Comments on: Backstory…where to put it? http://giveagirlapen.com/how-to-start-writing/backstory-where-to-put-it She'll write a book to go with it... Sun, 13 May 2012 21:55:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Anica Lewis http://giveagirlapen.com/how-to-start-writing/backstory-where-to-put-it/comment-page-1#comment-1408 Anica Lewis Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:13:21 +0000 http://giveagirlapen.com/?p=2142#comment-1408 One interesting piece of advice I got once from a successful novelist: don't start a novel with one character alone. This is, of course, not a hard-and-fast rule, but it's something to think about - so often, first sections that need to be cut are lacking in conflict and interaction, or are just rampant backstory without giving the reader a glimpse of plot, tension, or a reason to care. I thought it was interesting that you mentioned <i>the trauma, the move, the big change</i>. Definitely a good point. There are a couple of perspectives on it, though. I've looked at the timing of "the big change" a lot in the context of some of my favorite books that have a couple of chapters before it happens. In <i>Howl's Moving Castle</i>, it's not for several chapters that Sophie is cursed and winds up going to the castle; in <i>Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone</i>, it's awhile before Harry realizes he's a wizard and a LONG time before he completes his literal "move," going to Hogwarts. And in most paranormal novels, it's not for a few chapters that you get the big reveal of supernatural stuff definitely going on. One interesting piece of advice I got once from a successful novelist: don’t start a novel with one character alone. This is, of course, not a hard-and-fast rule, but it’s something to think about – so often, first sections that need to be cut are lacking in conflict and interaction, or are just rampant backstory without giving the reader a glimpse of plot, tension, or a reason to care.

I thought it was interesting that you mentioned the trauma, the move, the big change. Definitely a good point. There are a couple of perspectives on it, though. I’ve looked at the timing of “the big change” a lot in the context of some of my favorite books that have a couple of chapters before it happens. In Howl’s Moving Castle, it’s not for several chapters that Sophie is cursed and winds up going to the castle; in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, it’s awhile before Harry realizes he’s a wizard and a LONG time before he completes his literal “move,” going to Hogwarts. And in most paranormal novels, it’s not for a few chapters that you get the big reveal of supernatural stuff definitely going on.

]]> By: Essays http://giveagirlapen.com/how-to-start-writing/backstory-where-to-put-it/comment-page-1#comment-1401 Essays Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:35:59 +0000 http://giveagirlapen.com/?p=2142#comment-1401 Thanks for sharing your views on the topic. It makes one think and look the other side of the story. Thanks for sharing your views on the topic. It makes one think and look the other side of the story.

]]> By: Ariel Ceylan http://giveagirlapen.com/how-to-start-writing/backstory-where-to-put-it/comment-page-1#comment-1394 Ariel Ceylan Sat, 23 Jan 2010 15:41:24 +0000 http://giveagirlapen.com/?p=2142#comment-1394 You could work in the important back story as a dream or there could be something that triggers the memory for the character. This is the clever part in writing, how to put in the past in the now in ways that the reader won't doubt. Hope this helps. Ariel Ceylan .-= Ariel Ceylan´s last blog ..<a href="http://ceylanthewriter.wordpress.com/2010/01/22/22-january-2010/" rel="nofollow">22 January 2010</a> =-. You could work in the important back story as a dream or there could be something that triggers the memory for the character. This is the clever part in writing, how to put in the past in the now in ways that the reader won’t doubt.

Hope this helps.

Ariel Ceylan
.-= Ariel Ceylan´s last blog ..22 January 2010 =-.

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