jake747•10d agoMost Upvoted

I wrote a character's entire backstory before the plot, and it felt wrong.

A friend in my Austin writing group said 'you're building a house starting with the curtains.' Anyone else get stuck like this?

3 comments

3 Comments

williamw7510d ago

Your friend's curtain analogy is spot on! I've totally done that, writing pages about a character's childhood pets before knowing what the actual story was. It makes the plot feel forced, like you're trying to shove a person into a situation that doesn't fit them. Now I just sketch a few key traits and figure out the rest as I write the first draft. It keeps things much more flexible and fun.

wilson.olivia10d ago

My third novel died because I wrote a forty page backstory for a side character's aunt. Never even used her. Now I just pick two flaws and a secret before chapter one. The rest has to earn its page time.

quinncoleman10d ago

Exactly, @williamw75, you learn their real story by putting them in motion.