How to Write Character Backstory (Prompts for Writing Relatable Characters)

[@mirobenuses5072]

I clicked on this video faster than Abbie could say "Internal Conflict"

[@Stellarfront]

Mvp of the comment section

[@mishawrites7412]

Hehe same

[@worthfightingfor2299]

haha YES!

[@davidwilliams7348]

But why did clicking it matter to you?

[@Amy_Mi6]

@@davidwilliams7348 you win 🏆lol

[@shanthi4855]

It's like every time I'm struggling with something Abbie miraculously posts a video on that same topic 😂

[@elmiathewriter]

Sameee

[@bronaghmcgaughey64]

Abbie is a mind reader again, I was just about to start writing character backstories and i had no idea where to start- perfect timing again abbie 💕

[@henniee2051]

My favorite character of all time is Zuko from Avatar The Last Airbender, and he is the PERFECT character to analyse with these questions. When you first find out why he acts the way he does, it's heartbreaking. Seeing Zuko struggle with his own identity, taking one step forward and then 2 steps backwards again, made me love him as a child watching this show. I still cry during so many of Zuko's scenes. I have never ever felt so much for a character like I do for him. I hope to write a character as brilliant as Zuko one day...

[@runway5338]

ATLA has a lot of amazing, strong characters. The relationships b/w the characters are also really interesting to watch and analyze too. You can blindly pick a character or a group dynamic and still come out learning something from them. Zuko is one of the most multi layered characters in the show. It’s probably why he’s a major fan favorite. And all the characters themselves are huge reasons why the show still holds today-other than the themes they go into. It’s a really well-written show. Really helped set up a standard in terms of storytelling for a younger audience.

[@Moonxsta]

atla is so good oh gosh, i remember finishing it on one sitting, probably one of the best series there

[@nataliadowner3896]

YESSS OMG

[@georgeafton3460]

Amazing! I also love Zuko and Zuko's backstory is a bit hard to understand for me.

[@dulceleamsigame2508]

ATLA is the Best!!!!

[@BetweenSunAndMoon]

Backstory isn't always one life-changing event. My main character's backstory is a lifetime's worth of trying to live up to his father's high expectations, leaving him with the lie that he must change who he is to be worthy of love. Anyway, my favorite backstory is from the movie Nightmare Alley. The main character has one throwaway line about his past, and yet it tells you everything you need to know about why he is who he is and does what he does.

[@solo-mons]

my favourite thing about writing backstory is making my characters seem real - real people aren't perfect, real people have misbeliefs - and showing the reader and myself why they do things that are morally wrong or destructive. writing imperfect characters is just a whole lot more interesting.

[@LilyH174]

😊

[@Kanadeyoisakilovesyou]

Fr

[@7Write4This9Heart7]

Zuko from ATLA is the GO-TO for characters for me, espec his backstory! FEELS! SO damn good! His redemption arc is literally used as THE EPITOME of best redemption arc ever by SO many people! He's basically character GOALS! >:D

[@sarthakshevde9023]

I need to say this. You have literally changed the way I write! Your videos are helpful beyond words! Backstory is a really great and helpful subtopic to discuss, and for me personally since I'm doing a story with heavy flashbacks and backstory 😅. Thanks a lot!

[@ArabellaKFederico]

I think our character's backstory is sooooooo important because like you say it truly gives them the WHY behind their actions. "Making their story matter," as you say. Love this 😀

[@akgwriting9481]

And sets up their insecurities as well

[@0OB08O]

I wouldn't say they're the best written characters I've came across, but I always loved the Pokemon Anime episodes where we had Team Rocket members' backstories.

