Comments on: Story Genius on Backstory

By: tmburgie

tmburgie — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 20:53:38 +0000

Thank you, Lisa! In working with my protagonist, the character I'm surprised by MOST, I found that while I don't LIKE him, I do understand him and what drives him because of the backstory! Your approach, so wonderfully explained here, has helped me immensely by bringing the backstory back into the novel! LOVED both of your books - Such good material!! Thank you for such a wonderful article!

By: Glenda Warburton

Glenda Warburton — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 12:20:28 +0000

Thank you hugely for dispelling the backstory myth...what you have written makes so much sense.

By: Lumos Libri

Lumos Libri — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 03:49:39 +0000

I am working with revising backstory right now. Fantastic reminders about its importance. It's not about getting rid of it, but trying to make it a seamless experience for the reader. Thanks!

By: The impact of a good story - N.H. Luedke

The impact of a good story - N.H. Luedke — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 21:03:55 +0000

[…] good one on properly using backstory […]

By: Lou Grimm

Lou Grimm — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 22:31:26 +0000

Thanks Lisa. Fantastic post. Natasha Lester in 'A Kiss From Mr Fitzgerald' and Pamela Hart in 'A Letter From Italy' feed the type of backstory you mention here - gentle, subtle, exciting, and relevant. But why am I encountering more and more hugely popular books with overwhelming backstory? Take a book I recently failed to finish - the very successful YA novel 'Red Queen'. Almost every action, every step taken, every word said, was accompanied by a paragraph of internalisation. It made simple actions like changing clothes long and arduous, and potentially exciting action scenes dull and skippable. The pace was all wrong: 'quick, let's race over and---wait. Stop. Let's explain how we got here. Now let's hurry over and---stop. Let me tell you what I'm thinking. Ok, now quick! Before that girl with immense powers strikes out and---of course, that reminds me of when I first got my own powers. Let me tell you all about that. Oh no! Look out! She's about to---wait, is that the queen over there watching all this? Here's all the things I'm thinking about her right now.' I wonder if that's why some frustrated reader somewhere said 'aaaaggghhh with the backstory!' In the end, it's all about balance. Lou

By: Julie Glover

Julie Glover — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 21:52:32 +0000

I'm currently judging for a writing contest, and it's been eye-opening in this regard. A couple of the entries started so into the action, with nowhere near enough backstory, that I didn't really care enough what was happening to the characters. And yes, this absolutely made me rethink of few of my own stories and how I can weave in more of the protagonist's background so the reader gets a sense of WHO she is and why she's making her decisions. Love your practical tips here, Lisa! This really adds to my toolbox.

By: anneclermont

anneclermont — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 17:08:10 +0000

So excited to read this. I'm just working through The Story Genius with my WIP, trying to dig deeper into my characters' backstory and motivations (Thank you Orly for your feedback!) I too have struggled with backstory, cutting it whenever I see it on my pages and trying to write without it there because it's been hammered into me that it's not needed. I always wanted to talk to an expert about this. For example, I absolutely loved how Ann Patchet wove backstory into so many characters' lives in Bel Canto - so easily and quickly. Yet I worried that I shouldn't do any because that meant describing to much and 'telling' not 'showing.' This is so helpful! I can't wait to finish going through The Story Genius and hopefully my new novel will be much better crafter right from the start.

By: Monday Must-Reads [01.30.17]

Monday Must-Reads [01.30.17] — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 16:39:22 +0000

[…] Story Genius on Backstory | Writers In The Storm […]

By: Writing Links in the 3s and 6…1/30/17 – Where Genres Collide

Writing Links in the 3s and 6…1/30/17 – Where Genres Collide — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 12:02:18 +0000

[…] https://writersinthestormblog.com/2017/01/story-genius-on-backstory/ Don’t count backstory out in your story. […]

By: Alice Fleury

Alice Fleury — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 18:13:05 +0000

Thanks so much. I never realized the interior thoughts of a protagonist was her backstory and how her past experiences effect her decision in the here and now of the story. And thanks for using my question.