Every character in every book has a backstory—we just don’t need to see it. There are times, however, when it’s necessary to include backstory in your manuscript to either fill in plot holes or show character development. One of the best ways to do that is by using dialogue to show backstory, but only if you do it the right way.
Here’s a look at the wrong way to show backstory using dialogue:
“I think one of my friends stole my watch,” Ben said.
“Why would you say that?” his mom asked.
“Do you remember my twenty-first birthday party last week? It rained all day and we had to move the activities inside? The house wasn’t big enough, so people filled the living room, dining room, and hallway?”
“Of course.”
“Well, my bedroom is at the top of the stairs. Anyone could have gone up there without us noticing.”
Here’s the problem with that section:
Ben’s mom already knows the details of the party, her son’s age, and the layout of the house. There’s no reason for him to give her that information. Doing so makes it look like this conversation is a set-up to give information to the readers (which it is). There are two ways to solve this problem.
Cut the Details:
“I think one of my friends stole my watch,” Ben said.
“Why would you say that?” his mom asked.
“Do you remember how crowded the house was at my party? Anyone could have gone up to my bedroom without us noticing.”
Use the Dumb Puppet:
“I think one of my friends stole my watch,” Ben said.
“Why would you say that?” his mom asked.
“Do you remember how crowded the house was at my party? Anyone could have gone up to my bedroom without us noticing.”
“How could you not notice someone in your bedroom?” Brian asked.
“The party was supposed to be outside, but it rained all day,” his mom said.
“We had to move the activities inside. The house wasn’t big enough, so people filled the living room, dining room, and hallway. Ben’s bedroom is upstairs. Anyone could have gone up without us noticing.”
Do you see the difference?
If the details of the party aren’t important, cut them (example one) and keep the story moving. If they are important, include a character who doesn’t know what’s going on (in this case, Brian is the Dumb Puppet) so the other characters can explain it without sounding awkward.