[@luiiiandmovieee]

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo is such a PERFECT example for backstories that shaped the characters. Also once upon a time does a great job on that too

[@damijinadu4184]

My favorite character backstory is Katherine Pierce from the vampire diaries. Katherines misbelief is that she is justified in doing evil things because she needs to survive, and this stems from being chased away from her home after her whole family was killed, she believed to outwit Klaus she had to become as evil as him. And that’s what made her into the villain (my favorite villain)

[@Phoebe_Kristian]

yayyy :D I saw a copy of a Hundred Days of Sunlight in my local library a couple days ago! So exciting

[@payalsankpal4731]

First I am surprised no one has mentioned him. But my favorite backstory has to be Severus Snape. His character was one of the most complex and mysterious with Dumbledore trusting him and Snape killing him. Them then revealing details of him and Lily, of his childhood bullying. Just the best. Chef's kiss.

[@gabrielapaiva6074]

The backstorys Disney show us with Maleficent and Cruella live-actions are perfetc. It's amazing the way they make us understand, root and even fall in love with the worst "villains". I love it.

[@saramations]

I don't think the phrase "Cruella live-action" and the word "perfect" should be in the same sentence.

[@unorthodoxunicorn1307]

You must be stalking me, because the timing of this video is literally fantastical. I've been fighting my own brain to create a backstory for days!

[@thatbabybird1120]

Your uploads are always perfectly timed lol. I needed a backstory for my MC and this video just popped up.

[@lucygoodwriter]

Alright, so, my favorite backstory is Anne Shirley's backstory. It is so heartfelt and I fell in love because she didn't deserve to go through what she went through. No one does. Thank you, Abbie, for this video! It was amazing as usual!

[@lilydelacruz6672]

powder/jinx from arcane! although the backstory is the story, I think this is a perfect example of a moment that made the character who they are today!

[@giddydanish5837]

I just saw Black Widow and they added so much depth to her and really showed us her trauma without literally showing us her trauma. So good! Also, love the videos Abbie! They’re so helpful!

[@aqgamez8184]

I’m literally struggling with writing backstory right now, and then you post this

[@dawidwojacki5049]

After watching this video, I was surprised, that my character's arc is way better than it seemed to me before. Let me summarize: _"Be the best, do great things, so you don't go back to times when you didn't mean anything."_ . And that's because in times of hunger he was ambandoned by his family, as he was the youngest child out of 9 siblings, therefore the least important. He was later taken in by the knightly order as an orphan. It becomes his new family. Years of proving his worth and loyality to the order in a rush for higher position are wasted when the "incident" happens, which leads main plotline to him being renounced by the order as a heretic and a traitor. Your videos are really helpful, thanks.

[@elafila6883]

sounds interesting I am the 9th and last child in my family too I just want to say that if it was because of hunger that the parents threw him out wouldn't it make more sense if they threw out more kids instead of just him? like they had 9 mouths to feed now they have 8 it's an almost insignificant difference, don't you think? edit: omg i just realized now that this is a one year old comment😭 I'd be interested in knowing where the story is at right now or if it's finished if that's okay

[@battlebotsreviewer9812]

That is so good, don't give up on it. 😊

[@Writerbyhand]

This makes me think I'm writing my story wrong. My main character has a secret that even the reader doesn't know. It's hard to show their disbelief because I have yet to reveal the secret. Their secret is a whole big thing. It defines them in a way. It's part of who they are. They hide this secret that are ashamed of. Everything they do is based on this one secret.

[@federicasavio04]

But at the end of the book you can show the secret to the reader and they are going to understand why the character acted the way he acted through the whole story, maybe.

[@akane_-td3mq]

Sort of like the previous comment said, use context clues! This can help the reader infer what the big boom might be. Ex: Let's say I write about a dog who goes missing. i can write little hints that the protaganists husband hated the dog. I can even write that he said stuff regularly like, "One day I otta' get rid of that dam dog!" This can hint to the reader of having a suspicious suspect on their "who got rid of the dog" list.

