BACKSTORY IS BEHAVIOR

In many of the most compelling stories, each character enters the narrative both burdened and blessed by events in her past. Creating such stories therefore demands exploring “backstory” to uncover the specific experiences that led to whatever difficulties or advantages life has afforded the character up to the point where the narrative begins. However, that exploration, if mishandled, can lead to long, expository sections—often referred to as “information dumps”—that can kill forward momentum.

To avoid this problem, it’s important to learn how to embed the past in a character’s behavior—the habitual patterns of conduct forged into her character by raw experience.

USING MOMENTS OF HELPLESSNESS TO EXPLORE THE CHARACTER’S PAST AND ITS IMPACT ON THE PRESENT

First, it’s important to realize that every character has developed a psychological and emotional equilibrium between pursuing the promise of life and protecting herself from the pain of life, an equilibrium that reveals itself in her view of the world, her attitude toward her life, her relationships with other people, the choices she makes, the risks she’s willing to venture—and those she is not.

This equilibrium reflects an ongoing trade-off she has made, consciously or unconsciously, between the pursuit of her yearning and her