How do I make a good character backstory?

[Weed]

I always struggle when making a backstory for my character. I was wondering if anyone has any tips.

I think we always try to start with the parents thing such as 'Two lovely parents or dad missing out...'. It's always what I done. But that feels too much cliché.

The main goal of this character is to join LSPD but I don't have much ideas for the story.

Thanks, I appreciate any advice or help.

[9TriLLo]

Hey, I've seen these questions posted somewhere on this forum and figured they might come in helpful when thinking a new character through:

 

1. How does the character look like?

2. What impression does the character make to a stranger?

3. How did they grow up?

4. Do they still have contact figures they bound to during their youth?

5. What's the characters motivation to go try their luck with whatever they do?

6. Which places has the character visited in their past?

7. Does the character believe in God? If yes, which one(s)?

8. What's your character's point of view on organized crime, politics and police?

9. What for would the character risk their life?

10. What's the character's greatest wish?

11. What is the character afraid of?

12. Does the character uphold any morals or legal values and standards?

13. Is the character open to strangers or xenophobic?

14. How much does the character value life, in itself?

15. Does the character like or dislike animals?

16. Does the character have a sense for aesthetics?

17. What's their favorite food?

18. What about the character's love life?

19. Does the character keep any dark secrets he does not want to be discovered?

20. Which are their main defining skills and character traits?

 

You can start with these, elaborate on them and then come up with a more detailed backstory. Be realistic and creative.

 

Good luck!

[BaileyG]

58 minutes ago, 9TriLLo said:

Hey, I've seen these questions posted somewhere on this forum and figured they might come in helpful when thinking a new character through:

 

1. How does the character look like?

2. What impression does the character make to a stranger?

3. How did they grow up?

4. Do they still have contact figures they bound to during their youth?

5. What's the characters motivation to go try their luck with whatever they do?

6. Which places has the character visited in their past?

7. Does the character believe in God? If yes, which one(s)?

8. What's your character's point of view on organized crime, politics and police?

9. What for would the character risk their life?

10. What's the character's greatest wish?

11. What is the character afraid of?

12. Does the character uphold any morals or legal values and standards?

13. Is the character open to strangers or xenophobic?

14. How much does the character value life, in itself?

15. Does the character like or dislike animals?

16. Does the character have a sense for aesthetics?

17. What's their favorite food?

18. What about the character's love life?

19. Does the character keep any dark secrets he does not want to be discovered?

20. Which are their main defining skills and character traits?

 

You can start with these, elaborate on them and then come up with a more detailed backstory. Be realistic and creative.

 

Good luck!

These questions are seriously really thought out, and it's a great starting point. You're essentially writing a short story about your character, but it needs to make sense and be relevant to the server. Using the information you prefill above should make for a great backstory. 

[Ali]

Sometimes you don't really need to develop a fully fleshed character through a story, but rather a narrative to set them up to continue through in-game roleplay. If your character is joining LSPD you're not really as confined as you would be say if you wanted your character to be a member of an LCN organisation. So you've got a lot of flexibility in terms of where you can go with it.

 

Most important areas imo are their history - where they grew up, family, major life experiences, and then you might want to think about an arch/point of note where the story may pivot. Throughout the story you can create a form of motivation/incentive to supplement your end goal. It's your character at the end of the day and the story is yours to tell but I hope these pointers were useful.

[Moe]

While having a backstory is necessary in order to give your character a personality and a sense of identity, don't make it too specific and detailed, because then you're just restricting yourself to a very specific area of RP, and if it doesn't work out then the character is pretty much dead. Their backstory should explain their personality, who they are, where they grew up, their hobbies and most importantly, their flaws. Your character needs to have flaws. Other than that, let everything develop in character, let the RP take its course and affect the future decisions that your character makes.

[Mecovy]

What I try to do, is pick a topic you want to start for your character. A topic or condition to explore via RP. Then build your story up from there from IG interactions and character development. Other people have different methods but that's what I use. It's also good practice to make sure you include negative's in your character. So they may not have developed adequate social skills so will often come off as rude or not understand certain thing's that others are saying.

[Daylong]

My suggestion would be for you to try to make the character story a rather dull, without many major events that have occurred, in other words, see your character as a blank page for your IC development. Base it around an area, ethnicity, income class, education he/she underwent. The reason I am saying not to include major events, because it sometimes get overboard and people create Hollywood worthy background stories, while in reality, everyone's pretty much an average Joe. Development should be left out for IC events to shape your character either way. Important thing might be flaws and how your character developed them, also, I saw some people RP medical conditions, which is a cool dynamic.

[i dont wanna od in LA]

Just do your research properly in the first place. That's the #1 rule of starting a good character. Don't bother yourself with traits and flaws, because they might simply not fit the background of your character at all. Google is your best friend.

[Lomadias]

I give my character a personality, the strength's, weaknesses, accent, mannerisms that make them unique. Then the story I make fit around them. Don't force yourself down a narrow path.

[Biscuit]

Considering this resolved.

 

If not, contact me via forum PMs and I'll bring the thread back.

 

Archiving.