Many writers hear the term Worldbuilding and immediately dismiss the chance to learn about it because they don't write sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, etc. Although creating a believable world that doesn't actually exist (that we know of) is vital for those genres, every story requires some level of setting that goes beyond what we see.
Cheryl Brooks' Cat Star Chronicles books are great examples of worldbuilding. She's written a fictional world in space, with numerous species of humanoid and non-humanoid creatures, each with unique cultures and physical characteristics. Each planet has its own type of society. All the "rules" associated with those characters and worlds help build and support her stories.
The same can apply to vampire-, werewolf-, shifter-, ghost-, demon-related stories. The characters and their communities become part of the setting--part of that unique world. Lynsay Sands' Argeneau vamps don't fit the traditional Dracula mold. With their nano-blood, blood banks, and interaction with "normal" humans, they help form a new world that operates under different conditions.
What about historical and contemporary stories? Do they need Worldbuilding?
Some may disagree, but I believe every story uses worldbuilding to a certain extent. In a historical setting, the writer can use time period and location to define how the hero and heroine interact. The social norms of the setting can easily make the heroine seem like an outspoken, overly independent woman. Family dynamics or a non-traditional occupation in a contemporary book can push the limits of what's socially acceptable in Amish culture or small-town America. Use those challenges to make your reader more invested in the outcome.
The combination of physical setting, characterization, GMC, and character arc create your world, whether it's in present-day Texas, medieval England, or the Klingon Empire. Your readers live in that world while they're reading your stories.
Now comes the tough part--building your world without backstory/information dumps. Instead of using several paragraphs to describe your aliens, shifters, etc., add small bits of description at a time. Compare their features to familiar objects. Use color and size to create an image. Work these details into an active scene for good pacing.
Example: Rumbling snores assaulted my ears as I carried the first crate into the cargo hold. My chief engineer was passed out on the floor near the entrance, forcing me to step over her tail. Gorba's scales seemed more orange than usual and her snout was swollen like an over-sized gourd. Had she tried to drink a band of Norwellian Habiks under the table again? She'd never been able to handle more than half a flagon of the fermented mugfruit they passed off as wine.
You can do the same for physical settings by using the senses as your character passes through an alley or marketplace. Smell can be especially effective at helping draw the reader into the scene. Which is more interesting--a paragraph that describes the buildings or an active scene where the character ducks into the doorway of a gambling den for a moment before moving on to an alley that reeks of rotting garbage?
If you're a plotter, make a list of details you want to include and then add them as needed. If you're a pantser or plantser, be the character and see, hear, smell what he sees, hears, smells as it happens. Keep the action moving, show rather than tell, and use careful exposition to reveal your world.
Next week we'll take a look at Creating Sexual Tension!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Showing posts with label Characterization. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Characterization. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Writing Tip Wednesday--Setting
Less than one week left to enter the Indiana Golden Opportunity Contest for unpubbed writers! Trained judges, detailed constructive feedback, and TWO editor final judges in each category! Check out IGO13!!!
Setting is an important element of every book, whether it's as general as the name of the city or town where the story takes place or as specific as the lab where the heroine is working on a vaccine for a rare disease. The question is...How much is too much?
Like your characters' backstory, setting can become an information dump if you're not careful. Do your readers really need to know the precise pattern in the carpet? Is it vital to the plot? Or is it a way to increase your word count?
By dropping in pieces of the setting as they become necessary to the story, you can avoid spending two or three paragraphs describing every building on Main Street or all the furniture in Aunt Emma's parlor. Instead, the blinking neon sign in the hardware store window can flash splotches of red on the bride's disheveled wedding dress. The hero can clamp his hands on his thighs so he doesn't pick at the strings on Aunt Emma's threadbare couch and risk making the whole thing collapse beneath him.
Those details add subtle layers to the scene without intruding on pacing and losing the reader's interest. Characterization can also benefit from the use of instances like the threadbare couch. The hero's feelings for Aunt Emma will show in the care he takes of her belongings, and Aunt Emma's character might be revealed by her inability to part with the items she and her dead husband shared.
Besides location, Setting also gives the reader a sense of time. When the heroine strips off her sweaty T-shirt and cutoffs to jump in the creek, we can be relatively certain the season isn't winter and that we're in a contemporary setting. Shadows creeping into the alley suggests dusk is falling. Horses' hooves clip-clopping on the cobblestone street almost always defines the story as historical. Use well-placed descriptions to help identify the time period and season, whether it's in the past, present, or future, winter, spring, summer, or fall.
