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Topic : Explain character dynamics without giving away too much backstory? So. I have a project I'm currently working on in which there are a number of characters who are connected to each other by - selfpublishingguru.com

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So. I have a project I'm currently working on in which there are a number of characters who are connected to each other by various friendships/familial relationships, although they don't all know each other. For various reasons, all the characters must talk to each other in a web chat format in order to plan a project.

However, one of the characters (S) is unwilling to join this chat because it would mean he had to interact with a particular member of the group (L) who he holds a grudge against. Though I do not intend to reveal it at this point in the story, the grudge is due to L permanently disfiguring S in a confrontation between them.

Before his introduction, S is referred to by the other characters in relation to this 'incident' and the fact he has a grudge against L is mentioned, but what actually happened is not described.

I'd like to be able to show that S has good reason to hate L, and isn't just being resentful for nothing, without giving too many details about the 'incident', which I intend to have brought up when S abd L meet in person later in the story.

Are there any methods I can use to do this without being infuriatingly vague? Thanks for any suggestions!

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I hate to do your homework for you ;-) but the easiest way to explain this is...
S wanted to join the chat. When he saw L was already involved he refused. He could never forgiver her for what she did....

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I would have a third party explain the situation. This character, M, says, "we can't get L and S on the same webchat because L won't talk to S since the day."

Readers will be clued that there is "something wrong" between L and S, and will be waiting to find out what it is. The resulting suspense could actually be better for your story than to have L and S confront each other early on.

Or, as one of my former bosses would say, "Tell me what, before telling me why."

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