Backstory is essential for adding depth, motivation and emotional weight to your characters. But, too often, many writers upend their momentum by injecting their story with large chunks of exposition that grind the story to a stop. If you’re ever worried that your brilliant worldbuilding or character history may be slowing things down, you’re far from alone. Join us today at What We Writing as we explore how to include backstory in writing without sacrificing novel pacing or reader engagement. From subtle techniques to smart timing, this guide will reveal practical ways to reveal the past while keeping your story moving forward. Whether you’re editing a first draft or outlining a new project, these invaluable tips will help you write a backstory that flows naturally, without killing the pace in the process.
Why Backstory Is Tricky (But Important)
Backstories give your characters context – it shows where they have come from, what has shaped them, and why they make the decisions they do. It can heighten the emotional stakes, create intrigue, and help readers form a stronger bond to the narrative. In all, it’s a vital tool in any writer’s kit.
But here’s the catch: when mishandled, backstory can profoundly damage your story’s momentum. Dropping too much information early on, or pausing the plot for a lengthy memory or history lesson, can leave readers both frustrated and bored. Some of the most common pitfalls we’ve seen from writers are info-dumping long flashbacks that break tension, or characters conveniently monologuing their entire past. These issues can slow your writing pace, flatten your scenes, and disengage your audience.
Striking the right balance is key. When backstory is woven in with intention and subtly, it can enhance the present without overpowering it.
What Counts as Backstory?
Backstory isn’t just a character’s childhood trauma or the origins of a magical hex. It can present itself in a number of different ways, including:
- Flashbacks
- Expository narration
- Inner monologue reflecting on the past
- Dialogue that hints at previous events
- Character memories or dreams
- Descriptions that reference past events
Recognising all the ways backstory appears can help you stay aware of how (and when) you’re using it – and guarantee that it earns its place on the page.
Signs Your Backstory Is Slowing The Pace
Even with the best intentions, backstory can quickly become a speed bump – or worse, a roadblock – in your narrative. If you’re not sure whether your backstory is helping or hindering, here are a few red flags to watch out for in your writing:
- You’re using frequent flashbacks that interrupt the action in the present day. If your story is constantly jumping back and forth between the past and present, it may feel like the plot is stuck in neutral. Flashbacks should be rare and purposeful, not a crutch for delivering exposition.
- Your dialogue turns into a history lesson. When characters suddenly launch into long-winded explanations of past events, it can feel unnatural and slow the plot down. Readers crave conversations that develop characters and drive the story, not info-dumps with a couple of quotation marks.
- The story takes too long to “start”. If the first few chapters are jam-packed full of background before anything else actually happens, your pacing is already in trouble. Most readers won’t hang around for the “actual” story to start.
- You’re explaining rather than revealing. If your prose tells the reader all they need to know – why a character is resentful, what happened a decade ago, who betrayed whom – you’re removing tension. Letting readers discover the past through implication or action keeps them hooked.
- Your readers are confused or bored. If you’re getting feedback that your story is hard to follow or slow to get going, excessive or poorly placed backstory could be the culprit.
Think of your story like a moving train. The backstory should always be delivered while it is in motion, not when pulling the emergency brake. When in doubt, ask yourself: Does this moment of backstory add urgency, insight, or tension? If not, it may be killing the pace.
6 Ways To Include Backstory Without Losing Momentum
The good news? You don’t have to cut out backstory altogether – you just need to find a way of integrating it and keep the narrative moving. These six techniques will help you reveal core information without sacrificing pace or reader engagement.
1. Blend Backstory Into Dialogue
When done well, character conversations can offer just enough backstory to spark curiosity and without stalling the scene. Keep it natural; people rarely ever dump their entire life stories unprompted. Instead, allow emotions, subtext, or conflict to pull fragments of the past into the present.
Writing tip: Avoid having one character explain something the other one already knows. That’s a dead giveaway that the dialogue is for the reader, rather than the characters.
