How do you get out of backtracking when writing?

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Question:

I wish to write the story a series of books and video games I would one day like to create!. My problem is that I can't stop backtracking!. I write a scene as though I'm watching it play out and just recording it as it goes, I have no control beyond a couple of key points in the storyline which were long since decided, everything else has a life of it's own that I can't seem able to control!. Things get really bad when a character says something cryptic in my head and, as I wonder what that's about, a bunch of scenes from that character's past come to me!. I feel such an overpowering need to give these scenes words that I quickly abandon the scene I was doing earlier!. But then it happens again, the past has a past which has a past which has a past!. Before I know it, I'm decades before I began with the later story all but forgotten while I write a back story that for the most part will never be explored as fully as I could write it yet more and more "How!? Why!? What happened before that!? That's not the start of the story!" thoughts continue to stretch out behind and the conclusion to the story never comes back into focus!.

Does anyone else have trouble with this!? A story that runs away with you!? How do you get control of a character that has become a breathing, living, conscious entity of its own!? How do you discard the urge to explore the story that you feel in the deepest part of you, just because you know it isn't "necessary" and is going only further backwards and never forwards!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

I share your pain!. I nearly gave up on writing at one stage, for precisely the reasons that are currently getting in the way of your writing!. It wasn't until several years ago that I thought of a solution which worked for me!.

- Don't give in to temptation!. Just be absolutely ruthless with yourself!. It helped me to go through some of my previous writing, just editing and deleting until I got down to the bare bones of the story!. Only keep writing that a) is absolutely necessary to the plot line, or b) will (not might) be useful in the future!. Anything else just goes!. It can be quite devastating at first, but the end product is so much better - not to mention you can actually finish things, rather than constantly getting sidetracked by interesting - but unnecessary - trains of thought!.

- Get other people to read over your work!. Print it out and give the reader (preferably somebody you trust, and with a good grip of English) a nice big red pen!. Issue them with strict instructions to cross out anything - I repeat, ANYTHING - they don't think needs to be there!. Later, go through their changes and keep all those you agree with!.

- Finally, if you really can't resist the urge to go off into the past, get a notebook!. Write down, in short form, your thoughts - but refrain at all costs from including them in your story!.

Good luck writing :)
AnnaWww@QuestionHome@Com