How to write backstory!

I've been meaning to make this post for a while now and here it is! The basics of writing a backstory!

Now when writers hear the word "backstory" they think that every single detail must be revealed. But this actually isn't the case. In of backstory, it's mostly for you the author. As shocking as it sounds, 60% of your backstory for characters should be unrevealed. You as the author should always know more about the characters than the readers. Because readers love to dig in a good book. If it's something that they can't figure out through context clues, then it doesn't need to be explicitly stated through the story. A trick to this is to wait until the last possible moment to tell the backstory. Wait until the backstory is absolutely needed in order for the reader to follow the advancing plot. Hint as much as you'd like, but try not to flat out spill all the facts until it's crucial to advance the plots understanding. Here's some more things to keep in mind.

Upbringing

Like most people you should start with how they came to be. Start at the beginning.

Who are their parents and or guardian? Where were they born? What was going on when they were born?

Be sure to think about who raised them and how they were raised. Children often reflect who they idolize the most time with since they initially learn from copying and from what they are constantly told. But that doesn't always mean the person they spend the most time with.

For example: Let's say your character had over bearing parents who always prompted them to be proper. But then they meet someone who doesn't have those restrictions. They don't let anyone tell them what to do and always seem to do what they want. Your main character may have a desire to do those same types of things and emulate themselves off of the person with desires that match their own.

Where they were born also affects them greatly. The area they grew up in determines culture, mannerisms, tolerance (to weather and people) and common knowledge. That seems to be a big detail lots of writers forget.

For example: An eleven hunter who lives in the forest would likely know about plants and which ones were poisonous or not. Where as a blacksmith gnome who lives in he mountains would likely know the best place to find silver ore. But not vice versa. Because the areas they live in give them no need to have that other type of knowledge to function in their society or profession.

The history of the world when the character was growing up is another big factor. As a child, your character will absorb everything happening around them in either a positive or negative way. Both ways affecting the perspective and opinions of a character.

For example: a child growing up in a war zone may have been separated from their family early on. They could have abandonment issues about ever letting anyone go for fear of never seeing them again. Or they could expect everyone to leave them and try not to get attached to anyone because of it. They could have a fear of weapons because it scared them seeing them in use as a child or they could've be desensitized to the idea because of how much they'd already seen.

But one big thing to is try not to make the characters backstory too much more interesting than the actual story you're writing. That means your telling the wrong one!

Opinions and worldview

This is probably the most important one. All characters all have different opinions and world views. But backstory is essentially the explanation as to WHY they have that particular view.

If they hate a certain group of people, then why? If they like a particular type of music, then why? This determines how they'll interact with certain people and how they act in certain situations.

In of dislikes,

For example: if your character dislikes people with blonde hair, your readers will assume it's because they had a bad experience with someone with blonde hair. But instead of saying: " my ex girlfriend was a blonde and she cheated on me."

You could have them say: "I've been cheated on before."

With the knowledge that the character doesn't like blondes and it correlating to the character being cheated on, readers will assume they have an ex and that ex is blonde.

In of likes

For example: Pretend your character loves rock music. Maybe they where exposed to it a lot when they were younger? Or maybe they had a friend that also liked the music and it reminds them of the good times they've had together. When asked why they like a certain kind of music, instead of them saying "my childhood friend Selene loved this kind of music. Every since she died, I listen to it to her."

Have them say: "an old friend of mine liked this kind of music..." And have them say it sadly. The sad tone automatically suggests that something likely happened to the friend or that the friendship between the two is no longer present.

Not showing too much

The hard part about backstory is there's no "correct way" to write it. The information of characters backstory just needs to be present in the story. And when I say it needs to be present, I mean that traces of it need to be in the story instead of flat out saying so.

For example: Let's say this is a character bio you have:

Madeline Kenny

Age: 16

Has an abusive father with anger issues and has run away several times to escape. She likes poetry and cats and uses to have a best friend names Cassie before she moved. She's very lonely and wonders if things will every get better when she graduates high school.

Now instead of writing that line of facts:

"Madeline looked over the picture frame of her and Cassie. Even after three months she still missed her and their old school. Her father constantly told her to get over it, but she didn't feel any different.

It was best not to argue.

She knew what happened whenever he got mad. Maybe this year will be better. Maybe she won't feel like running anymore."

Readers will assume the father likely has anger issues without flat out saying he's abusing her, but it's hinted. It's never started she's run away from home before but it's implied. This is how you give bits of background without overloading the reader.

Be sure to only highlight the parts of backstory that are most important to the plot before the others. Lots of authors try to give their characters extremely tragic backstories to make their characters more interesting which is fine. But it's best to be careful that you don't overload the reader with all of the atrocities that's they've faced right off the bat. This gives the impression that your trying too hard to gain the readers sympathy for a character. Your characters in your book are like real people in that sense. The sympathy must be earned for the readers to care about what happens to them.

The parts of backstory that correlate the most with the stories plot should always be the main focus. All the other details are mainly used for characters interactions and development.

Hope this helped! Did you find the post helpful? Have something you'd like to add? Leave a comment below!