Back story? Don't make me laugh.

[gauchecritic]

I've just finished reading "A Tale Etched in Blood and Hard Black Pencil" by Christopher Brookmire.

If you're one of those writers that wonder how much back story to include, then read this book.

School days from 5 years old to 16, relating completely and wholly to a murder mystery in the present, 25-30 years later.

How much story should be history? As much as is necessary.

 

[scriptordelecto]

sounds intriguing!

 

[Boxlicker101]

I've just finished reading "A Tale Etched in Blood and Hard Black Pencil" by Christopher Brookmire.

If you're one of those writers that wonder how much back story to include, then read this book.

School days from 5 years old to 16, relating completely and wholly to a murder mystery in the present, 25-30 years later.

How much story should be history? As much as is necessary.

Sometimes backstory is necessary to explain motivation. For my stories, I usually need almost none because the motivation of the characters is obvious.

 

[TheEarl]

I've just finished reading "A Tale Etched in Blood and Hard Black Pencil" by Christopher Brookmire.

If you're one of those writers that wonder how much back story to include, then read this book.

School days from 5 years old to 16, relating completely and wholly to a murder mystery in the present, 25-30 years later.

How much story should be history? As much as is necessary.

I'm usually a big Brookmyre fan (I buy every one of his new books in hardback), but this one left me kinda cold. I've only read it the once and I admittedly have high expectations of his books, but I found it very confusing to keep the various incarnations of the characters straight.

Now 'A Big Boy Did It And Ran Away', on the other hand, is a work of genius. Explaining the motivations of a terrorist-for-hire with a tonne of backstory into his university life, as told through the eyes of his old housemate.

The Earl