Writing Backstory

This class will focus on the character's backstory, those details of what happened in the past relevant to the current story. Topics will focus on where to begin the story, where to include back story, and how to include it: what strategies to use. Model stories with effective backstory will be discussed each week as students work toward completing their own stories that balance moving the story forward while at the same time showing enough of the relevant past story events.

Week 1
Topics:
What is backstory? What isn't backstory? General principles of backstory:
*Start the story in the correct place
*Keep the main story moving forward
*Less is more in backstory: what the reader needs to know
*Avoiding information dump, placing backstory in the correct place
Reading 1
Writing 1: idea for a story and its relevant backstory

Week 2
Topics:
Backstory through narration and internal and external dialogue
Reading 2
Writing 2: Write the first page or two of the story; include backstory while keeping the main story moving forward

Week 3
Topics:
Backstory through flashback. Transitioning in and out of flashback.
Reading 3
Writing 3: Include a flashback with transitions in your story; keep the main story moving forward

Week 4
Topics:
Nonlinear stories: moving backward and forward in time
Reading 4
Writing 4: Add backstory to your story as applicable (dialogue, narration, flashback). For an extra challenge, transition in and out of a flashback more than once.





Instructor: Stacia Ann

About The Instructor: Stacia Ann is an Linguistics Lecturer and Writing Instructor at the University of California. She has a doctorate of Education, Master's of Art in English/TESOL. This instructor has taught writing classes for over ten years. She also teaches academic writing and English as a Second Language at the University of the Pacific. A published author including works of short fiction and academic nonfiction including contest winning stories.