Conveying this information in my erotic fiction stories is challenging for me. I’m one those writers who over thinks my stories and always have way more material than I need. This wouldn’t be a bad thing except I have this tendency to include the entire back story in the tale. And I’m not the only one who struggles with this. I’ve read many stories where there was too much backstory or not enough.
So I did some thinking (something I’m good at) and some searching around the interwebs (also an expertise of mine) and came up with some tips for working back story into your erotic fiction stories.
The Back Story Must Be Relevant
First and foremost, the back story must be relevant to the main story, and no cheating by changing the main story to make the back story relevant just because you think it’s interesting. Okay, maybe that does work. That doesn’t change the fact, though, that everything you put in your erotic story must contribute to it in some way - whether it is characterization, moving the plot forward, or fostering reader understanding.
An example of relevant back story would be having your main female character recall an embarrassing run-in with another character while she is hiding from that person in a bathroom stall. The information is fueling the character’s actions, which may lead to other things happening in the story.
The Back Story Must Add to the Story
In addition to relevance, you shouldn’t include backstory simply because you can. It should contribute in some way to the main story. If your character needs to be in the bathroom as part of the plot, there are a hundred and one ways to get her in there. She could be in the bathroom because she actually had to use it, or she wanted to smoke a joint, or her best friend needed to tell her a secret. Look at your back story and ask yourself honestly if and how it makes your erotic story better.
* Does it contribute to characterization? She is in the bathroom because she hates confrontations and does everything she can to avoid them.
* Does it advance the plot? The back story reveals your character’s romantic feelings towards the other woman, who doesn’t return them.
* Does it set the scene? The other character sees her dash into the bathroom and follows her in there, which leads to the confrontation your character was desperately trying to avoid.
If your erotic story isn’t any better for having the back story in it, cut it out.
Ways to Reveal the Back Story
There are several ways to reveal back story, and some are better than others. Back story essentially brings the action and momentum in the main story to a grinding halt. You want to choose the method of passing on back story that lets the reader get back to the main story as soon as possible while still conveying the information.
Prologue – Anything written before chapter one is considered the prologue. I have mixed feelings about this method of telling back story. It is a pretty convenient way to share important information without slowing down the story, especially if it’s a lot of info. On the other hand, why not just start the story there? There is nothing in the “fiction writing laws” that says chapter one has to be about the present. You can start chapter one with the back story and then fast forward several years in chapter two. They do it in the movies all the time.
Dialogue – This is a good way to communicate small amounts of the back story, especially if it forwards the plot of your erotic story. But the key element here is “small amounts”. Also, make sure your characters are interacting with each other. Otherwise you’ll end up with a monologue, and who wants to read that in an erotic story?
Flashback – Dialogue is your character talking about the past. A flashback is your character thinking about the past. While your character is performing some action in the present day, their mind is thinking about the past. This is sort of like thinking about the presentation you gave at work while you are at home washing the dishes. Flashbacks can be a pretty effective way to relay relevant information. But, like other methods of telling the back story, they slow down the story. Try to make them as brief as possible.
Story Within a Story – One method I’ve seen more experienced writers use to good effect, is to tell a story within a story. Each chapter of the book (or each alternating page of a short story) was dedicated to a particular point in time. The book started with the main story on chapter one and continued with it every odd chapter. The back story is told starting on chapter two and continued on every even chapter. Eventually the two stories converged into the climax. Needless to say, both stories must be compelling for this method to work well.
Telling your character’s back story can enrich your erotic fiction story. Do it the right way and your readers will fall in love with your characters and come back for more.
Additional Resources
How to Write Backstory @ Story Sensei Blog
Novel Writing: Backstory @ A Hubpage by Marisa Wright
About the Article Writer
Daria Black is a fiction writer, gamer, and avid coffee drinker. Visit her website Daria Black - Words By Daria to read fiction stories, talk sex, society, games, and writing, or giggle with her at life's quirkiness.
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