Writing Rules: Limit the Backstory

Too much backstory is probably the number one glitch I see in novice writers. Obviously the reader needs some kind of history about the characters, but other than you, no one really cares that your hero came from Podunk in 1973 and used to have a somewhat pathetic stamp collection. Trust me on that.

This is a danger you want to avoid at all costs.

The problem with too much backstory is that it pulls the reader out of the present story. It slows down your action. Make your reader sleepy and guess what...they'll take a nap. And they just might not pick up your book again when their eyelids open.

Here are some tips to avoid this bugaboo:

Don't dump too much history into the first chapter.

Think of this chapter as the first time you're meeting someone, because you are. The reader. How do you like it when you meet someone and they talk endlessly about their past, hardly giving you time to add an occasional grunt? It's not only selfish, it's boring.

Be discriminating about what you share.

It's important for you as the author to know each character's background, but not so much for your reader. Choose the most crucial facts, those related to the story and those most interesting. Then be succinct. One simple sentence can pack a lot of punch.

Spoon feed the info in small bites.

You want to avoid the dreaded info dump. It's toxic to your writing career. Spread a character's background throughout the entire novel, not in a big chunk of copy.

Disclaimer: I'm not saying this is easy. In fact, it's work. But it's the work of the writer to master this skill if publication is your goal.