Worldbuilding for sci-fi, fantasy, futuristic, steampunk, etc. also falls under Setting. Rather than trudging along with an opening chapter that tells the reader all about the rules of your world, add small components as your characters encounter them. Let your setting grow in the reader's mind with the story. Build it a block at a time to create a memorable place.
Writing craft is a web of interconnecting parts. As I explore one aspect, another piece overlaps, which overlaps with yet more parts. Use what you know and learn to help improve other areas, and you continue to grow as a writer. I am. :)
Up next--Numbers in Writing.
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Setting is an important element of every book, whether it's as general as the name of the city or town where the story takes place or as specific as the lab where the heroine is working on a vaccine for a rare disease. The question is...How much is too much?
Like your characters' backstory, setting can become an information dump if you're not careful. Do your readers really need to know the precise pattern in the carpet? Is it vital to the plot? Or is it a way to increase your word count?
By dropping in pieces of the setting as they become necessary to the story, you can avoid spending two or three paragraphs describing every building on Main Street or all the furniture in Aunt Emma's parlor. Instead, the blinking neon sign in the hardware store window can flash splotches of red on the bride's disheveled wedding dress. The hero can clamp his hands on his thighs so he doesn't pick at the strings on Aunt Emma's threadbare couch and risk making the whole thing collapse beneath him.
Those details add subtle layers to the scene without intruding on pacing and losing the reader's interest. Characterization can also benefit from the use of instances like the threadbare couch. The hero's feelings for Aunt Emma will show in the care he takes of her belongings, and Aunt Emma's character might be revealed by her inability to part with the items she and her dead husband shared.
Besides location, Setting also gives the reader a sense of time. When the heroine strips off her sweaty T-shirt and cutoffs to jump in the creek, we can be relatively certain the season isn't winter and that we're in a contemporary setting. Shadows creeping into the alley suggests dusk is falling. Horses' hooves clip-clopping on the cobblestone street almost always defines the story as historical. Use well-placed descriptions to help identify the time period and season, whether it's in the past, present, or future, winter, spring, summer, or fall.
Worldbuilding for sci-fi, fantasy, futuristic, steampunk, etc. also falls under Setting. Rather than trudging along with an opening chapter that tells the reader all about the rules of your world, add small components as your characters encounter them. Let your setting grow in the reader's mind with the story. Build it a block at a time to create a memorable place.
Writing craft is a web of interconnecting parts. As I explore one aspect, another piece overlaps, which overlaps with yet more parts. Use what you know and learn to help improve other areas, and you continue to grow as a writer. I am. :)
Up next--Numbers in Writing.
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Writing Tip Wednesday--Research
Reminder: Only three weeks left to enter the Indiana Golden Opportunity Contest for unpubbed writers!!! Detailed score sheets, constructive feedback, and two acquiring editor final judges for each category!!!
Research is one of my favorite acitivites in the writing process. I know I'm probably in the minority, but I love researching for my stories.
Besides the ten craft-type resources currently on my desk, I also have a stack of research books related to stories I've written or plan to write. The titles? Mythology, The Mammoth Book of Pirates, The Canterbury Tales, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Beowulf, Indian Mounds of the Middle Ohio Valley, The Knights Templar, String Theory for Dummies, and Medieval Arms and Armor. That doesn't include the phone book and a US-Canada-Mexico atlas. Quite a wide range of topics, isn't it? Just call me a research nerd. :)
Why is research so vital to your writing?
Lack of it can destroy the credibility of a writer.
A great example of an author not taking the time to research: A writer friend (who happens to be a nurse) told me she once read a book where a transfusion was given to an injured person at the accident site--without cross-matching blood types and all the necessary precautions taken before such treatment would occur. When my friend contacted the author about the goof, the author admitted she hadn't checked her facts because she was under deadline.
Would you want to read another book by someone who didn't thoroughly research unknown subject matter? Under deadline or not, don't you owe it to your readers--and your characters--to know the material you want to include in the story?
I'm a strong advocate for writing what you know. However, that doesn't mean you can't learn new things to add to your plots and characterizations. Researching history is especially important if you're using actual events to help create your timeline.
Where will you find reliable information?
1) While Wikipedia is quick and easy, always find at least one other resource to support your findings. I tend to stick to university websites and expert-in-the-field blogs/articles online to discover the facts.
