Is Backstory Killing Your Novel?

Recently, I opened a new word processing file labeled "Backstory", and began removing everything I had written for The Brothers Pendergast, Book I: John that didn't have anything to do with right now, the present moment in the book. So far, I have two full pages, and I am only on page 11 of the book.

As a reader, I have many favorite authors: Asimov, Heinlein, Clancy. My best favorite is MacDonald. (If you are a reader, I don't have to use first names.)

As a reader, I tend to flip pages when the story is bogged down by in-action, mostly when the author is explaining what happened fifteen years previously. Yes, the backstory is important to the development of the characters, but don't put me to sleep.

Early in my writing development, I learned about "Show, Don't Tell". Unfortunately, backstory is entirely "Tell", never "Show". Also early, I learned that dialog was a good way to "Show". Dialog brings the reader into the story. For example, don't write that the hero drove up in a Dodge Charger. Have two characters gush about the sound the Dodge Charger made when it turned the corner into the parking garage and drove up the ramp.

My challenge, when I finish pruning the backstory from the present novel, is to find ways to re-introduce some of the elements back into the story. I have posted several articles about "Show, Don't Tell" on The Author's Club blog. Perhaps it's time to resurrect those articles. Keep an eye out for more posts here.