855 books
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1,173 voters
Britta
https://www.goodreads.com/brittaclark
It’s funny. We’re laughing, and it’s playful and innocent and fine…until it’s not. Until the laughter fades, and we’re left in the dust of whatever flirtatious thing this was.
“If we turn too much of our backstory into the story or illustrate too much of it via detailed flashbacks (either at the beginning of our stories or in subsequent chapters), we rob our readers of the sense of weight given by the 9/10 of the iceberg floating under the water of our stories.”
― Structuring Your Novel: Essential Keys for Writing an Outstanding Story
― Structuring Your Novel: Essential Keys for Writing an Outstanding Story
“...Her attraction to him hadn't dulled in the least. She stared at him. He stared right back with those beautiful distant green eyes.
"Guys," Pookie said, "I know yal have a bit of backstory to work out, but can we lay off the wistful gazing? This ain't a Joan Wilder novel, if ya dig what I'm saying."...”
― Nocturnal
"Guys," Pookie said, "I know yal have a bit of backstory to work out, but can we lay off the wistful gazing? This ain't a Joan Wilder novel, if ya dig what I'm saying."...”
― Nocturnal
“Treat backstory like a pungent spice. I say this to encourage you to picture a jalapeno pepper that can set your mouth on fire, every time you even think about adding backstory into your book.
What you need is subtlety.”
―
What you need is subtlety.”
―
“Stories attract us; abstract details repel us. Consequently, entertaining side issues and backstories are prioritised over relevant facts.”
― The Art of Thinking Clearly: The Secrets of Perfect Decision-Making
― The Art of Thinking Clearly: The Secrets of Perfect Decision-Making
“exposition is the enemy of narrative. Good exposition provides just enough backstory to explain how the protagonist happens to be in a particular place, at a particular time, with the wants that will lead to the next phase of the story. Thorough reporting produces overwhelming detail. Good storytellers cut through it to create a clear path leading forward.”
― Storycraft: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction
― Storycraft: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction
Britta’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Britta’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
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