[@akane_-td3mq]

I don't know if that made sense or not lol.. I'm currently a begginer writer, but that's just info I got from reading other books. Hope that helps 😁

[@azure_lioness3370]

I’ve read too many books to have a favorite backstory, but I’m also really into video games, right now I’m playing through Fire Emblem: Three Houses (no spoilers please), and so far I LOVE how they’re handling Dimitri’s backstory. The writing is soooo good. I’m only at the beginning of the second half of the game, but so far it’s doing a really great job of giving us bits and pieces of Dimitri’s backstory and the massacre that killed his family and friends, not via cutscenes (but who knows, that might come later), but via Dimitri as well as other characters telling you about it throughout the game. It gives you a sort of jigsaw puzzle of facts and varying opinions and perspectives to work with, and you’re not sure whose story you should trust or believe-which only adds to the mystery of trying to figure out why Dimitri is the way he is today-a polite, mild-mannered, chivalrous young man one moment, and a bloodthirsty maniac the next. Honestly I’m both excited and terrified to see how it all plays out.

[@jawahariraja9122]

Abbie can u please make a video on how to write battle and fight scenes cuz i am struggling with it and u with u explaining it would be a lot easier 👇 like if u want that video too

[@fictionalsituations4773]

I’m giving my bad guy a back story because I was thinking about my book and I always had this one question. Why is he doing this?

[@Nayirg]

How do you manage to come up with the very thing I'm struggling with?? You're amazing. Also, if you ever did a Science behind the story on Lala Land I'd be forever grateful because I'm not entirely sure I understand why it hits so hard...

[@nikkinewbie6014]

I mean…fav backstory has to be Darth Vader / Anakin Skywalker. With an entire trilogy dedicated to his backstory, the scope is obviously way more than what I would ever commit to in my writing project; but it really does explain why Vader became who he was. Btw, Vader means Father in Dutch so his name is kind of a foreshadowing Easter Egg? 😂😂 I don’t know if you will ever read this Abbie but you absolutely rock! Thanks so much for all you do for new writers. I’m brand new. I started off looking at various sources of information about the craft here on You Tube; but I have pretty much abandoned every other source since I stumbled onto your videos. You are “one stop shopping”! More importantly, your whole program / approach just resonates with me! The way you explain things couldn’t be more plain. Your case studies exemplify and PROVE everything you talk about in the videos and the “bad examples” also prove by contrast whatever you present in the videos. Your videos are all so well done and to the point; however you are able to insert your lovely personality into your presentation. It makes a huge difference that your videos are both informative and a real pleasure to watch. If you were a professor at a university, your class would be the one I’d look forward to attending…I wouldn’t ever have to fight to stay awake; nor would I ever skip. Most of all, your videos make me feel like there is such a PROCESS to writing, that anyone who is willing to apply it has a better than average shot at producing a compelling story, depending on the idea and more creative elements of the story i.e. is the idea big enough. I’m finding I’m a plotter and I’m also finding that I really enjoy the combination of structured organization coupled with my more intuitive creativity. It’s been a revelation! Whether I ever publish anything or not, my eyes have been opened to the possibility of enrichment I have access to through writing - again, even if only for myself. I’ll decide whether to pursue that after I finish my first work I guess. I’m still learning; but I’m starting to feel like I have enough of the basics down to dive into drafting! Sorry for the length of this comment but it’s a heartfelt thanks to you for sure! Wishing you continued success!

[@justa6eek667]

Alright, Abbie, I need you to be honest with me - are you psychic? I mean, a couple of days ago I started writing backstories for my characters so even I could get a better understanding of them. Then, I started struggling because all my characters have to have a unique backstory and you know how that is --- but to make a long story short: you saved my life!

[@grimmdanny]

I had a good idea on what my character's backstory was, but execution was my problem. When I first started writing, I did a data dump of her backstory and it felt forced, preachy, and even pretentious. To solve this issue, what I did was incorporate her entire back story in relation to her late parents, who are famous for saving the lives of many people in a major incident when she was still a child. My character is often asked about her parents and she talks about them based on how she remembered them when she was a child, and these little stories become scenes which reveals not just her relationship with them, but a lot of her backstory of how she ended up where she's at now, which comes off a lot more natural than how I had originally done it. The same goes with relationships between her and friends and adversaries. In fact this continues through all 3 Acts, and even to the very end they continue do discover more about her, but within the context of what they already knew about her to keep it believable, and not as some desperate twist to shake and twist things up. Ultimately, her deep backstory that readers learn over time is what ties up the climax of the 3rd Act.

