tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937390557356997344.post7430919015271828418..comments2024-03-22T03:59:39.188-07:00Comments on Dive into Worldbuilding: My character needs backstory!Juliette Wadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02879627074920760712noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937390557356997344.post-82751224978392942922009-08-20T15:57:48.229-07:002009-08-20T15:57:48.229-07:00Main characters should wear the plot of their stor...Main characters should wear the plot of their story like a coat. Whatever happens, it is about them--they drive the action, they make the decisions, they take the risks. This isn't to say that external circumstances over which they have no control cannot intervene in the story. But those conditions, however cataclysmic or significant, are only wallpaper until they effect the person or people who populate a story. Backstories for characters are invaluable, but working them out ahead of time isn't a requirement for a writer. It's merely a stylistic choice. One might be more comfortable winging the details, inventing in the moment and on the page. But a sure feeling for how the character thinks and behaves is crucial, and should be worked out at some meaningful level before you start page one.Eric Del Carlohttp://ericdelcarlo.comnoreply@blogger.com