Nathan Bransford - The Forums

polymath wrote:A preface is an author's introduction to a story. A prologue is an opening introduction narrated by a narrator or character within the body of a story. A prelude is an introduction of an action or an event preparatory to a main action or event. Backstory is pertinent detail happening in the past time of a story's beginning time related in a timely time of a story. Backstory traditionally is conveyed in exposition mode, a narrative mode for relating timely, pertinent details essential to understanding a story. However, while not entirely outmoded, relating backstory in an up-front exposition block is widely deprecated, but not altogether forbidden. Backstory is a best practice when it starts a story's main action or leads dramatically into it or is timely related as indicated.

Timely, pertinent backstory is backstory that's significant to a viewpoint character at the time it's related, and therefore significant to readers. Backstory can be interleaved with a story's action, or be in part part of the action itself, or it can be in a block or blocks up front or soon after an inciting crisis or introduction of main characters and the main dramatic action as long as it's dramatic and not merely a deluge of detail disconnected to the main action or drama of a story. It can be in description, introspection, action, narration, emotion, sensation, summarization, exposition, conversation, recollection, explanation, or transition modes, in a single mode or in a combination of modes. Diane's Secret, a mnemonic for writing modes.