[@YsabelBirmingham]

Hey Abbie! I love your videos they help me so much!!! I don’t know if you’ve read the Harry Potter Series but if you have can you do a breakdown of some of the characters in the series because I think that the level of internal conflict that JK Rowling is able to achieve for so many different characters through a limited omniscient POV is unparalleled by a lot of other stories, especially in the YA genre, that I have read. I would love your take on how she is able to achieve it.

[@gladiator652004]

And her "Strike" murder mysteries are characterisation masterclasses too!

[@weabouo3182]

I started having chest pain a week ago and decide to continue writing my story Thanksie ❤

[@donaldcash113]

This lil' gal is very professional with a great voice. Excellent production...very slick. She's obviously very knowledgeable. Likeable.

[@meharbrar3132]

this was my last video in the binge watching saga of your videos which was at random by having a series of tabs from the sidebar

[@tayh.6235]

I have a main character who was a very high ranking nobleman who served a pretty awful king and has done some pretty awful things in the past. I got the idea once that his mother had been a common girl from an occupied land mostly because I needed somewhere for the characters to go next, but then as I developed that it turned out to be the key to everything about him. His loyalty to the rebel leader, his motivation for taking in his adopted daughter, the way he's always looking for someone else to tell him who he is and what he's supposed to be, everything stems from the way his "lowly" background and people seeing him as not one of them kept him on the defensive growing up.

[@Sunita.Kumari303]

Legends say this comment will get pinned as a random act of kindness. Besides, we all wanna say thank you Abbie for all that content you put out. I used to be a person who thought i had a blank mind but i changed that right after seeing one of your videos 💛

[@ironforged2329]

It wasnt pinned Lmao

[@todoroki_no_wife]

My favorite back story character it Ayanakajo kyotaka from classroom of the elite, which was reased in a hard way in a white room, but even though, I think I'll take my childhood as a reference because my childhood traumas are interesting, I'm so luck to have suck a sad story to add to my novel

[@kiararay8352]

HERE I WAS HUNTING FOR MY BACKSTORY AND AS EVER ABBIEE JUMPED IN LIKE, "HEY, YOUR LIFESAVER IS HERE" THANKSSSSSSSSS

[@DorothyOzmaLover]

Great insights and examples that are fun to watch. And, being a guitarist who plays for book trailers I like learning writers' process since that helps me understand characters when I interpret and represent them w/ original guitar music. Really like your notes on plot effecting characters' fears and misbeliefs! My favorite character's backstory tells of Princess Ozma from the original Oz books by L. Frank Baum since it's tragic and compelling & would make a wonderful film adaptation w/ Ozma as the lead character.

[@2ameliabrockmann]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! I NEEDED THIS. It’s like your reading my mind, Abbie!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!❤️ Also, i would be very interested in a video about why the first two seasons are always the best!!!

[@HelenaNenders]

Thank you! This helped alot, and i really look up to you as an aspiring middle-school author.. Thanks again!

[@ironforged2329]

Can you make about Gods, Religions, and Lore?

[@PS4Pat]

I don't really have a favorite backstory, but one that almost instantly comes to mind is Batman.

[@FieldMarshalTalionOswaldC]

I writed a book about the whole life of my main character...it's almost 200 pages long..and I'm kind of proud of it..

[@keerthipavuluri2732]

Abbie seriously u have such a perfect timing, I needed this so much❤️ thank you so much ❤️

[@glessier]

So good! I'm stuck right in this part of my outlining process.