2) The non-fiction section of the library or bookstore can offer good resources as well. Check the publication dates if you're researching an area with evolving or expanding knowledge.
3) Attend presentations, workshops, and seminars by experts.
4) Interview someone with your character's occupation to get a firsthand account of what the job entails.
5) Ask people in your writing community. Many have hobbies, jobs, life experience, etc. that can help you with your research.
Above all--Don't guess. Take the time to find out the facts!
Let's take on a lighter subject next week. How about Independent Body Parts? :D
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Research is one of my favorite acitivites in the writing process. I know I'm probably in the minority, but I love researching for my stories.
Besides the ten craft-type resources currently on my desk, I also have a stack of research books related to stories I've written or plan to write. The titles? Mythology, The Mammoth Book of Pirates, The Canterbury Tales, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Beowulf, Indian Mounds of the Middle Ohio Valley, The Knights Templar, String Theory for Dummies, and Medieval Arms and Armor. That doesn't include the phone book and a US-Canada-Mexico atlas. Quite a wide range of topics, isn't it? Just call me a research nerd. :)
Why is research so vital to your writing?
Lack of it can destroy the credibility of a writer.
A great example of an author not taking the time to research: A writer friend (who happens to be a nurse) told me she once read a book where a transfusion was given to an injured person at the accident site--without cross-matching blood types and all the necessary precautions taken before such treatment would occur. When my friend contacted the author about the goof, the author admitted she hadn't checked her facts because she was under deadline.
Would you want to read another book by someone who didn't thoroughly research unknown subject matter? Under deadline or not, don't you owe it to your readers--and your characters--to know the material you want to include in the story?
I'm a strong advocate for writing what you know. However, that doesn't mean you can't learn new things to add to your plots and characterizations. Researching history is especially important if you're using actual events to help create your timeline.
Where will you find reliable information?
1) While Wikipedia is quick and easy, always find at least one other resource to support your findings. I tend to stick to university websites and expert-in-the-field blogs/articles online to discover the facts.
2) The non-fiction section of the library or bookstore can offer good resources as well. Check the publication dates if you're researching an area with evolving or expanding knowledge.
3) Attend presentations, workshops, and seminars by experts.
4) Interview someone with your character's occupation to get a firsthand account of what the job entails.
5) Ask people in your writing community. Many have hobbies, jobs, life experience, etc. that can help you with your research.
Above all--Don't guess. Take the time to find out the facts!
Let's take on a lighter subject next week. How about Independent Body Parts? :D
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Writing Tip Wednesday--Pacing
Yes, I picked another tough topic! Pacing--the movement of your plot from beginning to end. You can have great pacing, where the reader absolutely can't put the book down because she can't find a slow part for stopping. Or you can have mediocre pacing, with sluggish scenes that don't move the story forward fast enough to keep the reader's interest.
While an action-packed romantic suspense or thriller lends itself to faster pacing by definition, you have to take advantage of the twists and turns to make it work. Use fewer drawn-out descriptions and focus on the suspense.
Typically, other genres need a little boost. Contemporary romance won't have the same tension a well-written RS has, but keeping the characters active and the plot moving forward can help maintain good flow. Remember backstory and info dumps??? Those slow down the pacing and give the reader opportunities to stop reading or lose interest.
Ways to create good pacing:
1) Keep your characters as active as possible. Don't allow them to spend much time thinking about things that have already happened. Avoid the cursed beginning-of-the-chapter recap.
2) Don't fall victim to backstory and/or info dumps. Ease tidbits of information into the story as needed--exposition!
3) Don't define pacing by action alone. Sexual tension, good opening and chapter-end hooks, and emotional ups and downs can produce a story that moves along at a steady pace.
4) Use your genre to help decide what good pacing means. It won't necessarily be the same for paranormal and historical.
5) Remember to use POV to your advantage. Show instead of tell. Use active rather than passive sentence structure. Be the character!
6) Avoid unnecessary description, movements, and dialogue.
7) Use tight writing, with minimal adjectives/adverbs and crutch words. Use contractions wherever possible.
8) Internal dialogue can draw the reader in and reveal important details about the character while keeping the pacing strong.
9) Keep GMC a vital part of characterization and the plot.
10) Use POV choice to create tension. Who has the most to lose in each scene?
