Short Stories and back story

cypher_lee

cypher_lee

I am having some real problems incorporating my back story into a short story.

Though it is only a short piece, the main character's opinions of himself are related to events and a specific time period in his past.

I'm trying to layer it in so that it is almost invisble, yet at the moment i seem to have large chunks of expository back story.

Any advice?

Betsie

Try not to get too tangled up.  Remember when writing a short story if it doesn't move the plot along you don't need it.  There good advice on short story writing in a recent copy of Writing Magazine

cypher_lee

I'm trying! As much as i try to avoid it, when i slip into backstory, i tend to narrate in a rather dull manner. I know you're supposed to show and not tell, to add drama and conflict to each scene, but i find it incredibly hard to keep the wordcount down and getting into the meat of a scene stretches it even further.

Having said that, it's still a lot of bloody fun. Ha

Jay Mandal

Are you using any dialogue at all for the back story?

TypesWithHammers

Cypher, you are obviously aware of the difficulties and are looking for ways to be engaging, but in fewer words.  One story I read recently is from a master of the art: Michael Moorcock - Behold the Man.  Admittedly, this is not a shortie but you may gain insight on how to deal with your character's backstory from reading how someone else handles it.  I recommend this particular book as it has everything to do with flashbacks and memories (his backstory).

cypher_lee

At the moment i'd say, at a guess, the dialogue makes up only about 5% of the back story. The problem is that the backstory is more of an overview of things that happened, more of a montage than individual scenes. Still, i'm trying to find a way to make them pacier.

I suppose one way would to be completely alter the shape and structure of the story and include only snippets here and there. This tends to bump up the wordcount as well.

And i've just ordered that Moorcock book from amazon. Thanks

Carol

I was revising and rewriting a short story the other day which had a similar problem.
There was a block of back story that was needed to help explain why the character was as she was. A writing friend had read it and told me in my story it would be better near the beginning, but much reduced.
I was able to weave it in to the opening scene as her remembering the past because it related to the conversation she was over-hearing.
It then supported the other unpleasant characters behaviour, and her character too.
Hope I've explained that okay.
Small succinct comments might help when using your back story.