[@faizthesurvivor]

the word always appear in Abbie video, * WHISPERING * INTERNAL CONFLICT

[@TheKaiticat]

"The first two seasons are always the best." Um, Abbie, you need to watch Avatar: The Last Airbender. 8D

[@thehairylarry]

I have a question but idk how to explain it. You know when a character has a goal and they want to achieve it? (Examples: Sasuke Uchiha and Zuko) When a character achieve his/her goal, he/she like switches his/her mind or something because they're disappointed? What do you call that?

[@SP-hb4mk]

It depends, but I know in the case of Zuko, it's a redemption arc because after his realisation that he's been chasing the wrong thing, he knows he has to repair the damage. Does that help?

[@sohndustin]

disillusionment. When a character achieves their external goal but it's not what they envisioned (like Soul, Parasite, Wreck-it-Ralph, etc.)

[@damijinadu4184]

That is the ‘aha’ moment that Abbie talks about. They realize that the thing they were chasing wasn’t what they wanted afterall

[@thehairylarry]

@@SP-hb4mk Well you helped me find a appropriate arc for my character so in a way you did. Thank you.

[@thehairylarry]

@@sohndustin Good good. Tysm.

[@Phobia-w7y]

My favourite character's backstory, He lived withhis sister with good parents who loved them but never had enough time for them since they were always working. They couldn't afford a babysitter so he learned to take care of himself. But he is still a children and makes mistakes, this time he started a fire and burned down the house. Killing his parent and his sister who died in his arms. He was then sent to an orphanage and the new family was like his but way more children and cold parents who never wanted this many. To make up for his mistake, he tries his best to take care of his siblings. One day, he found out onw of his siblings was bullied badly and kept it to himself because his own parents didn't care. There were many, many bruises on his arms. He killed the bullies and slapped his parents. Since he knew how nice parents could be, he could recognise how terrible they were. Him today. Overprotective of his siblings, selfish at times to take care of them. Tried to make money on his own to take care of them (even if it means to go beyond the limits of morality towards others) and is very mature with trust issues. His siblings think of him as a father and if he ever messed up taking care of them, he starts comparing himself to their old parents. Thsi is fantasy so he also curses jewellery and binds them to himself because he is an elf and they are known to be good at magic and wearing jewelley as well.

[@leah_beth]

Dude, my favorite character back story is Will Herondale from the Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare. At first you love him, and then you question him, and then you're TOTALLY confused and stuck between love and hate. Then, you find out why he acts like he does and you're HEARTBROKEN 💔 I mean, like, devastated. I love him so much because he is human. You can see his flaws and quirks, and you can also see how much he wishes he could fix them. Will is heartbreaking and perfect, and definitely my all time favorite book character, by far!!!🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@unicorntomboy9736]

I am working on a new short story that is about street racing in Los Angeles in the year 2007, with the main protagonist called Jack who drives a 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse (or a Toyota Supra). I am trying to work out how to begin the story, bit I have felt unmotivated as of late. Does this story idea sound like it would be a compelling story? Also in my most recent writing project, which was a Monster Hunter fanfiction, my protagonist's parents were killed by a giant spider that eaten them. I always end up using the Dead Parent/Mentor trope when writing characters.

[@dulceleamsigame2508]

Something I would love to see from heris She talking about specific stories or characters pointing what makes them good. I'm new here si I don't know if she has done that, I would love it

[@mariavalente6304]

Passive agressive Abbie is the best Abbie.

[@ocinidolegna]

funny how i did this on my own for my story's main antagonist before i figured out much about what id do with the protagonist lol. i definitely wanted to make sure i knew exactly why they were evil & not being evil for evil's sake 🙈

[@sriranjit3684]

My fav backstory is from A LITTLE LIFE By HANYA YANAGIHARA Jude's backstory

[@ryoeka4997]

I think Bruno's backstory of friends while showing the names was greate in boy in stripped pajamas

[@malakhroub4297]

Your videos are so entertaining! I can't feel time passing through watching and this rarely happens with me!!! Thank you Abbie🤜🏻♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

[@MissAria25255]

My favorite character backstory is from the series called Shera and the Princesses of Power. Catra is an orphan who was emotionally abused by her maternal figure who kept comparing her self-worth to her successfully talented best friend. Because her best friend keeps reminding her of her misbelief of always being "second best" and unworthy of being loved, she fights her throughout the series.

