Question about handling Backstory

BooksAndChocolate · May 1, 2009

I have a question about how I want to add a crucial part of my book, which is backstory, something that happened between the hero and the villain 10 years ago.

It is action packed and a lot of dialogue.

I thought about doing it in a dream sequence, but that is so cliche in my opinion, and when I read more than one page of a dream, I tend to skim.

If I write it in the character's POV, it will be in telling mode, something I don't do a lot of. My writing style is more dialogue and action with some narrative, again, I don't want the reader to skim.

I thought I would do a short chapter, and title it - 10 YEARS AGO.

I've read books that did this, but unfortunately, maybe the way they were written, I skimmed through the chapter.

The one I'm reading right now, the author goes back 20 years to show what happened to the heroine, but I find myself skimming as it's not interesting.

That's why I am in two minds about how to handle this.

A chapter titled 10 years ago?

A dream sequence?

The Protagonist telling someone his story? But this would be out of character for him, he's very private.

The Villian telling his side? But then, this villain is delusional and the reader wouldn't get an accurate depiction.

Any ideas?

Do you skim chapters that go back in time to show you what has happened?

Thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions.

Stunted · May 1, 2009

How about the protagonist tells the reader? Does he know? He could sort of reference this event in his thoughts somehow, and then, at some point, really sit down and think about it. Just a thought.

BooksAndChocolate · May 1, 2009

Stunted said:
How about the protagonist tells the reader? Does he know? He could sort of reference this event in his thoughts somehow, and then, at some point, really sit down and think about it. Just a thought.

Thanks, I thought of doing that, having something trigger the memory and then his thoughts would take him back in time. What I didn't like about this method was that it excluded the dialogue, between a few people, which is important to the event.

Unless he can sit there and replay the whole scene in his head, which would not be a dream but a vivid memory?

Thanks again.

archerjoe · May 1, 2009

It seems this depends on how interesting this backstory is. You mention you skim over similar stuff because it's not interesting. Is your backstory interesting enough to hold the reader? If not, you'll have to take the important parts of the backstory and weave them into the story a little bit at a time.

Another thought - can this backstory stand alone as chapter 1? Chapter 2 starts ten years later or maybe there's a transition chapter needed.

BooksAndChocolate · May 1, 2009

archerjoe said:
It seems this depends on how interesting this backstory is. You mention you skim over similar stuff because it's not interesting. Is your backstory interesting enough to hold the reader? If not, you'll have to take the important parts of the backstory and weave them into the story a little bit at a time.

Another thought - can this backstory stand alone as chapter 1? Chapter 2 starts ten years later or maybe there's a transition chapter needed.

The backstory shows how the protagonist's father was murdered in front of him because of his own relationship with the villain, so yes, I think it would be interesting, action packed and emotional.

I have weaved parts of it through the story, having taken Donald Maa's workshop on writing the Breakout novel, I knew NEVER to put any backstory in the first 50 pages of the book. LOL

I thought about a prologue, but that would be giving away too much of the identity of the villain.

Yes, I skimmed through similar work, because most of it was too mundane.

If anyone has any recommendations of books that wrote a chapter going back in years, that held their attention I would appreciate it. That way I can see how it's done to keep the reader's attention.

Thank you for you input!

n-v-b · May 1, 2009

The characters in my novel have all been affected by an event that happened 11 years previously. It is a very crucial part of the story and gives some insight into why each one behaves the way they do but I was very aware that I wanted the reader to find out piece by piece what happened, but also have some sort of idea from early on.

I am doing a lot of it through dialogue, giving glimpses into the event through conversations. I have also included one flashback scene which opens the book. The flashback is very short (a paragraph) and sees it through a young childs eyes (who grows up to be my MC) so it is quite a 'sketchy' version of the event and very 'child like'.

