How to write backstory

Get ideas to build your character's backstory up with.

Life is hard and as writers, we aren't doing our jobs unless our characters struggle. Am I right? Good fiction isn't borne out in the comfortable and easy living we might dream about, but in the tension and conflict between characters and/or their own desires. Giving a character a backstory that includes trauma (part of

Character background is tricky to balance with the present time of your story. Read 7 tips for writing character backstory without info-dumping and more.

TweetPin1EmailShare Once you have a really great backstory for your character, you’ll probably feel like drawing a lot of attention to it from the get-go. After all, you worked so... Read more »

I’m sure you’ve heard about how bad backstory can be. It’s far too easy to overdo it, overwhelming an otherwise interesting novel with flashbacks and dream sequences. Yet, in the next breath you hear how important it is to know your character’s background, their wound, their inner struggle, and more. When you look closely, all of these have their root in your character’s backstory. So, how can you avoid the problems with backstory, while also using it to write well-developed characters?

Sad backstory ideas: an aging bread earner's job being replaced by an AI, a protagonist who was once part of an unethical experiment, and...

I've heard it from many influential voices in the writing community: "you don't need backstory because it distracts from the REAL story and thus bores your reader to sleep." But…is there ANOTHER WAY to use backstory without distracting from the present meaning of the book… and instead enhancing it? I believe there is.

Character backstory is key to painting a full picture of your MC and their motivations. But a lot of character backstories are rinse and repeat versions of each other. That's a red flag! Backstory should be personal to your character and their circumstances. So make sure you take the time to brainstorm and truly capture the essence of your character. #writers #write #writingtips #writinganovel #bookwriting #writinginspiration #thewriteen #characterdevelopment #creativewriting #backstory…