[@heartsandwhodunits8813]

I'm in the middle of writing my outline and developing my characters, so I thank you for this video. It's very timely. By the way, comgrats! You have 114 thousand followers!

[@agent_gaming6030]

I have a disease or something where I can't stop writing backstories. Maybe I can be a writer for an anime

[@akuma_killereva3683]

This is just what I needed to help me get better with my writing

[@pagedtales9560]

My favorite character arcs are Loki, Spiderman and Mia from if I stay Loki's misbelief: He will never be seen as an equal but a monster Reason: He's a frost giant and he doesn't BELONG in Asgard Spiderman: He can never live up to Tony Stark, his one and only idol Reason: Just everyone telling him that Mia: Music is causing all her relationships to break. Reason: Her parents were rock artists and she is a cellist, they had laughed when they heard she wants to play the cello. When she and Adam has fights over her going to Julliard, her misbelief solidifies

[@lkam1526]

OMYGHEE I WAS WAITING THE WHOLE DAY FOR A NEW VIDEO AND STILL LATE ☹️

[@riyashah4266]

It feels so amazing and easy to understand what u want to tell when u give us some examples 🥰🥰🥰

[@SanjeevSPundir]

wonderful insight...thanks.

[@asenethparker8561]

Abbie, after seeing this video I gasped at the fact that although I have been working on this story ( on and off) for ten years, I did not know one of the protaginists as well as I knew the other two. I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HER! How could that have happened? The other two characters told me why they are the way they are because their backstory is written in their monologues and throughout dialogs with the other two ladies. But, the main character (although when we first meet her in the story) is pretty well adjusted and living her best life. But after watching your video, my question was what happened to her in her past to make her stay with an abusive husband for 20-years. WOW! Thank you. I need to learn more from you.

[@bethf1580]

Thank you so much! This video was perfectly timed. I love my 3rd protagonist, but I couldn't get him to be as interesting as the other two and I couldn't figure out why. I know what kind of environment he grew up in and what he needs to learn (his misbelief), but I hadn't figured out why he is the way he is. I didn't realize that until this video. My other two characters, I have turning points for their past that make them who they are, but somehow I skipped this guy. Like, they all grew up in the same environment, but he handles it differently, and now I know that I don't know why. Time to brainstorm again. Thanks for the prompts! This is gonna help so much. Rock on, Abbie!

[@marcusshuford251]

I'm officially annoying you as the queen of author tube. You're not just rehashing advice you know your stuff. The details you gave about backstory purpose being to show who your character is in the present is priceless

[@kaytlynspicer6518]

In one of my stories, it isn't the main character who I talk about her backstory {Because there's a prequel that explains it} but about her trying to figure out what happened to her friend that made him hate Northerns so much. I should explain that this is set in Richmond Virginia in 1867 two years after the end of the American Civil War. My main character is not from the north but her family supported the north so that creates a nice conflict when her friend finds that out.

[@franklinsmith8857]

Thank you so much, you are very helpful. And I'm able to look at my stories in a whole new way.

[@CanalPolakasobalsa]

Subtitles!? D':

[@amazonbookworm1154]

This was super helpful. I have been struggling with my writing lately with life and I've been trying to get back into the swing of things again. And you're not 100% correct on the first two seasons being the best. Buffy comes to mind. The first season was pretty much awful. LOL! Have you seen North & South, the British series on the Industrial Revolution, not the one with Patrick Swayze? To me, especially for a romance, it is one of the most interesting series I've ever seen. Richard Armitage as Mr. Thornton is everything you could ask for in a tortured hero and I think he's a good example of knowing a character's backstory without having it info-dumped. That is the hardest thing when it comes to writing. Exposition or by show? Or a combination of both? Or do you do a prologue or a flashback? Sometimes that is the hardest choice to make when writing. You want to tantalize, not bash someone over the head with it. How to find that happy medium. And I just recently came across your channel. Your pride and prejudice piece is what brought me over. No idea how or why YT sent me here, but I'm glad they did. Sorry for the rambling post. I just logged off work and my brain hasn't kicked in yet. LOL

