. Have fun!
