“You only need to reveal backstory when the reader absolutely needs to know it.” - Beth Barany
Do you want to know how to add backstory to your secondary characters without slowing down the main plot and action of your story?
In this How To Write the Future podcast episode titled “How to Convey Backstory for Secondary and Tertiary Characters” host Beth Barany describes how you can filter backstory through the secondary and tertiary characters and shares tools to reveal the story’s past. Plus, she goes over how to use your characters’ thoughts, feelings and history to help convey the worldbuilding in your story.
There is also an invitation to sign up to Beth’s Edit Lab, a monthly $10 subscription with a monthly call.
ABOUT THE HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE PODCAST
How To Write The Future is a podcast for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to imagine better worlds—and write stories that bring those futures to life. Each episode offers practical craft guidance, creative prompts, and big-picture inspiration to help you draft, revise, and publish with purpose.
ABOUT BETH BARANY
Beth Barany is an award-winning fantasy and science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers. She helps science fiction and fantasy novelists write, revise, and publish stories that matter by blending practical craft guidance with a commitment to imagination, possibility, and how stories shape our world.
RESOURCES
3 Powerful Techniques to Weave Backstory Into Your Novel by Beth Barany
https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2024/12/12/3-powerful-techniques-to-weave-backstory-into-your-novel/
Where to insert backstory (Q&A) – How To Write the Future podcast, episode 113
https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2024/08/12/where-to-insert-backstory-qa/
Support the podcast! https://ko-fi.com/bethbarany
Get the workbook: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/world-building-resources/
Join the Edit Lab! https://bethbarany.com/editlab
- SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth Barany
- SHOW CO-PRODUCTION + NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDade
- EDITORIAL SUPPORT by Iman Llompart
c. 2026 BETH BARANY
https://bethbarany.com/
Questions? Comments? Send us a text!
Support the show
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♦︎ JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP: For fiction writers! You've finished your first draft! Congrats! Now what?
Join the Edit the Future: Sci‑Fi/Fantasy Revision Lab. Get premium weekly lessons and a monthly Q&A on Zoom. Subscribe: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2012061/subscribe
♥︎ FREE: Sign up here for the Edit Your Novel Checklist
Helps writers revise faster with less overwhelm by focusing first on diagnosis, not fixing.
Get yours at http://edityournovelchecklist.com.
♡ SHOP: Sci‑Fi & Fantasy 24 Writing Prompts: https://ko-fi.com/s/4ac9160a74
❤️ Want to be interviewed on the podcast? => Email us!
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CREDITS
EDITED WITH DESCRIPT (Affiliate link)
MUSIC: Uppbeat.io
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