[@anointingwizard]

Abbie loves her some internal conflict

[@Lavenderina_Garden]

I'm working on my characters backstories. This really inspires me because I have this character named Nico Roberts, the historian. I can't give much info because of spoilers.

[@theelitistpanda9334]

Watching this made me realise that my writing, or at least my character back story, is a lot more advanced that I thought it was. thank you

[@mrpinkfreak4168]

I just saw my whole story come together..

[@chombongkojt.338]

My favorite character's backstory 1. Kurapika from the HunterXHunter manga: It makes the readers understand all of his emotional expressions: anger sadness coldness pain. So compelling backstory. 2. Magneto from X-Men: quite well-written. It gives explanation why he is a radical (in comparison with professor X) 3. I like backstory/flash-back in some survival genre shows. For example, Lost (first 2 seasons, of course) and Netflix's Alice in Borderland.

[@BubbleInThePond]

You remind me of Daphne in Bridgerton 🙂 I am sure I’m not the first to tell you!

[@zoeelovee2]

I get the idea of the character's misbelief, but what I don't understand is a character's misbelief in a romance story... like I want to write a romance. I have a pretty good idea of the conflicts and everything, but the whole "why it matters" part I can't answer because it's a romance? What is the lesson in a romance? I think I'm overthinking it, but AH.

[@captainowk459]

Well, Romance is just the genre not the personality of your characters, although they could be romatic of course, but even that would have a reason. What's the conflict of your characters and why is it even a conflict? Is someone not allowed to love someone else, why? Is someone too shy to tell the person he/she's in love with the truth, why? There is always something that happened in the past which formed the character to be the way it is now and lead to misbeliefs and conflicts. If your story is only based on love, then there must be reason why love is (or is not) so important to the characters.

[@amyzlife]

no.1 I'm 2 years late to the vid no.2 This may be cheating but from any book I've read, Westons backstory, (yes, from 100 days of sunlight) definitely stuck out to me the most. its compelling, heartbreaking, and yet beautiful. love your vids, Abbie!

[@jge8144]

Great vid, Abbie! So far, my favorite character backstory is Justin from 2017's The Endless. His misbelif is that he has to be in control of his and his younger brother's, Aaron, well-being. When they were teens, they grew up in a mysterious commune called Camp Arcadia. Justin was never comfortable with the camp's philosophy giving up control to an entity he didn't believe, then later found out that the camp memebers were all going to kill themselves, and Justin took Aaron and ran away from the camp. Btw, who hates it when movies establish character arc and misbeliefs only to cut it short as soon as Act 2 barely starts? Also, Abbie how cab I give a villain internal conflict without having the backstory be tragic, such as "I'm evil because something bad happened to me." I look at movie villains like Heath Ledger's Joker from the Dark Knight and James Moriarty from BBC Sherlock. These two have little backstory but, to me, they're still effective villains. Your thoughts?

[@seraphime86]

That was very helpful and informative! Thank you so much

[@luna-thevives]

Me : comes here for writing another book. My brain : this lady keeps getting better like fine wine.

[@shashibhushan6600]

I'm a new writer and a new subscriber you help a lot with my stories

[@elmiathewriter]

1:23 I'm already in love with this video!

[@JusteenCurtis]

Ask Abbie@ I have a question. How do you pinpoint a character’s backstory for a character doesn’t know their past? I have a character who thought they knew their past, but actually she is not who she thought she was. I have my theme I’m trying to communicate, but I don’t know how to weave it into my character’s backstory.

