Backstory: How Much is Enough? [Jennifer Haupt]

Introductory | The first fifty pages of any book are critical for drawing in readers and keeping them engaged. (Not to mention keeping yourself engaged and moving forward.) That means balancing backstory, present action, and hints at what will come. We’ll discuss the basics of what needs to happen in these critical pages, look at examples of successful beginnings, and do exercises to get down to the bones of credible characters and storylines. Students can expect to workshop the first ten pages of their book.