BooksAndChocolate · May 1, 2009

n-v-b said:
The characters in my novel have all been affected by an event that happened 11 years previously. It is a very crucial part of the story and gives some insight into why each one behaves the way they do but I was very aware that I wanted the reader to find out piece by piece what happened, but also have some sort of idea from early on.

I am doing a lot of it through dialogue, giving glimpses into the event through conversations. I have also included one flashback scene which opens the book. The flashback is very short (a paragraph) and sees it through a young childs eyes (who grows up to be my MC) so it is quite a 'sketchy' version of the event and very 'child like'.

That is why my backstory is important, as it shows why these two characters are the way they are, and why their relationship is as it is.

I have done that also, glimpses through dialogue and deep POV.

I like your idea of a flashback. When you say flashback, a short paragraph, because I can reduce it two paragraphs, do you do this flashback as in the mind of your character? As if he is at the moment and reliving the incident?

Thanks for your input!

job · May 1, 2009

Here's a link to a way to handle this by using 'elided POV.'

here

Zip down to the bottom of the posting for the attachment.

Basically, in elided POV, a POV character thinks about a backstory older scene. He slides us into it. Then we get the scene played 'live'. In realtime.
When the scene is done, the character takes us back to the present.

The backstory scene does not exist as an inserted fragment,
and it's not 'told'.
It's presented as the dramatic scene.
Smoothly done, this is invisible to the reader.

A poor, short, dirty example . . .

************

Outside the cafe, a red sports car braked at the light, impatiently, and gunned its motor. The light turned. Sun danced on a line of chrome as it jackrabbited off.

Boynton leaned both elbows on the formica counter. "You'll never be a soda jerk. You can't dance."

MaryAnn continued to build the banana split. "You don't know what you're talking about." She scooped up strawberry ice cream. A nice round scoop. Just the way Pop taught her.

"You see, that's where you're wrong. We did this in business class. The modern soda fountain is not about dairy products. It's . . ." he made a broad gesture, "presentation."

"Yeah. Right." She was generous with the walnuts. The trail began at one edge of the bowl and went up the vanilla mountain, down the valley toward chocolate hill. A landscape of eating. This one was for the ten-year-old in booth six.

"I watch my customers," Papa used to say. "See what they eat first. See what they save till last. Next time I give 'em a tad more of what they save till last. That's their favorite."

He spooned on the pineapple. He'd loved pineapple.

"You should give us a tad more work," Maisie hitched her butt onto the counter stool, "and less with the favorites already. We got a club, hold the mayo, Adam and Eve on a raft, two cokes, and a burger with a garden, drown it."

"In time. In good time. You don't hurry art," Pop said.

"Hey, Art ain't working today. You are." She tapped her pencil impatiently.

archerjoe · May 1, 2009

Another idea - expand the backstory from one chapter to enough chapters to make a section. Promote the backstory to "frontstory" for the first section.

BooksAndChocolate · May 1, 2009

archerjoe said:
Another idea - expand the backstory from one chapter to enough chapters to make a section. Promote the backstory to "frontstory" for the first section.

I don't think that could work, because then it would give away a certain aspect of the story upfront. A flashback or a short chapter of 10 years ago, or through dialogue somehow is going to happen after mid-point in the book, when it's okay if the reader finally figures it out.

Having it happen upfront will give away too much of the suspense.

Thanks for responding.

cwfgal · May 1, 2009

Critical backstory doesn't have to be dumped in one chunk. Dole it out in snippets, in various ways -- flashback, conversation, narrative -- throughout the book.

Beth

n-v-b · May 1, 2009

BooksAndChocolate said:
That is why my backstory is important, as it shows why these two characters are the way they are, and why their relationship is as it is.

I have done that also, glimpses through dialogue and deep POV.

I like your idea of a flashback. When you say flashback, a short paragraph, because I can reduce it two paragraphs, do you do this flashback as in the mind of your character? As if he is at the moment and reliving the incident?

Thanks for your input!

