Using Backstory to Drive Character and Plot

Writing Craft
2009
Featuring Kelly Nichols, Philip Cioffari, Steven Womack

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ABOUT THIS SESSION

A character’s past drives every choice they make on the page. Kelly Nichols, Philip Cioffari, and Steven Womack explore how to define, shape, and deploy backstory to support plot and character development. Writers will learn when to reveal key information, when to withhold it, and how to integrate backstory smoothly without slowing pacing or overwhelming the reader.

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