Backstory is the history of a character in fiction. It’s the part of the character’s life that happened before the story began. Backstory is the foundation upon which a writer gets to know his or her character as well as a parent, long-time friend, or spouse. Backstories for main characters are usually very detailed, whereas secondary characters’ backstories may be more general.
Our past experiences have shaped who we are today. Our emotional and intellectual personalities are shaped the people we’ve met and the events we’ve experienced, both good and bad. They aid in the definition of our abilities, challenges, and, most importantly, choices. Giving a main fictional character a believable and compelling history — a biography that encompasses every major event and influence that has influenced the character — is essential to creating a believable and compelling character.
Despite the fact that backstory can take as much time to develop as the story itself, it rarely appears in the story. Instead, we observe the character’s actions and reactions to events to see how backstory affects them. It is much easier for a writer to construct a plot with fully developed main characters because their actions will be consistent within the context of their backstories.
A writer might begin a character’s backstory introducing the character’s parents or even ancestors. Was the child born out of wedlock when it was frowned upon? Is the character yours? Is there a twin? Are you a member of a large family? Was he the youngest, oldest, or middle child, if so? Perhaps he was raised in a foster home, an orphanage, or was born into royalty. All aspects of the child’s social upbringing are considered, including where and when the child was born, the financial, social, and political environment, and education, or the lack thereof.
Consider a character who is a beat cop in a current-day inner-city district to demonstrate the power of backstory. We’ll refer to him as Officer Williams. Assume we’re watching Officer Williams get out of his patrol car in the middle of the night to confront a gang of young men loitering in front of a liquor store. One of the men reaches into his jacket to remove something as the cop approaches. It could be a firearm or a cell phone. The Officer notices, but what does he do with it?
His backstory contains the answer. Officer Williams, did you grow up on these streets? Is he acquainted with these young men? Is there a racial connection between them? Is he a gang member or has he ever been a victim of gang violence? Is Officer Williams a stranger on these streets, or is he a fish out of water? Is it true that you’re a Midwesterner? If so, is he trusting and naive, or prejudiced and suspicious? Every character’s thought and movement are influenced a variety of factors, each of which is based on his or her own backstory.
Backstories may be more generalized in science fiction, where the setting is frequently the main character. This allows the reader or audience to empathize more fully with the character as they journey through this strange world, bringing the viewer along for the ride. Action heroes are also typically underdeveloped, as the genre’s appeal is based on action rather than character development. This isn’t to say that there’s no backstory or that it’s unimportant.
In many cases, villains have a limited backstory and are designed to serve as foils to the main character. Slasher movies frequently feature a psychopath on the loose, whose only real requirements are bloodlust, the ability to flee, and a gimmick that sets it apart from other slashers. However, there are some well-developed villains, such as Dr. Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs (based on a novel Thomas Harris), George Lucas’ Darth Vader from Star Wars, and J.K. Rowling’s Voldemort from Harry Potter.
Backstory takes time, but it’s an important part of creating strong characters who are true to life and will resonate with audiences or readers. Backstories for places or settings such as a town, school, mansion, planet, or universe can also be written. The more you understand the world in which your story is set, the more authentic it will appear to others.