I didn't want the flashback to be like a dream or a day dream or anything, which is why I put it as the opening paragraph. After the flashback finished the story begins but I didn't want the reader to think that the flashback was my MC thinking or re-living that time of her life so I purposely make no reference to it where she is concerned. Infact I wanted totally the opposite as my MC has very much shut that time out of her mind and it's only later on in the novel that I want her to start being aware of how affected she was by it. So the flashback was a stand alone thing.

Hope all goes well with the novel

Cyia · May 1, 2009

BooksAndChocolate said:
I have weaved parts of it through the story, having taken Donald Maa's workshop on writing the Breakout novel, I knew NEVER to put any backstory in the first 50 pages of the book. LOL

Careful. "Never" never holds true for everyone or every situation. That's a really broad guideline that's the advice of one guy. One guy "never" has the whole story or the exclusive viewpoint that always works.

Kathleen42 · May 1, 2009

BooksAndChocolate said:
I have weaved parts of it through the story, having taken Donald Maa's workshop on writing the Breakout novel, I knew NEVER to put any backstory in the first 50 pages of the book.

This seems like a ridiculously broad rule.

BooksAndChocolate · May 1, 2009

Thanks everyone! I've been working on it today and I realize the problem is that my agent has such high hopes for this book that I am overthinking a lot of the scenes. But it sure does help to talk it over with other writers.

Beth, this is the way it is working out now. I am sprinkling it through via both the Protag's POV and the villain's POV, through narrative and dialogue and it seems to be working out best this way, keeping the suspense high at the same time.

NVB - I agree with you about not wanting a dream as I said, I tend to skim over those when I'm reading. Thanks for your good wishes.

Cyia, I do understand that, that "never" holds true for some situations and not for others. Having taken his workshop though, it really does make sense and it works for suspense/thrillers to keep the suspense high, raise the stakes etc. Of course, I know it was one person's POV on managing a book, and I took what worked for me in the workshop. I have to say, the exercises were great for plot building and characterization. I went to the workshop very skeptical, but I highly recommend it or at least recommend his workbook.

Having said that, again, you need to take what would work for you and not use everything in any lecture as Gospel.

Thanks again.

BooksAndChocolate · May 1, 2009

Kathleen42 said:
This seems like a ridiculously broad rule.

I had the same reaction, however, in my case taking out backstory in the first 70 pages or so, really did heighten the suspense and make for a better read.

I'm sure it is not the case for all books, and I know you can probably cite a ton of NY Best sellers who have backstory right on page one. However, I am a realist and I know that best selling authors can pretty well do whatever they want. Adverbs galore !!!! marks galore and even weak plots and characters. That's just the reality.

Speaking with editors from NY publishing houses, high profile agents, it is the case for someone breaking into the market. If they see a lot of backstory at the beginning of the book, they find it to be uninteresting and probably won't read on.

When my agent gave a speech in NY at a conference, his piece of advice to everyone was this.

"Do not give an agent or editor a reason to reject you. Because they read with the intention of rejection in mind, not reasons to take you." Not word for word, but it was something like that.

Kaylee · May 1, 2009

Does your MC have something traumatic happen to him to make him go back?

Gillhoughly · May 1, 2009

:editor's hat on:

Kill the dream sequence. Your instincts are right, they've been done to DEATH.

Just insert a chapter with "Ten years ago" and let it live or languish on its own merits.

Be sure to write it with the same importance you've attached to the rest of the story. In your mind this should be "all new" stuff. Write it as though you don't know how it will turn out.

When you're ready for beta readers to look over the finished book they can let you know if the device worked or not.

ChristineR · May 1, 2009

I think the reason you don't want large hunks of backstory in the first 70 pages is that this would imply that you've stopped your main story while the reader is still figuring out what's going on. Plus, the first seventy pages often have to convey a lot of more-or-less extraneous information, like what the rules are for elves in this universe, so you're already in danger of dragging the main story down. But really, it's not like it can't be done successfully, since many books do it.

