That’s a whole lot of infodump waiting to happen. Today’s
exercise involves actual writing, but not the kind you’ll include in your
manuscript. We’re going to create backstory for our characters—contemplate how
they came to be who they are before your book opens.
Consider writing a scene that would be a flashback if you
were to include it in your book. What was your main character’s most
traumatizing childhood moment? What was his favorite birthday? What moment in
her past is she most proud of? How did your main character meet his/her
sidekick?
But
since it’s not November yet, you can’t include any of this in your novel or
it’s CHEATING! Hah.
No
but really, plan not to include much if any of this. This is for you, as the
writer, to know your story, your characters and their world. Get it out of your
system now so that come November, you know enough about your characters’
history that you don’t need to work it out while you’re drafting.
And
if your CPs or beta readers are confused, you can always dribble it into your
manuscript later on.
Today’s links:
I love this exercise idea. I am so prone to backstory dump. It really takes the tension out of your story. I like the idea of writing those scenes separately and ahead of time to get them out of your system.
ReplyDelete