In this class, we’ll cover back story, what it is and why it matters. For instance, though characters **are** what they **do**, every surprising action has to make sense in light of the character’s past. The challenge for the novelist is finding “Page One” and then revealing back story without bogging down the front story. In-class writing exercises.
Topics include
– What is back story, and why back story matters to the front story
– Identifying the various possible sources of back story (character, setting, situation, context…)
– How to formulate back story and determine how much the reader needs to know
– How to find your Page One
– Strategies for layering in back story so that it enhances the front story
– Methods for avoiding the ‘back story dump.’
