Incorporating Backstory

Incorporating necessary backstory without making the story complicated or overly detailed for the reader can be done in a variety of ways. I have come up with tips to get you thinking about how to work in the backstory for your book.

 

Present first, then flashback.

Begin with a dramatic moment in the present, then jump back to a dramatic moment in the past. Be wary of including too much information in the flashback. Avoid using a flashback within a flashback because it can be very confusing for readers.

 

Back and forth

In the first chapter, focus on an event in the present. In the second chapter, add in an event in the past. Continuing this pattern can be exciting reading for the audience but sometimes tedious work for the writer. As the book progresses, make sure the past and present plots meet in a believable way so both stories are concluded for the readers.

 

Memories

A great way to incorporate backstory is by making it part of a character’s memory. The character may tell another character a story from the past that illuminates an aspect of the plot in the present. Having the backstory transition smoothly into the storyline through a character’s memory is one of the ways to add in the backstory while maintaining the reader’s momentum to comprehend the complete story.

 

Multiple perspectives

Switching perspectives is an effective way to work in backstory while adding dimensions to the storyline, and it makes for interesting reading. This method requires clarifying transitions that focus on the new perspective, yet retain the original storyline.

 

Footnotes

Perhaps unusual, footnotes are still a good way to include backstory without detracting from the main story.