Writing Craft
Backstory
Backstory shapes motivation and emotional depth. This certificate program examines how to reveal past events strategically without slowing the narrative, ensuring history strengthens rather than overwhelms the present story.
Courses
How to Deliver Information Without Boring the Reader
Too much information delivered the wrong way can drain a story of energy. Jon Jefferson examines common pitfalls in exposition and offers practical techniques for delivering essential information with clarity and restraint. This session shows how to keep scenes active and engaging while ensuring readers get what they need to stay oriented and invested.
Laying in the Backstory, Revealing the Past Without Slowing Down the Future
Backstory should strengthen a story, not stall it. Hallie Ephron breaks down how to reveal a character’s past in ways that deepen motivation and sharpen tension without interrupting momentum. This session focuses on timing, placement, and subtle integration so backstory feels organic, purposeful, and always in service of the forward-moving narrative.
Using Backstory to Drive Character and Plot
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.