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Have you ever gotten angry while reading a novel? And I don’t mean anger toward the story itself or the characters — a hero making an obviously foolish decision or ruthless bullies picking on the helpless protagonist. That’s the good kind of anger, where the author did their job of bringing the story to life to evoke the intended emotion. What I’m talking about here is anger toward the author — for wasting your time. Backstory TMI Avoid upsetting readers by avoiding backstory TMI (aka info dumps) in your manuscript! I recently read a novel (I won’t mention it by name because I strive to be an upstanding literary citizen, but suffice it to say it’s by a prolific, NYT best-selling author, published over a decade ago) where I became actively angry due to the excessive backstory. It started out as mere annoyance, impatience, and confusion when about 20 percent into the book there was a very long chapter that explained the whole background story of a secondary character, starting over fifty years earlier. Over 100 ebook pages of all backstory. The reason this bothered me so much is because the author had done such an effective job of engaging me in the main story that I didn’t want to just abandon the book, as I’ve done with others that have turned me off with unnecessary, and unnecessarily long, backstory. Those were easily put on my DNF (did not finish) list because I wasn’t particularly invested in the protagonists or the main plots and didn’t have enough curiosity (or time) to suffer through the “info dumps.” But with this particular book, I was hooked enough that I wanted to keep reading to find out What happens next? (to the hero, in the main storyline). I knew that there was probably some part of that backstory that would be important to the main story (at least, I hoped!), but now it was my job to sift through and find those relevant bits, taking precious reading time away from other books on my ever-growing want-to-read list, not to mention my re-read list and client manuscripts. (Unfortunately, there are only so many hours in a day to devote to reading!)  Are you putting your main story on hold with too much backstory? Just like anyone, I love getting caught up in a good story, and this backstory was interesting in itself, with some fully fleshed-out scenes and characters, and even had its own jumps in that timeline — backstory within backstory! The problem was, while I was engrossed in the past of that secondary character, nothing seemed directly relevant to the protagonist’s story — there was no shocking reveal or clever plot twist, and the writing wasn’t anything to write home about — and I eventually started skimming, impatient to get back to the “present” storyline, which I felt slowly fading from my short-term memory. In Wired for Story, Lisa Cron likens a flashback to pressing the pause button on the (main) story — and that’s exactly how I felt reading this chapter. The next chapter happily brought me back to the “present” timeline, but was only 13 pages, (compared to 117— again, ebook, but still!), and alas, was followed by another whole chapter (38 pages) of additional nonessential backstory (and some repetitive details, to boot). And that’s when I really started to feel my blood boil. And by the time I got to the end, after slogging through even more backstory chapters of other secondary characters, I had to find an outlet for my rage and started writing this article. Will Work for Food (or Books)?Suppose you went to a new restaurant after a long day down at the quarry, intending to relax while you consume a nourishing, if not tasty, meal, while paid staff cheerfully whisk about to make it all happen — from taking the order to clearing the last crumb and ramekin off the table. Nothing fancy; just eat, pay, leave. But after ordering your meal, the server informs you that you'll have to go into the kitchen (“back of the house” in restaurant lingo) and gather all the ingredients needed to cook your entrée because the chef is too busy. Even if you somehow manage to procure all the right ingredients from the “walk-in” (which may or may not be well organized with everything clearly labeled and dated, but will certainly be uncomfortably cold and smelly), shelves of spices, and racks of dry goods, and eventually get to eat, my guess is that you probably wouldn't go back, and most likely would not recommend that restaurant to anyone you know (at least, not anyone you actually like).  Slice and dice your backstory behind the scenes to present a magical finished product to your readers! There’s a reason most restaurants have a wall between the front and back of the house. Do we need to see the prep cooks sweating and swearing as they dice onions and whir sauces in the blender, dishwashers scrubbing the caked-on leftovers off pots and pans, or managers yelling at the smokers to go wash their hands after break? No. Restaurateurs want diners to enjoy and appreciate the end product as if it came about by magic. Including the full background history of all characters, for no good reason, and in large sections at a time, is akin to giving readers access to the prep area instead of letting them experience the magic of the revised, edited, polished final product. The thing is: backstory is essential for all novels — to create complex, relatable characters and to show how the events of the plot affect and transform them. But reading shouldn’t require work for the reader; it’s supposed to be fun, something we do in our free time to escape work and other real-world responsibilities. Therefore, it’s the author’s job to do the sifting through the past and only include the parts that will help shed light on the front story, to help explain why characters do what they do and have the beliefs and problems they do — sage advice that you’ll find in nearly any book or article on writing craft. How to Create the MagicTo keep readers fully engaged with your story, here are some key points and advice for how and when to include character background, history, or backstory while writing your novel or memoir, from a few trusted, reputable sources*: 
