The Backstory Buggaboo

Lately I've been working with a few lovely and talented beta readers and I notice they grapple with a common issue. Back story overload. Once I cut away two thirds of what they had written (and my their writing was lovely!) the wonderful stories they were telling emerged, glistening and lovely as morning dew. And, to their credit, each of them accepted the bloodbath and rewrote, to excellent results. I've been calling this bloodbath, "Killing Your Darlings" for years, a phrase I have gleefully borrowed from Stephen King from his book, ON WRITING. (If you haven't read it, get it NOW.) http://www.amazon.com/On-Writing-Stephen-King/dp/0743455967

I also find that backstory, how little or how much to include, still gives me headaches at the beginning of any new WIP. When I noticed this excellent blog post about back story dos and dont's I had to share it (with Janice Hardy's generous permission). You really should check this out. I think I'm going to look at this website every day. It's a huge treasure trove of writerly information.

http://blog.janicehardy.com/p/contact.html

Bear with me as I clear out the cobwebs

Some of you may have been wondering if I tripped and stumbled into a black hole. Well, I did sort of. Partly because it was the end of the semester and I had a bazillion work related things going on, and the other part was because I was furiously polishing my just completed WIP, which is now a finished novel out for query.

Hurray, you say? Congrats for finishing? Hmmmm. There is no one happier than me when I am revising and editing a manuscript I love.

I HATE letting go.

What's even harder is sending the poor baby out into the world. And that is what has been going on. LIFE AND BETH, my YA contemporary fantasy is on the dating circuit. She's all grown up and trying to meet her perfect agent. She's actually out on dates as we speak. Without a cell phone.

Okay--enough silly metaphors. I have issues. Issues that have NOTHING to do with this industry because I have nothing but admiration and respect for the agents and editors who slog through thousands of manuscripts. At my job we just had to look through about fifty resumes and the amount of people who send to the totally wrong position is astounding. So pity on the agents.

That being said, my issues have nothing to do with those good people. It has to do with me. I need to move on. Like any good parent, I have to cut the apron strings and let my baby find her own way in the world.

Good luck, Beth (my mc). I hope you find true love!

That being said, it's time to get to work on the next WIP!!


And now for some cool news. Next week I am guest blogger on Michelle McClean's website!
Be sure and stop by!