How To Write A Captivating Backstory And Lore For Your Characters (With Examples)

Beyond Skin Deep: How Character Design Shapes Personalities

Creating a character’s lore begins when you first design the character. The way you use the fundamentals of character design in your character can connect to their backstory, and vice versa. When lore and design work together, the result is a character that feels totally real and alive. 

For example, let's say you design a gruff, weathered old cowboy character. He’ll probably have a scarred face, heavy brow, and rigid posture. These immediately tell you something about his past. Someone with an easy life without many hardships wouldn’t have those features. So, a character with these features is sure to have struggled. That visual design then gives you a starting point to develop their lore. Maybe they've survived intense shoot-outs or lost partners along the way. Their backstory and personality traits can then feed back into the design! (Psst…make sure to tweak your character’s design if you aren’t happy with it yet. A bad character design might be a disservice to their awesome lore!)

‍

This is John Marston, from Red Dead Redemption 1 and 2. Without seeing anything other than his face, we already know a few things about his lore. It’s clear that this character is a cowboy that’s been through a lot. His hat tips us off to his wild west lifestyle. Then, his scars tell a story of a hard life. Finally, his furrowed brow and wrinkles show us he likely dealt with lots of stress. 

Fun fact: John’s scars didn’t always tell a story! In Red Dead Redemption 1, there is no explanation of how he got those scars. We only find out what happened to him early on in Red Dead Redemption 2. This is a perfect example of a character’s design impacting their lore! Sometimes, the design comes before the lore. Other times, that’s reversed! 

Tame the Info Tornado!

It's important to keep all the little details about your original character in one place. Think about it! Your OC has a backstory, personality traits, goals, relationships…need I go on? You’ve crafted a whole bunch of other juicy info here! The last thing you want to do is get lost in it. (Or, heaven forbid, lose some of it.) If that info is scattered all over the place, it'll be a big headache to keep track of it.

 That's where a tool like CharacterHub comes in handy! CharacterHub lets you build a profile for all of your characters. Each profile is super customizable, too! You can add sections for their appearance, bio, lore, abilities, and much more. Having everything in one spot makes it a breeze to reference later. Plus, CharacterHub lets you upload images and drawings of your OC. It's the perfect way to keep your character feeling consistent and complex! Click here to check it out!

The Backstory of a Backstory

Let’s go behind the scenes of a backstory. The first step is to start asking questions. Lots of ‘em! Where was your character born? What was their family like? What major events or struggles have shaped them? Dig deep into their past and uncover their roots. From here, your character will grow into their personality, beliefs, and worldview. If you understand the "why" behind who they are, they’ll feel richer and more authentic. It’s time to grab a shovel and get digging!

1) Understand Your OC’s Personality 

How well do you know your character, really? Can you confidently say that you know them completely? If not, here’s your first step. Figuring out your OC's personality is like being a detective. That means-you guessed it- more questions. Make a list of their likes, dislikes, quirks, and pet peeves. What makes them tick? What are their core values and beliefs? Building an awesome backstory is easy once you know your OC in and out!

That’s not the only way you can get to know your character, though. Start by doing some character development activities. It’s as simple as getting to know someone new! Except, well, they don’t exist. Alright, I’ll admit that you’ll probably end up asking yourself a couple more questions here, too. You can get pretty creative with these, though! The user maniCARNY on CharacterHub sure was. She created a playlist for her OC, Andon. That definitely counts as a character development tool! Plus, they made a moodboard for him as well. Both of these things help someone understand Andon’s vibe and aesthetic. That isn’t always possible by drawing or writing about a character or their world. Looking at the below moodboard gives us a ton of info! We can get a glimpse into Andon’s world and his daily life just at a glance.

‍

Next, try writing a detailed character description.  What are some key details about your character?  Paint a vivid picture so your readers can visualize your OC and really get to know them. Andon has been supplied with this, too! His artist took great care to list out his basic information, stats, abilities, and much more. His character description is a great introduction to him and his story! These bits of general info about Andon as a character are italicized.

‍

“Andon is a Maak who formerly worked alongside a supernatural containment organization. He primarily worked to keep an eye on Maaks who were imprisoned, but in the past he actively worked to fight criminals and send them to prison.

He eventually learned that the system for detaining Maaks was very corrupt and unfair, and chose to backstab his organization and start a revolution to encourage better rights for Maaks.

He is an extremely powerful Maak. Most Maaks have relatively lowkey powers, but Andon has the ability to enter an alternate dimension and directly affect the real world in any way he wants. The power is dangerous, yet very helpful to Andon's cause.

Because Andon is a cyborg, that doesn't necessarily make him invincible, and leaves him vulnerable to being deactivated through electrical currents. Regardless, he is a force to be feared.”

