Back story is crucial for your story, but new writers find it hard to weave it into the short story. Here are some tips for character development.
By Lanee' Blunt
Back story is important in a short story, because it helps the reader imagine the ongoing story, so when they read your story, they come to it with the purpose of enjoying the story life and caring about your characters. You do not want the reader to think about, “Now why did the author write that”. Sometimes new writers write too much information and too much back story.
When back story is done correctly it adds depth to characterization, and it makes readers understand the characters better than they do their friends. Sometimes back story leads to motive.
Back Story Takes Time to Create
Back story is part of character development, and can be done in the character sketch. You must ask the right question, for example, what important childhood experience affects him right now? What would he like to change about himself? What is his greatest weakness? You must ask the questions but also come up with the right answers for that particular story that is not out of character for him.
Back Story is Important
Your back story has to go someplace, for instance it can’t just be filler. It has to be relevant to the story that you are telling, and must be interesting.
Back Story Has to Be Planned
If you have information that you want to put into your story, what is so important about it that the reader must know? Will this information help the reader understand the story better? Does the back story help to define your character? These questions have to be answered before you begin the story; if not then you may have to stop writing the first draft and answer the questions.
Avoid the Back Story at the Beginning of the Story
“The point of departure from the present into a flashback must be carefully chosen,” according to Leonard Bishop’s book, Dare to be a Great Writer. The back story cannot be added at the beginning of the story because you must start the story off strong when the action is happening. Let your character breathe then add back story.
Back story Can Be Done in a Scene or Exposition
If you have a lot of information, you may not want to add it to the story in exposition. This can be done by having the character to think back to the flashback, and write a full scene.
A short piece of information can be added as exposition in the character’s point of view, with a few sentences or paragraphs filling information that the reader has to know so that they can understand the story.
Back story can be easy to master with a little thought and practice.
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