Write Squad Weekly News
Learn how to sprinkle that backstory in seamlessly 🧑🍳
Hi Squad,
This week we’re discussing how to sprinkle that backstory in like the story chef you are! A little can go a long way and there are a few tricks to it. Read on below…
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👌 How to Write Backstory Without Boring Your Reader to Tears
Ah, backstory. That tricky beast. You know your character’s past shapes everything about them—their decisions, their fears, the way they flinch when someone raises a hand too fast. But dump too much of it at once, and suddenly your reader is slogging through a history lesson they never signed up for. So how do you weave in backstory without grinding your story to a halt?
Make It Relevant to the Scene
Backstory should feel like a natural extension of what’s happening right now. If your character is sneaking into an old house, that’s the perfect moment for them to recall the time they were caught breaking curfew at 15—not when they’re casually eating a sandwich. The key is to let the past inform the present, not interrupt it.
Use Action or Thought to Prompt a Memory
Ever smelt a particular scent and been yanked straight back to childhood? That’s how backstory should work. A character hears a song, sees an old scar in the mirror, or watches a stranger gesture a certain way, and—bam—they’re remembering something. But keep it brief. A single, potent line can say more than a paragraph of exposition. He hadn’t heard that song since his mother sang it to him, the night before she disappeared. Intriguing, right? No explanation needed—just a breadcrumb to pull the reader forward.
Sprinkle It Throughout, Like Seasoning
A little backstory goes a long way. Instead of dumping everything at once, reveal it in pieces, scattered through dialogue, actions, and subtle references. Readers love to piece things together—they don’t need the full explanation straight away. If your protagonist has a past they’re trying to hide, let the reader sense it in the way they avoid eye contact or deflect certain questions.
No Info Dumps, Ever
Look, no one enjoys a long-winded backstory monologue. If you’re writing a page-long flashback explaining a character’s childhood trauma, ask yourself: Does the reader need all of this right now? Chances are, they don’t. Keep it moving, keep it relevant, and let the past leak into the story naturally.
At the end of the day, backstory is like an iceberg—most of it should be beneath the surface. Trust your reader to pick up the clues, and only give them what they need, when they need it. Less is always more, and when done right, backstory won’t bore your reader—it’ll make them desperate to know more.
Comps & Opportunities
☘️ Mulga Bill Writing Award
Date: 24th February
Poetry and short stories accepted. Details here.
☘️ Sorrento Creative Writing Prize
Date: 1st March
$5,000 prize, short story 2,500 words. Details here.
☘️ The Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense
Date: 15th March
Please note the submissions process for this one is a little complicated. etails here.
Food for Thought
⚡️ Fantasy fiction doesn’t need reclaiming for women—they already write and read it.
⚡️ ‘It will be dire for readers’: the disappearing voices of Australia’s independent publishers
Ask The Author Podcast
🎙️ This week, on the Ask The Author podcast…
Returns February 2025. Don’t forget you can head through the backlist of amazing episodes in the meantime. And, if you have your own question, please feel free to ask by hitting reply to this email. (And you can remain anonymous.)
Now out on your fav podcast app, or here’s the apple link or simply search for Ask The Author with Jodi Gibson
Until next time, happy writing!
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He hadn’t heard that song since his mother sang it to him, the night before she disappeared.
This does sound intriguing!
Thank you Jodi, this is perfect timing. It’s exactly what I’m working on now in my manuscript.