Andon’s Character Description by maniCARNY

Finally, hone in on your character's key motivations. What are their deepest hopes and dreams? What fears or insecurities hold them back? Understanding what drives your OC means knowing what makes them frustrated or inspired. This will help you craft a backstory that feels authentic. Authentic backstories are compelling backstories, people! 

In Andon’s character description, we get some hints about his motivations and goals. I underlined this part. By the way, Andon’s full story goes into much more detail than this. As it should! You want your full story to be full of details. This amount of information is perfect for a short character description, though. Sometimes, a short, simple summary is all you need!

‍

2) Consider This! 

Think about your character as they are now. This is who/what they became because of their lore. What if they started out as the complete opposite? For example, what if your OC, a criminal on the run, started out as a cop? Or, what if a totally ordinary guy became a divine being? If you’re stumped on what to write for your character’s lore, consider this: maybe it’s time for a twist! Get creative with how your OC got from point A to point B. What would it take to shake them to their core? What would rock their world so much that they had no choice but to change who they are? What would this change do to them? 

‍

Let’s take a look at another character with a backstory with twists and turns. Meet the angel who wants to be anything but: Lysander Luthier. He may not look super angelic here, but that makes sense. He’s no typical angel.  (Lysander might be divine, but that doesn't mean he will give up his aesthetic, too! He’s already lost enough as it is!) His creator, Paracosmic, also made a moodboard and playlist for him. Check off the ‘make a good character design’ and ‘develop the character’ steps! 

Lysander starts out as a regular farm boy in a family devoted to a deity. He grows up falling in love with the simple, slow life of the farm. Until one day, everything changes. He spotted a white doe while walking, and locked eyes with her. Suddenly, angel wings painfully sprout from his back. The goddess Gallalai had chosen him to be one of her angels. Now, there would be no turning back to the life he used to love. He has to learn to navigate his new divinity while leaving behind the simple life he loved. 

Not all backstories have to follow this formula, though. Plenty of characters are simply born bad! I mean, just look at Michael Myers from Halloween. He has no motivation for doing what he does. Still, he has a dedicated fan base of horror lovers! Good characters can totally have simple backstories without twists and turns! This step is all about considering what you might have not thought about before. You might be surprised what lies right outside of the box!

‍

Other Examples of OCs With Great Lore

‍

The CharacterHub community is full of OCs with epic backstories. Some started out with little, but accomplished amazing things. In this section, we'll explore the lore of a few featured characters from CharacterHub. Let’s unearth the experiences and pivotal events that shaped who they are today. Get ready to be inspired by these compelling backstories!

‍

• Get to Know Montoya by kaiserrath : “A benevolent demon, once an angel fallen from grace. He possesses two bodies capable of independent action yet shares a singular consciousness, a result of being split in punishment for a wartime transgression long ago. Seeking redemption for his past, he wandered the Earth in a diminished state for an extensive period. Fate led him to chance upon a group of children enduring severe hardships without families. Compelled by an inner calling, he took on the responsibility to care for them. Presently, he lives as a weary but devoted father to three mischievous souls. Despite his weariness, he embodies the essence of a commendable parent.

Referring to him singularly as 'he' or collectively as 'they' fits due to his dual-bodied existence, although fundamentally he remains one individual.”

• This is such a creative idea for a character! The layers to this lore are incredible. The oxymoron ‘benevolent demon’ is an interesting enough concept. Then, knowing that he was once a fallen angel adds a bit of tragedy to his story. (Or, maybe it was a fun freefall from grace!) Any story that can show a literal demon helping needy children is likely skillfully written.

• Meet Swan by EbenezarMcCoy : “Joined US Navy at 18. He was put in a Spec. Ops. Stealth squad. On a mission, he was watching the operation from a distance, making sure shit didn’t hit the fan. And said shit promptly hit said fan. He then proceeded to blow the place to hell as a backup plan. He went on a few more missions with a different squad, but it wasn’t the same. Since peacetime came around, he lives on his own, except for G3N12IS and Ebenezer. G3N12IS was installed onto Swan as an AI strategist, helping Swan lead missions. After peacetime came around, he has been acting as a PTSD management AI and friend.

He found Ebenezer through his car. He went to get the GTO a twin turbo, and Ebenezer was the local customs guy. They met and soon found that they connected really well. They were friends for a good while, and then started dating. They’ve been living together ever since.”

• This is a great example of good lore. We have a good, compelling foundation. Next, it’s clear that Swan changes and grows as a character throughout this story. Nobody could be the same after going through what he went through. It’s also a great touch to include G3N12IS’s role as an aid for Swan’s PTSD. 

• Say hello to Plitz Pirahna by VITREALIS : “Plitz is a piranha plant that's long since gone rogue on the great koopa king himself , living deep in the jungle and inside of an overgrown green pipe . Its home is small , yet comfortable - as it opens up into a more spacious living area , furnished with diy furniture that plitz built by hand using knocked over trees , hollowed tree trunks , overgrown mushrooms , vines and the webbing from scuttlebugs .