 This is the same advice I regularly give to novel writers, such as the one who presented a 145,000-word manuscript, including an 18,000-word prologue and several long chapters of character background — very elaborate, detailed events that all took place long before the main story began. That's a lot of text not to make the cut in the final, polished version, BUT all that writing is not for naught! It's actually a gold mine for the author, offering plenty of material to draw on and help shape the characters that readers get to meet when the main story gets started. The author needs to know their characters on this level of detail, but readers don't. I’m certain that any other editor would have given the same feedback, and it’s the same I would have given to the prolific, best-selling author of Unnamed Novel. The long info-dumps of backstory in that book could have been dissected and cut into small, manageable chunks, then sprinkled gradually through a variety of different techniques. But it wasn’t, and it was published by a reputable traditional publisher, albeit a small one, but an imprint of a Big Five publishing house. Perhaps my anger is misdirected. Why the Bad Backstory Blockbusters? Is your novel's backstory preventing your manuscript from getting past the gatekeepers? Not only have backstory-heavy books come from Big Five and other well-known publishers, but they’ve been on the NYT and other best-seller lists, won awards, and have been talked about and promoted by famous book club hosts and national media outlets. Some of them even got made into movies or TV series. An indie author certainly has the right to reject any suggestions from a freelance editor, but how do so many books like this slip through the cracks of the so-called publishing gatekeepers? Surely, they have more control over the final content that passes through their gold-plated, strictly guarded gates? Are the editors of these publishing giants not properly trained? Are they not paid enough to put in the time required to give honest, constructive feedback that would so obviously improve the narrative? Have they or readers lowered their standards on what constitutes acceptable or exceptional storytelling? Do they give previously published authors more leeway to break the “rules”? The reality is that only around 25 percent of traditionally published books “earn out” (make back the author’s advance and start making a profit). In theory, the top sellers bring in enough money to compensate for the less-profitable releases, so maybe they can afford to take some risks and cut corners on editing and revision time. If that’s the case, what’s with all the merger attempts, layoffs, and resignations lately? Perhaps more books would earn out if they put more resources into every manuscript that gets accepted. What's a Well-Informed Writer To Do? Do you have a good reason for breaking or flouting the rules and conventions of storytelling in your novel? Now, I know that in writing, there are no rules, only guidelines or best practices, and there are examples of successful, well-written books that break and defy every sacred writing commandment all the time. An indie author might be wondering, What incentive do I have to accept my editor’s “sage” advice when there are other authors who flout it and get lucrative book deals, prestigious awards, and streaming contracts? Well, one fact to consider is that around 96 percent of submitted manuscripts are outright rejected by agents and publishers, and of the ones accepted, still only 1 or 2 percent get published. Is that a gamble you’re willing to take on an unconventional style or format that will be competing with thousands of other manuscripts per month? Maybe you’re thinking, I’ll just self-publish and bypass those pesky gatekeepers. Another sobering statistic: 90 percent of self-published books sell fewer than 100 copies. Maybe you’re not so concerned with making money, and care more about the prestige of publishing a book or just about the craft itself. In either of those cases, why would you want to produce a substandard product? In the Unnamed Novel, the perplexing amount of backstory was not the only issue — there was no clear protagonist or point of view, and I spent the entire second half of the book scratching my head, wondering who or what I was supposed to be rooting for. In all, I spent thirteen hours of my life reading (and skimming) a story that could have been told in about half that time, in a much more engaging way. Needless to say, I will not be inclined to read any other books by that author. If you truly care about the craft of storytelling or want the status as a published author, why take the chance of upsetting a reader who might, at best, just leave your book to collect dust in their DNF pile, or at worst, write a scathing review? Sure, it may not cost anything to upload your manuscript to a self-publishing, print-on-demand platform, but if no one is going to read or recommend your book, what’s the point? There are millions of books published every year, asking consumers to part with their money and/or time. The good news with all those dreary statistics is that publishers and readers are constantly craving fresh, compelling, irresistible stories! Stories have the power to change the world, and I’ve made it my mission to ensure that every manuscript that passes through my humble gates gets the attention it deserves, with honest, constructive feedback to help shape it into the best it can possibly be. For anyone else in the book-publishing world who wants a manuscript or book to stand out in the crowd — including freelance or in-house editors and all writers, especially first-time authors — I encourage, no, beg, you to please show respect for readers’ time. Handling backstory effectively is just one of the many elements of storytelling to learn and hone, but an important one. So, go ahead and create those elaborate histories to deepen your characters — but take the time to sift through your gold mine and find the nuggets that readers need to understand the “now” situation. This will make your manuscript stronger, which will increase your chances of getting a book deal, and whether you self- or traditionally publish, will give readers a reason to continue turning pages and recommend your book to a friend, who might just be another literary citizen — or social media butterfly. If BookTok has taught us nothing else, it’s that no one can predict the future when it comes to a book’s success. Word of mouth is still one of the most effective methods of book marketing, and I am one reader (and editor) who will not recommend an anger-inducing or DNF novel (even if it’s not the author’s fault).  *I have no financial interest in promoting any of these informational websites, articles, or classes. Book links will take you to Bookshop.org, where I may make a small percentage of the sale if you order through there. Bookshop.org is the only online book retailer that is dedicated to supporting, promoting, and partnering with independent booksellers; profits from every purchase on their site are donated to over 1,600 indie bookstores throughout the US, UK, and Spain. Image Credits:
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AuthorLynn Post is a manuscript editor and book coach living in Seattle, working with clients from all over the world. Categories
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