The Art of Backstory: Dos and Don’ts for Revealing What Came Before the First Page

Backstory—the history or background of a fictional character or world—is powerful enough to make or break your story. When handled with care, it deepens emotional impact and drives motivation. When mishandled, it overwhelms readers and stalls your plot.

Here are six dos and don’ts to help you use backstory like a pro:

1. Don’t Dump It

It’s tempting to drop your character’s entire life story all at once—but resist the urge. Info-dumping is a major storytelling faux pas. Not only does it overwhelm your readers, it also slows your narrative and signals lazy writing (and you’re working too hard for that).

Instead of revealing everything upfront, weave backstory into your manuscript through flashbacks, dialogue, and character memories. Let readers uncover your characters’ pasts the same way we learn about people in real life—over time, through moments that matter.

2. Don’t Tell Too Much Too Fast

Just like you don’t want to dump it all at once, you also don’t want to rush into the backstory too soon—especially before introducing the character or situation it’s tied to. For example, diving into a character’s complicated relationship with their mother before the mother even appears can create confusion.

If your backstory spans multiple pages, here’s my advice: cut it. (I know, that stings—but here’s your bandage.) Break it into key elements, rank them by importance, and then integrate those pieces strategically into your outline. The result? A tighter, more engaging story—and likely happier readers, too.

3. Don’t Wait Too Long to Explain

While you shouldn’t reveal everything upfront, waiting too long to provide context can also backfire. If readers can’t understand a character’s motivations by the end of chapter three, they may lose interest—or worse, find the character unlikable.

Start laying the foundation early. Drop breadcrumbs throughout your story until a key moment calls for a deeper reveal. If you wait until the very end, your story risks falling flat.

4. Do Know the Types of Backstory

Not all backstory serves the same purpose. There are two main types:

• Incidental backstory – adds texture and relatability but isn’t critical to the plot

• Direct backstory – essential information that drives the current narrative

Both have value. When used thoughtfully, they create depth and dimension. Just be sure you understand their function in your story. If an incidental detail isn’t doing any real work, it may be better left out.

5. Do Develop One (Just Don’t Overdo It)

Even if you don’t share it all, your characters should have a backstory. Readers want to connect with your characters, and that means understanding who they are, what they want, and why they want it.

A good backstory should answer these four questions:

• Who is this character?

• What do they want?

• Why do they want it?

• What have they done (or failed to do) to get it?

Need help building that foundation? My tools—The Ultimate Character Profile and The Ultimate Relationship Profile—are filled with deep-dive questions that help uncover motivation, personality, and plot threads. You’ll know your characters inside and out by the end.

Just don’t go overboard. Too much backstory can slow your story or complicate your plot. If you’re drowning in detail, peel back a few layers. Save the extras for another book, character, or universe—you may have just discovered your next bestseller.

6. Do Keep Readers Guessing

Think of revealing backstory like flirting: you want to be intriguing, not obvious. A little mystery builds anticipation and keeps readers turning pages.

Done well, backstory raises just the right questions:

“Wait… what happened there?” “Why did they do that?” “Oh—that’s why.”

Unfolding the past at just the right moments creates suspense, deepens connection, and gives readers that delicious “aha” moment.

Final Thought:

Backstory isn’t filler—it’s fuel. Used well, it enriches the story, sharpens character arcs, and keeps your audience hooked. Use it with intention, and your story will land with clarity, power, and heart.