tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post7542878097202907691..comments2024-03-28T10:41:26.999-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Layering Backstory to Create ConflictDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-44628815665741535972014-08-29T14:14:36.397-06:002014-08-29T14:14:36.397-06:00Great tips as usual, Diana. And I loved the exampl...Great tips as usual, Diana. And I loved the example Terry left about the IV drip. That was a good illustration of your point to dole out the important back story and not do an info dump.<br /><br />Revealing just enough of the back story in a stand-alone novel is just as important as in a series. We all know that things in our past impact our present, and that is true with fictional characters as well.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-76606660872919047702014-08-28T18:11:53.950-06:002014-08-28T18:11:53.950-06:00I agree. Deborah Crombie does this really well. So...I agree. Deborah Crombie does this really well. So does Tasha Alexander and Anna Huber. Done well, you get the gist without being bogged down in detail. I picked up Crombie's series on book 8 or 9, then went back to one through 7. I already knew details about the character's personal life, but it didn't ruin my enjoyment while I caught up.Diana Hurwitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18216220574149672733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-50909503423771445892014-08-28T12:43:43.192-06:002014-08-28T12:43:43.192-06:00I've found it interesting in my series to laye...I've found it interesting in my series to layer in the backstory, all the while remembering that the book should stand on its own. I don't like when a good part of the previous story is dumped in, leaving the reader who didn't read the earlier books flummoxed about what happened. To me that's a tease. If you're going to layer in the backstory, make it so the reader understands what went on in full without it becoming pages and pages of explanation.Polly Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05729656119287702191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-8692515438875059352014-08-28T09:19:41.470-06:002014-08-28T09:19:41.470-06:00Love this post, Diana! Backstory brings depth to t...Love this post, Diana! Backstory brings depth to the present, but its presentation can make or break a book. Doling it out bit by bit, all the while keeping the reader engaged, gives the character(s) dimension and adds interest in addition to creating mystery. I look forward to your post on using it effectively to round out the story.Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16056682992943171805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-61349540431244154232014-08-28T07:37:26.236-06:002014-08-28T07:37:26.236-06:00Perfect example.Perfect example.Diana Hurwitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18216220574149672733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-9090371228991319062014-08-28T07:33:31.694-06:002014-08-28T07:33:31.694-06:00Backstory is an IV drip. We didn't learn WHY I...Backstory is an IV drip. We didn't learn WHY Indiana Jones was afraid of snakes until the third (I think) movie, but when he freaked out at the snake in the plane at the beginning of the first movie, we knew there would have to be a confrontation later. And we 'bought' that this mild mannered archaeology professor could handle the tough stuff because we saw him dealing with the adventure side of things in the opening scene. Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-78649698653717227462014-08-28T01:16:46.115-06:002014-08-28T01:16:46.115-06:00A clear and concise post, Diana. Helpful. Thanks.A clear and concise post, Diana. Helpful. Thanks.stuartaken.nethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05695584662320617659noreply@blogger.com