Backstory

How to Write A Compelling Backstory

Storyteller OS users: Clip this video into your Knowledge Base and categorize it under Characters

This video discusses the importance of crafting a compelling backstory for characters in writing and storytelling. Drawing on examples from Avatar: The Last Airbender and Batman, the creator explains how including moments of guilt, regret, and internal conflict in a character's backstory can make them more relatable and lead to greater character development. The video also includes tips for writers looking to create more engaging and memorable characters through their backstories.

Takeaways

The most compelling backstories are those where something bad happens to the character and they blame themselves for it
Writers and viewers want to know which events from a character's past are still affecting them in the present
The moment in a character's backstory that is still affecting them in the present is called the "ghost"
Crafting a backstory that includes moments of guilt, regret, and internal conflict can make a character more relatable and lead to greater character development
Feelings of guilt and regret are important in character development because characters have to recognize their flaws before they can grow
Saving the world is only interesting when the people who do it must also save themselves
Traumatic backstories can be a motivating force for characters, but they can also make them more one-dimensional if not handled properly
Including moments of internal conflict in a character's backstory can add depth to their character and create a more engaging story

How to Write A Compelling Backstory

Takeaways

Suggestions

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