The Art of Writing’s newest lecture and why understanding it is imperative.
The use of backstory has become quite a contentious issue within writer, agent and publisher circles. You'll hear 'start with the action' over and over again. Agents and publishers want emotional urgency right up front, a gripping opening line, first paragraph or first page. This is largely due to digital and audiobook sales, such as free Kindle First Chapter downloads. If you engage your reader on your first page, you are often rewarded with a download sale, as readers decide to purchase your book. So publishers are keener than ever to 'start with the action.'
But where does this leave backstory? How do we use backstory effectively without slowing your pace? Without sacrificing narrative momentum?
The definition of backstory from several internet sources is, ‘A story that tells what led up to the main story or plot.’ Or ‘accounts of events leading up to what is being written about now.’ In other words background, history, or past.
Laurel Cohn, Editing and Manuscript Development Services
Understanding the how, where, why and who around backstory is more imperative than ever. Backstory is a big keyword now within commercial literary circles. Enter our new Art of Writing lecture with Laurel Cohn. Laurel is a developmental book editor passionate about communication and the power of stories in our lives. Since the late 1980s, she has been helping writers prepare their work for publication. She works with writers, publishers and community organisations, and is a regular workshop presenter in Australia for Writing NSW, Writers Victoria, Queensland Writers Centre and Byron Writers Festival. She has a Ph.D. in Literary and Cultural Studies.
In this first part of a two-part blog on backstory, we’ll chat with Laurel about what she has planned for this year’s workshop on backstory and why.
Lisa: Why is backstory so important?
Laurel: Backstory is necessary to create compelling and believable characters and three-dimensional settings. Without it, readers can be unclear about characters’ motivations, their frame of mind in different scenarios, and the context that shapes their decision-making. Keep in mind that readers learn about characters as they meet them on the page. The choices you make about what the reader knows directs their emotional response to the characters. While it is crucial that you the writer understand your characters’ motivations so that their actions and choices ring true, you can also choose to conceal the backstory that has shaped these motivations for dramatic effect. So backstory plays a key role in characterisation, setting, dramatic tension and narrative momentum.
Lisa: You say backstory is about getting the most 'out of what you know about your characters and setting.' Can you explain that?
Laurel: A writer has to know a great deal of detail about the backstory of their characters, and sometimes their settings. A reader, however, doesn’t need to know that same level of detail in order to follow the story, to care about the characters, or to be curious about what happens next. The key is to be able to distinguish between the information the reader needs to know in order to follow your story thread and all those other fascinating things you could say about the characters and settings that need to be left out. It's a balancing act!
Lisa: What can Art of Writing writers look forward to learning in your class with us?
Laurel: We'll be looking at how backstory works to create compelling and engaging characters and settings, and how an understanding of a character's backstory enhances plot possibilities. We'll also be looking at the art of inserting backstory using snippets in context, with reference to how other writers do it.
I for one am super excited about this new class. Stay tuned for backstory balancing tips in the next blog!
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If you’d like to share any comments or thoughts, I’d be happy to hear from you. Email me directly at lisacliffordwriter@gmail.com.