Watch your delivery of backstory ~ the story of what, in the past, made the character who they are today (in story time).
As corny as it sounds, I'm wild about thematic significance. I mean if the Universal Story longs to manifest, what better way than through a story's deeper themes?
Writers want to cram everything right up front.
"I know all their history, why would I want to withhold it from the reader?"
"I wrote it that way."
"It's the good part."
Writers spend lots of time imagining and writing every little detail about a character's past, be it for a child or an adult. So, of course, writers would want to tell everything right away. Perhaps, in the process, even show off a bit how clever they are. Until, one understands how curiosity works.
Not telling everything makes the reader curious. Curiosity draws the reader deeper into the story world. The reader wants to fill in the "who," "what," "how" (the "where" and "when" have already been clearly established right up front to ground the reader). They keep reading. This is good.
Tell the reader only what they need to know to inform that particular scene. This is especially true in the Beginning (1/4 mark). During the first quarter of the project, the character can have a memory. But, for a full-blown flashback, where you take the reader back in time in scene, wait until the Middle.
(PLOT TIP: If you're absolutely sure you absolutely have to include the flashback, try using one when you're bogged down in the middle of the middle.)
Click on green highlighted plot concepts for further explanations via video. Each time a concept is referenced you are directed to new information about the Universal Story and writing a novel, memoir or screenplay.
Visit Plot Series: How Do I Plot a Novel, Memoir, Screenplay? on YouTube. A directory of all the steps to the series is to the right of this post. Enjoy!
By: Martha Alderson, M.A.,
on 5/31/2011
Blog: Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers
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Jodi Picoult in Change of Heart, shows the affects the dramatic action has on the characters' emotional development in order to bring to the fore themes about the life sentence, abuse, loss, redemption and love.
Interestingly, both of the two theme-driven writers, use multiple viewpoint characters, each with their own chapters, with a clear first line for each switch in point-of-view and creates a minimum of confusion. When readers are immediately pulled into the next character’s mind and body, readers they have little reason to feel they will miss the character they just were connected to. And, each character has a very definite point of view about the issues at hand though the protagonist's change overtime to fulfill the role of the protagonist -- the character who changes the most in the story by the dramatic action
By: Martha Alderson, M.A.,
on 3/1/2011
Blog: Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers
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Fascinating consultation today. The back-story the writer has developed becomes a clear motivating force behind the protagonist's actions and goal setting throughout the entire front story. The back-story serves as a beacon for the writer to filter her decisions through to bring more depth and emotionality to the story.
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By: Martha Alderson, M.A.,
on 8/17/2011
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By: Martha Alderson, M.A.,
on 8/17/2011
Blog: Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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6 Comments on Backstory versus Front Story, last added: 8/20/2011
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There are writers who excel at writing character-driven stories and those who prefer action-driven stories. Also, though I've found rarer, are writers who lean toward theme-driven stories.
When the Killing's Done by T. S. Boyle is another thematic significance plot driven novel.
In the first quarter of When the Killing’s Done by T.C. Boyle, two characters alternate chapters told from their own points of view. The beginning chapters of the story are Alma’s introduction told through her grandmother’s story. The third chapter focuses on Alma herself and begins by firmly grounding the reader.
"Though Alma is trying her hardest to suppress it, the noise of the freeway is getting to her. She can’t think to slice the cherry tomatoes and dice the baby carrots, can’t clear her head, can barely hear Micah Stroud riding the tide of his emotions through the big speakers in the front room."
These two sentences immediately thrust the reader into the scene. They, showing who is doing what, how the action is emotionally affecting her, and a general idea where she is. and They also offering specific details that define herAlma: living near a noisy freeway, knowing how to cook, listening to music that rides the tide of the singer’s emotions, and a love ofloving music that is strong enough that she owns big speakers.
The next chapter switches to the male character’s point
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Readers connect to the story through the character.
Readers identify with the characters through the characters' emotions.
During the consultation, the back-story develops in such a way to bring more emotionality into the story as the protagonist reacts, sometimes inappropriately, based on the pain she suffered as child and continues to feel, though basically unconsciously so.
Not wanting to give the writer's story away, I give examples here to show you what I hope to convey.
To begin with, the back-story is the time when and the reason why the protagonist's innocence is lost. This can be at a young age years before the actual story begins or more recently but still before the actual front story begins.
This defining moment may be something the character overheard and took to heart and has lived her life by ever since. This moment may be some sort of negative treatment toward the protagonist earlier in her life that she now carries with her, unconsciously or not, and that interferes with her capability to achieve that which she most longs for.
Back-story provides brilliant motivation for the character's actions even when the character is virtually unaware of it or believes her motivation comes from elsewhere.
In other words, if the protagonist was betrayed at some point in her past (back-story), she from that point forward feels betrayal in the actions of others now in the front story. If she was abandoned in her back-story, she feels the same pain she felt as a child even now as an adult and even if the current behavior by another is actually benign and insignificant to others but never to her. Perhaps she was lied to, physically abused, emotionally bullied, neglected... you fill in the blank for your character.
This wound then becomes what she must become conscious of and overcome in order for the sense of perfection to be restored in the final 1/4 of the story.
The back-story never has to be revealed in the story at all. However, so long as you as the writer knows the protagonist's back-story, you then have compelling motivation for the protagonist's actions in the front story.
Just remember, the back-story is not the story.
The front story made up of the primary plot and that is the story.
Great rewiev!Thanks!
This is a fabulous blog, Martha, thanks so much for such good instruction.
Dear Plot Whisperer Martha,
Your advice "Not telling everything makes the reader curious. Curiosity draws the reader deeper into the story world." is golden. When I edit my hard-working clients' manuscripts, I see their desire to 'inform' (especially in the first quarter of the story); and I give them this analogy: "Engaging the reader within the first 5 pages is so much like hooking attention on a first date, the next five pages on a second date, and so on, and so on. Intrigue the reader, not overwhelm her/him." Martha, I am so excited that your new book will be available in October! Lucky us writers and manuscript consultants! Cheers to you! Sincerely, Teresa LeYung-Ryan, author of Build Your Writer's Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW and Love Made of Heart
Thanks for visiting and commenting, Elizabeth!
Thanks for your kind words, essay writing!
Great advice, Teresa. (Fun to find you here!) I remember going over this in a plot workshop and a writer coming up after to say she had learned not only about how to pace the introduction of her protagonist, she learned more about how to present herself to others, too...