What is the Backstory?
My husband and I are temporarily living in the house where he grew up. Our daughter recently came to visit us here. She enjoyed listening to the stories my husband and his brother shared about their childhood. After hearing them tell about some of their life experiences, our daughter said, “Well, that explains a lot.” We know a person’s character by the way he or she acts, but when we learn about a person’s past we come to understand what shaped that character. That is the backstory. As an author, I need to know the backstory for my characters. Even if I don’t use it, I need to know it. +Jack Cavanaugh gave me excellent advice at the Write-to-Publish conference in Wheaton, Illinois last year. I had started my book with much of the backstory. He recommended I cut the first chapter out completely and weave the backstory in subsequent chapters. He reminded me that I don’t need to share everything, either. I need to share the parts that are essential to the story. ...