From Jane Friedman:
One of the key pitfalls of backstory, especially early in a novel, is either confusing backstory or overly coy and “mysterious” backstory. Here’s what it looks like.
In the enigmatic town of Serenity Falls, nestled deep within the embrace of towering pine forests and shrouded in perpetual mist, secrets were as abundant as the whispers that echoed through the labyrinthine streets. The townspeople moved with an air of quiet reserve, their eyes veiled and their lips sealed, guarding the mysteries that lurked in the shadows of their collective history.
Isabella, a newcomer to Serenity Falls, with a past as elusive as the morning fog, felt an inexplicable pull toward the town’s enigmatic allure, drawn by a sense of curiosity that she could neither explain nor ignore. She found herself embroiled in a web of intrigue and suspense that seemed to emanate from the very soul of the town itself.
Editor Tiffany Yates Martin discusses this terrible passage of backstory (written by AI, in fact) and then shows how to improve it.
Link to the rest at Jane Friedman
The article confused me.
– How is this about “backstory”.
Oh, well. I actually like the AI example, and I’m going to steal it for Story. I’m also going to combine it with the “Taboos” article. Their “Taboos” were too mild.
– Think Lisey’s Story by Stephen King where he combined both, as example of “backstory” and “Taboos”.
The woman in the video butchered what was there, both by reading it with cynicism and then rewriting it.
I harvested the article and the video for what not to do.
Thanks…
Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.
— Daphne du Maurier