Backstory
Most writing teachers will tell you not to include too much backstory in your story, that it will only slow things down and turn the reader off.
If I didn't agree before I certaintly do now. I liked the film Underworld (love the vampire stories!) and was looking forward to seeing Underworld 2.
But after a few minutes I could tell this film was nothing but backstory, explanations of 'why' things were the way they were in part 1.
Very often the first few chapters a writer writes will be nothing but backstory. This is so the writer can get a handle on the story and figure things out. Often this is because the writer didn't create a detailed outline. This is fine of course, just make chapter 3 - chapter 1 and you're fine!
Backstory should filter through the actual story in dialogue, manerism, exposition. It should not make up the entire plot line.
Just take a look at these two films and you will get a great lesson in backstory. Maybe you loved this film, that's fine. If you want to write backstory like this, then do so. Just know what you are doing and be ready to tell your agent and publiser why it works for your piece.
If I didn't agree before I certaintly do now. I liked the film Underworld (love the vampire stories!) and was looking forward to seeing Underworld 2.
But after a few minutes I could tell this film was nothing but backstory, explanations of 'why' things were the way they were in part 1.
Very often the first few chapters a writer writes will be nothing but backstory. This is so the writer can get a handle on the story and figure things out. Often this is because the writer didn't create a detailed outline. This is fine of course, just make chapter 3 - chapter 1 and you're fine!
Backstory should filter through the actual story in dialogue, manerism, exposition. It should not make up the entire plot line.
Just take a look at these two films and you will get a great lesson in backstory. Maybe you loved this film, that's fine. If you want to write backstory like this, then do so. Just know what you are doing and be ready to tell your agent and publiser why it works for your piece.
posted by Victoria at 1:35 PM
3 Comments:
Then again, look at the television series Lost, which is genius in the way it goes back each episode to tell a detailed back story that relates heavily to the problem at hand. Done correctly and with good reason, it can have a remarkable effect.
Great point! TV and Film are two completely different things. There is so much you can get away with in TV that you can't with Film. It really is about audience expectation.
Though I have to admit a lot of people are getting frustrated with the TV show Lost. Backstory always stops the momentum of the story.
At least Lost gives you a dose of both, you get a forward moving storyline that stops in the middle for backstory.
I think the problem people have with Lost in the last season is that it "lost" its way a bit. The finale from the season before had me frustrated and begging for more. The last finale had me thinking, "Oops." They posed story questions that finally had disappointing answers, and that is a big no-no. I'm wondering if they hit their creative ceiling.
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