Are you noticing how almost every part of writing craft ties into pacing? Actually, each aspect of craft overlaps with others. As one area improves, another will follow. The most important point is never stop trying to improve your craft. You didn't think I'd get all philosophical, did you??? :D
Let's take a look at genre definitions next week. Do you know what makes a paranormal a paranormal and not a contemporary or a historical?
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
While an action-packed romantic suspense or thriller lends itself to faster pacing by definition, you have to take advantage of the twists and turns to make it work. Use fewer drawn-out descriptions and focus on the suspense.
Typically, other genres need a little boost. Contemporary romance won't have the same tension a well-written RS has, but keeping the characters active and the plot moving forward can help maintain good flow. Remember backstory and info dumps??? Those slow down the pacing and give the reader opportunities to stop reading or lose interest.
Ways to create good pacing:
1) Keep your characters as active as possible. Don't allow them to spend much time thinking about things that have already happened. Avoid the cursed beginning-of-the-chapter recap.
2) Don't fall victim to backstory and/or info dumps. Ease tidbits of information into the story as needed--exposition!
3) Don't define pacing by action alone. Sexual tension, good opening and chapter-end hooks, and emotional ups and downs can produce a story that moves along at a steady pace.
4) Use your genre to help decide what good pacing means. It won't necessarily be the same for paranormal and historical.
5) Remember to use POV to your advantage. Show instead of tell. Use active rather than passive sentence structure. Be the character!
6) Avoid unnecessary description, movements, and dialogue.
7) Use tight writing, with minimal adjectives/adverbs and crutch words. Use contractions wherever possible.
8) Internal dialogue can draw the reader in and reveal important details about the character while keeping the pacing strong.
9) Keep GMC a vital part of characterization and the plot.
10) Use POV choice to create tension. Who has the most to lose in each scene?
Are you noticing how almost every part of writing craft ties into pacing? Actually, each aspect of craft overlaps with others. As one area improves, another will follow. The most important point is never stop trying to improve your craft. You didn't think I'd get all philosophical, did you??? :D
Let's take a look at genre definitions next week. Do you know what makes a paranormal a paranormal and not a contemporary or a historical?
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Writing Tip Wednesday--Opening Hooks
Have you ever read a book that took forever to get to the action? Or maybe the story seemed like it started in the wrong place?
While a few authors can get away with a first-page/-chapter backstory dump or a slow start, the vast majority of us can't. We have to have that great beginning, the opening hook to grab the reader so she has to know what happens next. How do you do it???
Here are some ideas...
1) Open with an active scene. No, this doesn't mean an "action" scene. Make the character active, put her into a situation that reveals an important trait or shows her true personality--but be sure the scene is related to the plot/subplot. It can be a strength or a weakness. It can show how she interacts with others. Did she accidentally hug the male friend she secretly wants to date for changing her flat tire? Is she drafting her job resignation because the boss hit on her? Whether it's a physical or emotional dilemma, give your reader a reason to love/hate the character and motivation to cheer for/against her. Remember characterization?
2) Open with a one-liner that sums up the character's current conflict. This can be narrative or dialogue (spoken or internal). First, identify the conflict. Did her cheating almost ex-husband die mysteriously last night and she doesn't have an alibi? Next, consider her reaction. Does she want to kiss the person who offed him? Would she ask her best friend to lie for her? Last, think about the consequences. Is she worried about being arrested? Use this information to form a great opening line, something to draw the reader into the story.
3) Open with action. As with active scene openings, action scenes should give the reader some insight into the plot and the characters. A car chase is only effective if the plot or characters are affected. Having the heroine dump her salad on her boyfriend's head only works if he's done something to cause that reaction, and the reaction should be connected to the plot/subplot in some way.
4) Open with dialogue. While this is basically an active scene, the dialogue reveals the actions. "I went to the sperm bank today." or "I think I poisoned my boss." are interesting opening dialogue lines, but if the plots/subplots/characterizations aren't related to them, the reader will get angry for being misled.
Whichever opening hook you use, be sure it reveals something about the character or the plot/subplot. It doesn't have to be dramatic. It only has to encourage the reader to read on. Piece of cake, right??? Didn't think so... :)
Don't forget to share the link if you know someone who can benefit from the writing tips!
GMC is up next!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
While a few authors can get away with a first-page/-chapter backstory dump or a slow start, the vast majority of us can't. We have to have that great beginning, the opening hook to grab the reader so she has to know what happens next. How do you do it???
Here are some ideas...
