Pro tip: stop writing your characters backstories before you know the plot

Spent 4 hours crafting a thieve's guild backstory for my fantasy novel. Turns out my main character actually needed to be a blacksmith's apprentice for the first act to work. Had to scrap almost all of it and start over. Has anyone else written themselves into a corner by worldbuilding too early?

3 comments

3 Comments

gracethomas10d ago

Nah I actually do the opposite on purpose. If you know who your character is and what they want, the backstory writes itself as you figure out the plot.

brooke_taylor4410d ago

@Gracethomas I'm over here making up backstories before I even name my character.

charles83610d ago

@gracethomas how do you even know what they want without some backstory first though...

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