Writing Characters’ Backstories

Backstories: Do you write them?

Hmm, no. I don’t. I find them to be time wasting and the only way to really get to know your characters is to let them tell you about themselves.

Actions speak louder than words.

Let me explain why. When I first started writing, I read that you had to write out the life history of your characters. From what they looked like, i.e.: hair, eyes, skin colour, scars on the body, body shape, etc. How old they were, what school they went to (college, university, etc.), where they first lived, how many siblings they had, their first job, etc. Favourite foods, what they disliked. What clothes they wore, whether they wore jewellery. On and on the list went. Most of it never went into my books because it wasn’t relevant to the story I was writing.

After spending ages writing out a list for each of my main characters for my first novel, I realised something important. I didn’t know who my characters were going to be to start with. So, I started by asking myself whether the main point of view was going to be male or female. Then, I started with their name, age, height, and build.

If you think about when you meet someone for the first time. What do you know about them other than how they look?

[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://colourswordspaper.files.wordp..." data-large-file="https://colourswordspaper.files.wordp..." src="https://colourswordspaper.files.wordp..." alt="" class="wp-image-289" style="width:283px;height:auto" />Who are you? ( Pexels Free Photos)

First impressions are everything.

All we know about anyone is how they look. Think about our profile photo when paging online social media sites. We all take so much care in selecting our photos to show us at our best. Do we stage our photos to tell the viewer something about us? Are we sitting in a flashy car, seated on a motorbike, dressed in expensive clothes, in an exotic location?

From our profile photos, the reader only learns a small amount about us, but once they begin to read our social media sites, they begin to build an understanding of who we are, but still not a full picture.
So now I start with the basics. First, I select a name and start building my main character with the colour of their hair, adding in style, etc. Maybe adding the colour of their eyes, and whether they are tall, short, or stocky built, etc. After that I start writing the first draft. As the storyline starts to develop so each characters tells me a little about themselves.

How often have you read a book and created an image of what the main character looked like, only to find they look nothing like the star used in the film adaptation of the book?
Think about how much you know about the people in your life. Even though those closest to us know very little about us, most of us only reveal parts of our true selves when it is necessary.

That’s exactly how I learn about my characters. As I write, they reveal a little of themselves to me.
I add all the relevant information to a document where I keep a list of characters. By the time I’ve written the first draft, I’m really getting to know my characters and what makes them tick. Also, by keeping notes on them as you write the first draft, you’re less likely to change hair or eye colour.

The most important thing is to only tell your readers what they need to know to move the story forward. If you are building a series of books with the same character/s, then you will continue adding to your character/s’ background as the series develops.

This is why editing several early drafts of your novel is so important because you are getting to know your story and your characters. The more you know about them within your story, the more your plot will develop, and the stronger your writing will become.

Underdeveloped characters and storyline weaken the book and make it a less enjoyable read for your readers.

Hope my post is helpful, but I do know all writers have their own way of writing. Just enjoy the journey and happy writing to you all.