Backstory

A lot of time, effort, daydreaming, planning, creativity, and (if you're blessed) talent, go into writing a story. One doesn't just 'bang it out' and be done with it. When the first word is written so begins the writing and editing process. This journey can take months, years, or a lifetime...

When beginning a novel the author must first decide where to begin the story. Should you begin with your character's childhoods, which are truly the beginning? Or just pick up the story as something crucial is happening in their current lives?

I do not hold myself to rigid rules. First, I take my 'clay-of-an-idea' and think about my characters for weeks or months. I get an idea of how I might like to see the story end, and then chart my character's courses on their roller coaster rides with attainable prizes at the end. Sometimes my characters take over the story and I must abandon MY ideas and go with theirs. As one rejection slip from Harlequin warned me "Don't be so predicable!"

Then I must contemplate what tactic will be most effective in showing my reader who my characters are? What is important to my characters? What tone do I want to set at the get-go?

When delving into a new project, I start with action or dialog that is of paramount importance to forming my character's personalities. Is he/she pushy, formal, smart or ignorant. How does he/she interact with others who play major roles in the story? Will showing events from childhood aid the reader, prompting them to immediately care about my characters? Or should I interject backstory as the story progresses? Sometimes backstory seems fake and plopped on the page causing it to sound forced, and hence slow the pace.

I follow my own rule: If I feel the backstory is significant and makes a good scene with compelling dialog, it is better to show firsthand how this event will eventually shape and mold my character's current and future lives.

Backstory has it's place in my novels, but my backstory is usually just minute details. I dish out the good stuff first-hand!

How about you: how much backstory do you like? Are you a writer who wishes to share your thoughts on the writing process? (Please do!)

Are you a reader of good quality books? What genre do you prefer? Who are your favorite authors?

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