[@johnmichael_]

THANKYOU!!🙌🙌

[@KimTaehyung-xs5eg]

Thank you 😊

[@keep.coolscenes]

Abbie you are a life saviour😭 I was just trying to find a way to write a good backstory for my character

[@obsessedwithart231]

I want to write a story about a character similar to myself. Always feeling like they are not good enough, never really understanding themselves, and terrified for their lives that nobody will ever understand them as much as they understand themselves. I want to write a story were they truly find out who they are. I’m hoping if I can come up with it, and write it, maybe I’ll find myself along the way too.

[@TheOneAndOnlyBobbie]

I'm writing a book right now and my main character was forced to watch his father's limbs get pulled apart by a stretcher and his mother get her bottom jaw slit open against her will. I think it's going well for him so far.

[@brianhershon2531]

Abbie, your guidance on backstory is SO helpful. Thank you squared

[@hidaravekko2330]

Lol I didn't expect the main char from Mr. Selfridge be very similar to my main char XD (except the backstory) Nice video btw!

[@OneOfThemSprinkles]

To be honest I was just bored and made two oc's (or the design for two oc's at least) but I end up liking them too much and now need to make them a story so I can make content about them and have a excuse to use them lol. I want to do something good with this even trough it's out of order (it's good to have the backstory before the design and all that).

[@joshuaramos6522]

Omghhh The Mr. Selfridge example sounds so similarly to my MC's internal conflict! He strives to be the best husband & father (fear based). He's also wealthy & famous, & his family loves him 👀

[@xXHallowed_EveXx]

Title :Andromeda Chapter 1: new home Andromeda was woken up by the annoyingly loud intercom system. "Attention all passengers, we are about to land so ,for your own safety, please report to your safety pods " Andromeda rushed out of her bed faster than the spaceship she had spent her whole life on. "Kepler get up!" She yelled to wake her brother(kepler)up. "The ship is landing ! We're here!" Even though kepler could sleep through something as loud as the intercom system, he couldn't sleep through His sister's yelling. "Coming Andy " shouted kepler . The spaceship hadn't been on land since it left earth 30 million years ago . "Are you sure it's not a false alarm Andy? the ship hasn't landed in 30 million years" Kepler questioned. "It's not a false alarm kepler , maybe if you stopped sleeping through the intercom announcements you wouldn't miss the important stuff, now get your butt into the safety pod " The safety pods were basically mini spaceships that could fit two people that would be ejected if that spaceship crashed. Andromeda didn't have to say anything for others to comprehend how exited she was as all her excitement showed on her face. Kepler was 21 and almost 7ft tall so he couldn't sit on the chairs in the pod , wich was funny for Andromeda.

[@JavaLatteJesus1]

Writing backstory seems challenging! I have to write backstory about a character who is a masked villain! And I have to write the villains childhood flashback

[@sendaisweetie5297]

I don't have trouble creating character backstory, but I do have trouble fitting it into the story. I'm having difficulty fitting the antagonist's backstory into my book without an info-dump. Any tips?

[@ProSkillzDragonGal]

I put my characters through so much pain in their past haha. My favourite of the lot of them (2nd book in my trilogy will be from his POV) watched his entire species (dragonborn) get slaughtered by his older brother and role model without being able to do a thing to save them. He was simply forced to watch the massacre while being frozen in place. After all of that he was sealed away for a long time before finally being freed 300 years later... as the last surviving member of his species and without any memory of what happened in the past. He doesn't know himself at all anymore and all he has to go off of is the false truth believed by every human in existence: that dragonborn were vicious savages and a danger to anyone and anything around them. He can't understand why he doesn't feel a thread of danger in himself but as flashes of his memory return he slowly starts to believe more and more that anyone around him will inevitably suffer or be hurt in some way. Eventually all of his horrible memories return when something provokes them and all his fears and demons from back then return too. He now fully blames himself for everything simply because he was unable to do anything to stop the slaughter and his misbelief about being a danger to everyone and everything has fully solidified. Yea... he's been through a lot (sorry Zarin 😅)