BooksAndChocolate · May 1, 2009

Kaylee, yes, something traumatic does happen that brings it all to the forefront.

Gillhoughly, thank you! I like what you wrote. I like the idea that it will be all new stuff, although there are a few things sprinkled throughout, hinting at what happened, but not fully explored, writing it as a fresh is what I really wanted to do, but I wanted to be careful not to have it boring backstory (know what I mean?)

BooksAndChocolate · May 1, 2009

ChristineR said:
I think the reason you don't want large hunks of backstory in the first 70 pages is that this would imply that you've stopped your main story while the reader is still figuring out what's going on. Plus, the first seventy pages often have to convey a lot of more-or-less extraneous information, like what the rules are for elves in this universe, so you're already in danger of dragging the main story down. But really, it's not like it can't be done successfully, since many books do it.

I agree, in certain books this works if done well. In my book, it is a suspense/thriller and I didn't have a lot of backstory, but what I did have and then removed made a big difference.

James D. Macdonald · May 1, 2009

Readers need far less backstory than writers think. Cut it.

If the ten-years-ago section can stand on its own, publish it separately as a short story.

ccv707 · May 1, 2009

Yes it's a movie, but for a good example of how to handle backstory that doesn't impede the story, check out the classic Chinatown. Great movie regardless.

Swordswoman · May 1, 2009

BooksAndChocolate said:
I like the idea that it will be all new stuff, although there are a few things sprinkled throughout, hinting at what happened, but not fully explored, writing it as a fresh is what I really wanted to do, but I wanted to be careful not to have it boring backstory (know what I mean?)

I think you're on the right lines here, and so is n-v-b (Welcome to AW, by the way!)

Forgetting the technicalities for a moment, the reason backstory is boring and we tend to skim it is because it's NOT NOW. Nothing is at stake. We already know who survived. You can write the best fight sequence in the world, but who cares when we already know who won? Starting a new chapter, having him tell someone - none of those things matters a damn if no-one's interested. What does matter is WHEN you do it, and making sure the reader's gagging for it when you do.

The simplest way to do it in 'story' terms is a prologue, so it's NOW before you jump to a new NOW. Since that won't work for you, you need to find other ways of making the reader interested in that backstory, so they want to find out as much as you want to tell them.

Two classic forms that do this are the ghost story and the detective story. Both give 'clues' to intrigue you, so you're desperate to find out what really did happen to the victim in 'Bag Of Bones', or who really did kill the kidnapper in 'Murder On The Orient Express'. When the backstory comes out, it's relevant NOW.

Your book is neither of these, but I find the same principles apply. The reader has to know a) that there is a mystery in the past, and b) that it affects what's happening right now. This is where the 'bleeding' technique or short flashback comes in. If your MC is traumatised, how does it affect him in the present? He saw his mother killed - how? If she was stabbed, how does he react to the sight of tomato ketchup on his girlfriend's shirt? If she was shot, how does he react to sudden loud noises? What are the pictures/sounds in his head he's trying to suppress, and what ways can you find to tease them out of him? Or what happens when he sees the villain again - doesn't this give him any images of the past?

You can even hop briefly into his head at the key moments to give us flashes of memory. They needn't give away anything significant, you can use them like those trick photographs that only make sense when you've got the whole picture. But also like those photos, we should get just a little more every time.

Then when your reader is ready to kill you with frustration - then's the time to give them the whole picture. It needs to be prompted by the biggest trigger yet, the moment when he HAS to face up to this memory and deal with it or it's going to destroy him. It has to come at a moment when his facing it makes a difference. Eg is someone else about to die as a consequence of what your MC did or failed to do in the past, and can he save them by reacting differently now? If you (or he) tell us about it then just go on with the story as if nothing's happened then you've broken the narrative flow. It needs to be part of the story and move the action on in just the same way as everything else.