2. Use Action to Reveal the Past
Show how backstory influences current behaviour. Perhaps a character refuses to walk into a certain building or flinches at a specific word. These small actions can hint at deeper wounds or past experiences without a single line of exposition. This is classic show vs tell territory – and a powerful way of keeping your story immersive.
3. Drip Information, Don’t Dump It
Readers don’t need everything all at once. In fact, a slow reveal can build intrigue. Try sprinkling small pieces of backstory throughout your scenes, especially when they tie directly into what’s happening in the moment.
How to reveal backstory effectively: Think of it like seasoning a dish – add just enough to add to the flavour, but not so much that it overpowers.
4. Flashbacks with Purpose Only
Flashbacks can be powerful tools – but only when they earn their place. Ask yourself: Does this flashback change how the reader views the present? Does it add emotional weight or raise the stakes? If it’s just filling in context, consider cutting it down or finding another way to integrate that information into the story as it progresses.
5. Leverage Character Motivation
Often, the best way to explore backstory is through a character’s goals, fears, or choices. Instead of explaining why they’re afraid of commitment, show them holding back when love is on the table. Allow their past to mould their actions – it’s guaranteed to feel more authentic and compelling. This technique naturally supports strong pacing whilst also adding to character development.
6. Use Present Tension as a Frame
One technique savvy writers use to work in backstory is to pair it with the current conflict. If your character is about to make a risky decision, it makes sense for a memory to surface that influences the decision. This keeps the focus on the story’s momentum, whilst layering in emotional context. By anchoring flashbacks or memories to tense present moments, you keep your reader grounded while still exploring the past.
Backstory Timing: When to Reveal and How Much
Knowing when to reveal a backstory in a novel is just as important as how. Well-timed revelations can deepen character development, move the stakes, or shock the reader. Poorly timed ones can feel jarring, irrelevant, or just plain boring.
So, how do you know when to deliver that crucial part of a character’s past?
Early on: Just enough to ground the reader
In the opening chapters, focus on creating momentum and curiosity. You don’t need to explain everything straight away. Instead, opt for small hints that suggest there’s more to learn. A cryptic comment, an emotional reaction, or a character’s unusual behaviour can all point to a deeper story without pausing the action.
Ask yourself: What must the reader know right now to understand the story, and what can wait?
Midpoint: Reveal the deeper truths
As the plot escalates and characters are tested, readers are more emotionally invested – and more curious. This is often the perfect time to reveal more substantial, complex pieces of backstory. A character’s full motivation, a long-buried secret, or the real reason behind a troubled relationship can land powerfully timed with a key turning point.
This kind of layered storytelling adds depth without slowing down the pace because the revelation often fuels the next plot development.
Climatic moments: Let it raise the stakes
In the final act, a well-placed piece of backstory can add an emotional punch or context to a character’s choice. Perhaps the MC finally faces the fear that has plagued them for years or reveals something that reframes the story for the reader.
Here, backstory isn’t just filler – it becomes a tool for resolution, growth, or surprise.
How Much Backstory Should You Include?
There’s no precise word count or percentage, but a good rule of thumb to keep in mind is: include only what the reader needs to know at the moment they need to know it. If it doesn’t change how the reader sees the scene, the stakes, or the character, it might be best to save it for later or consider cutting it out entirely.
Wrap Up
Backstory is a vital part of writing a compelling story – but, like any technique, it needs to be used with care. The key to success is balance. When integrated thoughtfully, it adds richness and emotional depth; when overused or poorly timed, it risks slowing the plot and losing readers. Remember:
- Show, don’t tell.
- Let the present story lead.
- Drip backstory in with purpose, not in bulk.
- And above all, trust your reader to piece things together.
Writing backstory without killing the pace is a skill that takes time to develop; however, the more you practice, the better you’ll get at weaving the past into your story’s momentum.
What about you? Do you struggle with injecting backstory into your writing? Share your challenges or go-to techniques in the comments section below!
