tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post8365408974108715047..comments2024-03-28T12:01:31.049-04:00Comments on Writers Who Kill: Battling Backstory, Part IIJim Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-36719555602682403932010-08-13T18:04:51.306-04:002010-08-13T18:04:51.306-04:00Cheating and Lying for Fun and Profit--that is eit...Cheating and Lying for Fun and Profit--that is either a country song, or a writing workbook.Ramonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00627775403015684868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-8921709747529590972010-08-13T15:51:09.702-04:002010-08-13T15:51:09.702-04:00Ramona, it's only a cheat if the reader percei...Ramona, it's only a cheat if the reader perceives it as a cheat. After all, isn't fiction ultimately just cheating and lying for fun and profit? Readers want to suspend disbelief, i.e., want to be lied to and cheated. They just don't want to know when you're doing it! ;)Weldon Burgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14671824818824669213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-81509664733134060792010-08-13T15:00:15.686-04:002010-08-13T15:00:15.686-04:00Weldon, I never considered the Green Hornet a Talk...Weldon, I never considered the Green Hornet a Talking Head, but now that you point it out, those radio show writers had a real challenge. Everything had to be delivered in dialogue, save some cheesy sound effects. <br /><br />The Sarge (third character) is kind of a cheat to ask questions and make comments, but who says writers can't cheat--as long as it works?Ramonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00627775403015684868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-62166320636437026682010-08-13T14:56:32.609-04:002010-08-13T14:56:32.609-04:00Jim, so many writers don't take advantage of t...Jim, so many writers don't take advantage of the joy that is internal dialogue. I will try to have some fun with it next Friday.Ramonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00627775403015684868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-67236833216186283162010-08-13T11:55:42.238-04:002010-08-13T11:55:42.238-04:00I love old-time radio. The Shadow. The Green Horne...I love old-time radio. The Shadow. The Green Hornet. Inner Sanctum. Lights Out. Great stuff--and also a great way to learn how NOT to write dialogue for backstory. You'll hear lines like: "Marvin, didn't we just arrest this fellow yesterday? And didn't he rob the bank?" Unless Marvin has a short-term memory problem, this is Talking Head dialogue, just as Ramona has described.<br /><br />The use of a third character is a great way to handle backstory, as Ramona points out. For example, consider a couple arguing in a restaurant--the waiter can not only help with backstory, but can add another dimension to the couple's argument that can increase or decrease the tension, or even add humor to the scene. The backstory (why the argument occurred in the first place) is then offered almost as a second thought.<br /><br />Of course, this all requires careful, if not meticulous, orchestration on the part of the writer. But, hey, that's what we get paid the big bucks for, right?Weldon Burgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14671824818824669213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-62981335597011739842010-08-13T08:33:39.017-04:002010-08-13T08:33:39.017-04:00Sure makes a difference when the backstory comes o...Sure makes a difference when the backstory comes out "reluctantly" and with tension between the characters than in a data dump.<br /><br />I can't wait to see how you handle the internal dialogue -- an area I personally need to work on.<br /><br />~ JimJim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.com