I know this isn't a direct answer, and probably isn't very helpful - but (in my opinion) if you do it this way, then you can either start a new chapter or have him tell someone - and either way will work.

Louise

BooksAndChocolate · May 1, 2009

Swordswoman said:
I think you're on the right lines here, and so is n-v-b (Welcome to AW, by the way!)

Forgetting the technicalities for a moment, the reason backstory is boring and we tend to skim it is because it's NOT NOW. Nothing is at stake. We already know who survived. You can write the best fight sequence in the world, but who cares when we already know who won? Starting a new chapter, having him tell someone - none of those things matters a damn if no-one's interested. What does matter is WHEN you do it, and making sure the reader's gagging for it when you do.

The simplest way to do it in 'story' terms is a prologue, so it's NOW before you jump to a new NOW. Since that won't work for you, you need to find other ways of making the reader interested in that backstory, so they want to find out as much as you want to tell them.

Two classic forms that do this are the ghost story and the detective story. Both give 'clues' to intrigue you, so you're desperate to find out what really did happen to the victim in 'Bag Of Bones', or who really did kill the kidnapper in 'Murder On The Orient Express'. When the backstory comes out, it's relevant NOW.

Your book is neither of these, but I find the same principles apply. The reader has to know a) that there is a mystery in the past, and b) that it affects what's happening right now. This is where the 'bleeding' technique or short flashback comes in. If your MC is traumatised, how does it affect him in the present? He saw his mother killed - how? If she was stabbed, how does he react to the sight of tomato ketchup on his girlfriend's shirt? If she was shot, how does he react to sudden loud noises? What are the pictures/sounds in his head he's trying to suppress, and what ways can you find to tease them out of him? Or what happens when he sees the villain again - doesn't this give him any images of the past?

You can even hop briefly into his head at the key moments to give us flashes of memory. They needn't give away anything significant, you can use them like those trick photographs that only make sense when you've got the whole picture. But also like those photos, we should get just a little more every time.

Then when your reader is ready to kill you with frustration - then's the time to give them the whole picture. It needs to be prompted by the biggest trigger yet, the moment when he HAS to face up to this memory and deal with it or it's going to destroy him. It has to come at a moment when his facing it makes a difference. Eg is someone else about to die as a consequence of what your MC did or failed to do in the past, and can he save them by reacting differently now? If you (or he) tell us about it then just go on with the story as if nothing's happened then you've broken the narrative flow. It needs to be part of the story and move the action on in just the same way as everything else.

I know this isn't a direct answer, and probably isn't very helpful - but (in my opinion) if you do it this way, then you can either start a new chapter or have him tell someone - and either way will work.

Louise

CCV thanks for the movie recommendation. I'm not a movie buff, but my husband is, I mentioned this movie and he said it was a good one, so I'll see if we can rent it.

Louise, thank you for the warm welcome and for your feedback. You absolutely did help a lot!

I am printing out your advice as a lot of what you say pertains to my story.

I have been teasing the reader, giving out subtle things about the relationship between the hero and the villain, and YES, his past behavior has resulted in a tragedy and he will face this again, if he makes the wrong decision again. Thanks so much!

All of you have given me a lot to think about and work with.

Question about handling Backstory

BooksAndChocolate

Stunted

Ich heiße Superphantastisch!

BooksAndChocolate

archerjoe

BooksAndChocolate

n-v-b

BooksAndChocolate

job

In the end, it's just you and the manuscript

archerjoe

BooksAndChocolate

cwfgal

On the rocks

n-v-b

Cyia

Rewriting My Destiny

Kathleen42

crushing on fictional characters

BooksAndChocolate

BooksAndChocolate

Kaylee

New kid, be gentle!

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor

ChristineR

What happened?

BooksAndChocolate

BooksAndChocolate

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

ccv707

He who asks, "Why?"

Swordswoman

Resilient and kind

BooksAndChocolate