1) Open with an active scene. No, this doesn't mean an "action" scene. Make the character active, put her into a situation that reveals an important trait or shows her true personality--but be sure the scene is related to the plot/subplot. It can be a strength or a weakness. It can show how she interacts with others. Did she accidentally hug the male friend she secretly wants to date for changing her flat tire? Is she drafting her job resignation because the boss hit on her? Whether it's a physical or emotional dilemma, give your reader a reason to love/hate the character and motivation to cheer for/against her. Remember characterization?
2) Open with a one-liner that sums up the character's current conflict. This can be narrative or dialogue (spoken or internal). First, identify the conflict. Did her cheating almost ex-husband die mysteriously last night and she doesn't have an alibi? Next, consider her reaction. Does she want to kiss the person who offed him? Would she ask her best friend to lie for her? Last, think about the consequences. Is she worried about being arrested? Use this information to form a great opening line, something to draw the reader into the story.
3) Open with action. As with active scene openings, action scenes should give the reader some insight into the plot and the characters. A car chase is only effective if the plot or characters are affected. Having the heroine dump her salad on her boyfriend's head only works if he's done something to cause that reaction, and the reaction should be connected to the plot/subplot in some way.
4) Open with dialogue. While this is basically an active scene, the dialogue reveals the actions. "I went to the sperm bank today." or "I think I poisoned my boss." are interesting opening dialogue lines, but if the plots/subplots/characterizations aren't related to them, the reader will get angry for being misled.
Whichever opening hook you use, be sure it reveals something about the character or the plot/subplot. It doesn't have to be dramatic. It only has to encourage the reader to read on. Piece of cake, right??? Didn't think so... :)
Don't forget to share the link if you know someone who can benefit from the writing tips!
GMC is up next!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Writing Tip Wednesday--Characterization
I love stories with three-dimensional characters, both main and secondary. They draw me into the story, and I'm invested in their journeys. What makes a fully developed character?
Yes, the reader should have a general idea of the character's physical traits. I don't necessarily mean a specific height, weight, eye color, and hair color rundown. Unless he/she is being described for a police report, these characteristics should be worked in without making the description obvious.
Just as important as what the character looks like is how her life experience has influenced who she is, how she interacts with others, her mannerisms, etc.--personality traits. They help readers get a better sense of who the character is and why.
Some examples:
The hero might crack his knuckles as he's watches the heroine talk and laugh with a guy he doesn't know. Rather than saying he's worried/nervous he might have competition for her attention, the action shows his nervousness/anxiety. It can be a habit he's trying to break.
If the heroine grew up in a bad neighborhood, she might use a swagger and nasty attitude to cover her fears. Give her a smart mouth and great dialogue but vulnerable internal dialogue to turn her into a sympathetic character.
Make a secondary character memorable by making that great aunt feisty and outspoken, or the shy little sister can have a gift with abused animals.
The little things your characters do and say give the reader deeper insight into their strengths and weaknesses. They encourage a deeper connection and make the reader more invested in the story. Remember that showing is more effective than telling! Make your readers love (or hate!) your characters by making them real.
Next week, I'll be talking about Varying Sentence Structure!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Yes, the reader should have a general idea of the character's physical traits. I don't necessarily mean a specific height, weight, eye color, and hair color rundown. Unless he/she is being described for a police report, these characteristics should be worked in without making the description obvious.
Just as important as what the character looks like is how her life experience has influenced who she is, how she interacts with others, her mannerisms, etc.--personality traits. They help readers get a better sense of who the character is and why.
Some examples:
The hero might crack his knuckles as he's watches the heroine talk and laugh with a guy he doesn't know. Rather than saying he's worried/nervous he might have competition for her attention, the action shows his nervousness/anxiety. It can be a habit he's trying to break.
If the heroine grew up in a bad neighborhood, she might use a swagger and nasty attitude to cover her fears. Give her a smart mouth and great dialogue but vulnerable internal dialogue to turn her into a sympathetic character.
Make a secondary character memorable by making that great aunt feisty and outspoken, or the shy little sister can have a gift with abused animals.
The little things your characters do and say give the reader deeper insight into their strengths and weaknesses. They encourage a deeper connection and make the reader more invested in the story. Remember that showing is more effective than telling! Make your readers love (or hate!) your characters by making them real.
