I’ve recently been delving into the backstories of some of my secondary characters for Beyond the Dark Divide. I’m finding out that it’s helping me develop the plot to my novel as all these stories interconnect to influence the novel events.
I’ve written summary backstories before for other novels and they’ve helped as well. But this time I think I may try and write a little bit of a narrative for some of them. I don’t want it to take away from my actual novel, but at the same time, who knows what I may find? There may be good short story potential in some of them. If not, well at least it’s helping me develop my world, right?
Have you written backstories for your secondary characters? If so, has it helped you discover something about your work-in-progress?
Tales from the Writing Front 
Comments on: "Backstories" (5)
This is exactly what I spent part of my time doing this morning. 🙂 I’ll let you know what happens. Hope yours is going well.
I’ve thought about it, but I’ve never actually written backstories before. I should try it sometime, though.
I have written short summaries before, and I’ve also written character “interviews”…which are fun but relatively impractical. 😛 But they help me better grasp a character’s “voice,” at least.
This is not something I’ve ever done, but I’ve always liked the idea of it. I especially like the idea of developing short stories and maybe even some novellas — because I hate letting material go to waste! 😉
I have to admit that I’m not great about doing a back story for the character, unless it plays a big part in the book, which for my new idea it does.
HI Dara! I’ve never written backstories (I’m not a novelist) but a few of my friends who are novelists told me it’s the best way to keep a character’s history straight! I know that otherwise, I’d get LOST.