What is a backstory in a narrative?
A backstory is a set of events that establishes a character's past or that precedes and leads up to the main plot. It is used as a literary device to lend depth or believability to the main story.
Questions about Backstory
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How is backstory revealed in fiction?
Backstory can be revealed through flashbacks, dialogue, direct narration, summary, recollection, and exposition. It may be disclosed partially or in full, chronologically or out of order, as the main narrative unfolds.
What did Aristotle say about backstory in Poetics?
Aristotle recognized the usefulness of dramatic revelation in his Poetics. This observation is foundational to the literary use of backstory as a device for deepening the main story.
What is recollection as a fiction-writing mode?
Recollection is the fiction-writing mode in which a character calls something to mind, or remembers it. It allows a writer to bring information from earlier in the story, or from before the story begins, into the present of the narrative.
What is a retcon and how does it relate to backstory?
A retcon, short for retroactive continuity, is an adjustment device used when a later-created backstory conflicts with a previously written main story. It is especially common in shared universes where more than one author may shape the same backstory.
How do actors use backstory when preparing for a role?
Actors create their own backstories for characters, going beyond the sometimes meager information in a script. Filling in this fictional history before the main plot events helps a performer interpret the script and create fully imagined characters.