Kashaaz

I need some advice in regards to character development. At the beginning of my story I am trying to provide a little bit of background to two main characters, and develop a bit of their character (and the relationship/interactions between them) before the main action in the plot occurs. I was thinking that I could do this through various conversations and other sorts of scenes.

I am showing certain reactions to situations and such, so I'm not just telling the reader, and so far i have managed to stick to relatively small conversations, each providing a little glimpse into the characters. But now I find that past the basic introduction i need to introduce character backgrounds and other vital information that is the buildingblocks of their current state of being etc. I can't see anyway around using conversation to do this, and was wondering if you have any tips on writing about this?

Thanks in advance,
Kashaaz

Mike C

First, ask yourself if those building blocks are essential to the reader, or if you just feel you need to tell people. Be honest with yourself; if it's the latter, leave it out.

If you really feel that the reader needs backstory to understand the characters, do you need to deliver it all in one chunk? Even if you put it into dialogue, there is a danger of it just being exposition, and slowing things down.

Where possible, drip feed information. Think about when you meet someone new. You form an initial impression, then gradually learn a little more about them a bit at a time, over time. You may never know all the stuff that made them the person they are today, so that backstory, although it's there and making them act and react the way they do, is relatively unimportant.

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