Backstory - is it necessary? When? Why? And How Much?
A couple of us have such lovely conversations on twitter and we're getting quite adept at having in-depth discussions using 140 characters or fewer. But when we really have to dive into a topic, we YIM. And here is a recent topic - backstory!
When is backstory necessary? Well, I'd wager my mother's fake pearls that it isn't as important in fluffy, feel-good fanfics that tend to be short and don't really explore new territory. I've written some of these myself where canon takes care of the backstory for me. And I'm also not talking about drabbles of 100 words or less, though if you can get backstory in drabbles you're one hell of a writer.
However, if a writer explores characters in-depth, puts them in rummy (read cruel and unusual) circs or has them react in ways that are atypical, I think backstory is needed, and plenty of it. A writer has to establish why he or she is making the canon characters act the way they do. I try hard to do it myself, but I don't always suceed. But I try.
If a writer gives a canon character a new hang-up, then that has to be fully explained. Why this hang-up? Why does the character have it? What happened to the character? I don't think this type of backstory can be avoided. I've read fics in several fandoms where writers have, for example, turned Harry Potter into this cruel, calculating monster. OK, fine. But tell me why he's this way. Don't just say he is. That ruins a fic for me and I have to think it also ruins it for others.
Because for me, it all boils down to this: If I'm going to take canon characters and make them do things and say things that are so out of character, and I do it without including any backstory, then I might as well create my own fictional world.
What do you think?
When is backstory necessary? Well, I'd wager my mother's fake pearls that it isn't as important in fluffy, feel-good fanfics that tend to be short and don't really explore new territory. I've written some of these myself where canon takes care of the backstory for me. And I'm also not talking about drabbles of 100 words or less, though if you can get backstory in drabbles you're one hell of a writer.
However, if a writer explores characters in-depth, puts them in rummy (read cruel and unusual) circs or has them react in ways that are atypical, I think backstory is needed, and plenty of it. A writer has to establish why he or she is making the canon characters act the way they do. I try hard to do it myself, but I don't always suceed. But I try.
If a writer gives a canon character a new hang-up, then that has to be fully explained. Why this hang-up? Why does the character have it? What happened to the character? I don't think this type of backstory can be avoided. I've read fics in several fandoms where writers have, for example, turned Harry Potter into this cruel, calculating monster. OK, fine. But tell me why he's this way. Don't just say he is. That ruins a fic for me and I have to think it also ruins it for others.
Because for me, it all boils down to this: If I'm going to take canon characters and make them do things and say things that are so out of character, and I do it without including any backstory, then I might as well create my own fictional world.
What do you think?