Next week, I'll be talking about Varying Sentence Structure!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Writing Tip Wednesday--Backstory vs. Exposition
**Last day to enter for a chance to win an e-book! Leave a comment on any Writing Tip Wednesday post or drop me an e-mail at mellanieszereto(at)hotmail(dot)com by midnight on March 6th!**
In recent months, I've noticed a lot of agents and editors commenting on Twitter about submissions they've rejected because the author either opened with page after page of backstory and no action or had a great opening action scene followed by pages of backstory. Some of the contest entries I've judged have had similar issues.
How much backstory is too much? And what is exposition?
You've thought of a fantastic idea for a story, so you start getting to know your characters. If you're a Plotter, you might create a character bio, listing physical characteristics of your hero/heroine and finding the perfect celebrity to represent him/her. You know this person's history--he's the oldest of four siblings, he's overprotective of his baby sister, his dog died when he was 12, etc. Is all of this information vital to your story?
Probably not. Some of it helps define your character's GMC (goals, motivation, and conflicts), but the reader doesn't need to know much of what you know about the hero/heroine. If the hero recognizes a smell, he might be reminded of his grandmother's kitchen at Thanksgiving. It can have a positive or negative affect. Do we also need to know that when he was eight years old, his grandmother spent weeks in the hospital from gall bladder surgery complications? That's a backstory dump unless the heroine is about to undergo gall bladder surgery and he's worried she might die.
By adding small instances of past experiences here and there, we get the information we need at the right time rather than a giant info dump. That's exposition. You expose pieces of the character's history when they're influencing current actions, reactions, and behavior.
Remember that info/backstory dumps can be in narrative or dialogue. If your character has a scar, is she going to talk about the details of how it happened with someone who was there or already knows the story? Not likely. As with POV, be the character. Think about her relationship with other characters in the scene. How much would she tell a stranger? Is she self-conscious of the scar? All these things influence how much exposition you should use in dialogue, whether spoken or internal.
Backstory and exposition, like many other aspects of writing craft, are best when used in moderation. Sure, you have to take more time and care when creating your story, but your end product will be better for the effort--and your readers will love you for it!
In writing this blog, I'm wondering if backstory tends to be a bigger problem for Plotters... If you have thorough knowledge of your character's life history, are you more likely to have problems with backstory dumps??? And what about Pantsers? If you don't know your character, do you have more issues with contradictory or inconsistent behavior???
Hmm... Something to think about until next week's post on Characterization.
Thanks for stopping by!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
In recent months, I've noticed a lot of agents and editors commenting on Twitter about submissions they've rejected because the author either opened with page after page of backstory and no action or had a great opening action scene followed by pages of backstory. Some of the contest entries I've judged have had similar issues.
How much backstory is too much? And what is exposition?
You've thought of a fantastic idea for a story, so you start getting to know your characters. If you're a Plotter, you might create a character bio, listing physical characteristics of your hero/heroine and finding the perfect celebrity to represent him/her. You know this person's history--he's the oldest of four siblings, he's overprotective of his baby sister, his dog died when he was 12, etc. Is all of this information vital to your story?
Probably not. Some of it helps define your character's GMC (goals, motivation, and conflicts), but the reader doesn't need to know much of what you know about the hero/heroine. If the hero recognizes a smell, he might be reminded of his grandmother's kitchen at Thanksgiving. It can have a positive or negative affect. Do we also need to know that when he was eight years old, his grandmother spent weeks in the hospital from gall bladder surgery complications? That's a backstory dump unless the heroine is about to undergo gall bladder surgery and he's worried she might die.
By adding small instances of past experiences here and there, we get the information we need at the right time rather than a giant info dump. That's exposition. You expose pieces of the character's history when they're influencing current actions, reactions, and behavior.
Remember that info/backstory dumps can be in narrative or dialogue. If your character has a scar, is she going to talk about the details of how it happened with someone who was there or already knows the story? Not likely. As with POV, be the character. Think about her relationship with other characters in the scene. How much would she tell a stranger? Is she self-conscious of the scar? All these things influence how much exposition you should use in dialogue, whether spoken or internal.
Backstory and exposition, like many other aspects of writing craft, are best when used in moderation. Sure, you have to take more time and care when creating your story, but your end product will be better for the effort--and your readers will love you for it!
In writing this blog, I'm wondering if backstory tends to be a bigger problem for Plotters... If you have thorough knowledge of your character's life history, are you more likely to have problems with backstory dumps??? And what about Pantsers? If you don't know your character, do you have more issues with contradictory or inconsistent behavior???
Hmm... Something to think about until next week's post on Characterization.
Thanks for stopping by!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)