tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333086210641235911.post8966197817715417172..comments2023-10-12T07:50:53.396-04:00Comments on Kaye Manro SF Romance Author: When is dumping too much?Kaye Manrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03639814610213100626noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333086210641235911.post-35395350501163127052008-09-21T12:25:00.000-04:002008-09-21T12:25:00.000-04:00Thanks to everyone for the great responses to dump...Thanks to everyone for the great responses to dumping! It's good to know we aren't alone in this and can work our way through it.Kaye Manrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03639814610213100626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333086210641235911.post-11086840686598813582008-09-20T22:37:00.000-04:002008-09-20T22:37:00.000-04:00In my current WIP, I started with backstory. Then...In my current WIP, I started with backstory. Then I went back to rewrite, and rearranged everything and put most of the backstory in the middle. Doing it this way added an element of mystery to the story that it didn't have before. Yup, they're right when they tell you to put the backstory later.Linda Banchehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18143074276306710646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333086210641235911.post-89965321052084208232008-09-20T10:12:00.000-04:002008-09-20T10:12:00.000-04:00It was great to read all these responses -- this s...It was great to read all these responses -- this seems to be a mistake lots of us make. My first romance was 103,000 words. After two revisions (and it's not done yet) it's about 91K. The deletions? Mostly back story, LOL. As Debs said, it's painful to kill your darlings, but so necessary.<BR/><BR/>HelenHelen Hardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06820047167673628170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333086210641235911.post-40579889111613469842008-09-19T11:37:00.000-04:002008-09-19T11:37:00.000-04:00I always started my stories way too soon and would...I always started my stories way too soon and would have to cut like mad. Then this year, for some crazy reason, I started two stories too late in the action - and my cps didn't know what on earth was going on. I'm hoping with my wip I've finally got the balance right!!Christina Phillipshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14394771634788090193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333086210641235911.post-40378356663522108472008-09-19T08:51:00.000-04:002008-09-19T08:51:00.000-04:00I certainly did have my Babylon back dumping story...I certainly did have my Babylon back dumping story with my first novel. I left it for about a year and when I re-read it ended up deleting over 25k words. It was painful at the time, but certainly needed doing.Deborah Carr (Debs)https://www.blogger.com/profile/03223653554549707595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333086210641235911.post-85397539302493097552008-09-19T03:27:00.000-04:002008-09-19T03:27:00.000-04:00Hi Kaye,I think backstory is just that...it's all ...Hi Kaye,<BR/>I think backstory is just that...it's all the events before the hero and heroine's meeting. It should stay backstory until such a time you can filter in what happened to them. You can do this by either dialogue between the two, or gradually introduce bits at a time. <BR/>It's great to have backstory to know your characters history before you start. But that doesn't necessarily mean to let your readers find out by a huge dump at the beginning of a story. <BR/>In most cases it's only a matter of two to three sentences, which will hook your reader in. The reader needs to know what has happened in their past. Just a hint of the conflict. Thus, hooking your reader and hopefully she will want to keep reading. <BR/>Suz :)Suzanne Brandyn Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16969670520269001723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333086210641235911.post-84695146021892010932008-09-18T16:51:00.000-04:002008-09-18T16:51:00.000-04:00Thanks for popping by my blog. I know I'm guilty o...Thanks for popping by my blog. I know I'm guilty of putting too much backstory in. My cure is to write the story I want to tell and go back, dropping off the first three or so chapters. It's a balancing act between telling the reader too much and not telling them enough. Who said writing was easy? ;-)Shelley Munrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03090469550227550713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333086210641235911.post-88176586325990507242008-09-18T15:12:00.000-04:002008-09-18T15:12:00.000-04:00A very good post here Kaye, it's so easy to 'backs...A very good post here Kaye, it's so easy to 'backstory dump'without even realising it.<BR/><BR/>Thanks so much for your comment on my Blog. Yes the Last Night Of The Proms is a wonderful event, you might catch up with it on TV over there, I understand it's broadcast internationally these days.<BR/><BR/>You and I both have similar tastes in our writing and reading. I love Science Ficiton and fantasy, especially when served with a healthy dollop of romance!Hywela Lynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13789711554354184386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7333086210641235911.post-81017881336493384652008-09-18T11:08:00.000-04:002008-09-18T11:08:00.000-04:00You are so right, Kaye. I don't think the subject ...You are so right, Kaye. I don't think the subject of backstory dump can be overstated.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com