Its reasoning for leaving king bowser's army is due to how tiring it felt , and how boring it was jumping out of pipes and biting at passerbys all day . This piranha has legs , and this piranha wants to go sightseeing ! Hence , plitz ended up going rogue while on the job one day , making sure to leave a trail of shell-less koopas and bite-marked goombas as their resignation gift . In turn , they're wanted for many things , such as betrayal , treason , and the injuries caused by their big break away . despite being actively sought out , plitz doesn't hide away as much , and does enjoy spending it's time roaming around each world and kingdom it comes by , stomping on any troops sent their way if necessary “

• Here’s a great example of giving your OC a twist in their lore. Piranha plants are usually pretty dedicated to Bowser. I mean, why else would they spend all their time biting people’s ankles? (Plus, adding in the detail that Plitz was bored by this tells us something about him! We might conclude from this detail that he’s a bit hyperactive!) This story is fun and cute while being quite unique.

• Salutations to Kitty Callahan by Chatvert : "Kitty was a normal student at Al-Andalus Academy for the Magical Arts and Sciences. Her grades were average, she had a few friends - really, there was absolutely nothing special about her.

Then one day, a mage came to kill her.

Her Combat Magic professor, Alec Trovinsky, leapt in front of the curse and cast a powerful shield, but he was marked and disfigured by it. Kitty was safe from harm. Almost immediately Trovinsky revealed that he was an agent of the Triskele, an interdimensional organization working to maintain the balance between the supernatural, mundane, and extraterrestrial worlds. And just like that, Kitty was whisked away into witness protection under the Triskele's auspices so they could investigate why she had been the target of an assassination attempt.

Now she lives in a sleepy northern California town with her new 'family' - Trovinsky and his longtime girlfriend Dr. Kamala Lakshmi - and they're all pretending to be nice and normal and 100% mundane until they figure out just what happened and how much danger Kitty might still be in. Someone wants her dead. The question is why.”

• This backstory has a great start. When your character starts out plain or average, they have lots of potential. Let’s say a character begins their story as awesome as they’ll ever be. Then, we wouldn’t get to see them struggle and grow! What would the fun be in reading their lore then? Plus, this has a great, engaging fish-out-of-water dynamic. Kitty being thrust into witness protection and a new "normal" life is a perfect example of this! On top of being interesting, this lore is pretty relatable, too. We’ve all felt like a fish-out-of-water at some point!

‍

3) Putting Pen To Paper

‍

Overthinking got you stuck? Just start writing! Don't worry if you don't love (or even like!) what comes out at first. The important thing right now is getting words on a page. Give free writing a try! First, think about what you want to write. Then, set a timer for 20 minutes. Now, write whatever comes to mind. Don’t stop or correct yourself. Once that timer goes off, stop and read what you wrote. Some of it might be totally useless. That’s okay, because this is just a way to get some ideas on paper. You can delete what you can’t use, and be inspired by what you can! (We’ll touch on this in the next step!) Trust me, the first step is often the hardest part. But once you get the ball rolling, the rest gets way easier. 

‍

When it comes to writing, you just have to start! Stop agonizing over finding the perfect words or crafting the ultimate opening line. Just start typing! Write anything, even if it's totally rough and messy. The key is to get your creativity flowing and not let overthinking hold you back. Remember, the first draft is never your final draft. So, give yourself permission to write something imperfect. Get those creative juices pumping! Once you have something to work with, you can start refining and improving it all. But you gotta start somewhere, right? So what are you waiting for? Grab a pen or open a new document, and let the words start flowing!

‍

Tip: If you’re just unsure about writing a character bio in general, it’s time to practice! Choose any already existing character and write about them. You don’t have to post this anywhere or share it with anyone, so no pressure! You can choose a character you already know and love. Or, maybe check out some public domain characters to write about!

‍

4) Time to Refine!

Now, it’s time to review what you’ve written up to this point. A lot of it might be unusable, incomplete, or just wrong. That’s okay! With a different color pen (or a highlighter, if you’re typing), circle or highlight what definitely doesn’t work. What causes plot holes in the overall story? What is out of character? Where is the fluff? Without deleting anything quite yet, take stock of what you have so far. After all, what you highlight may be important aspects of your character! So, you might be hesitant to just throw those bits away. 

Make a second document. This time, remove what you highlighted. Don’t just copy and paste, though! It’s been shown that actually re-writing (or re-typing!) something helps you refine your writing. You’re more likely to come up with new ideas with this method. Or, you might figure out a new way to write something that didn’t work originally! 

Now, read both versions of your character’s lore. Does removing what you highlighted help the story flow? Without these parts, does your character feel complete? Do you have to replace these elements with new ones? Consider if these elements have a place before deleting them altogether. 

This part never really ends. You might refine your character until the end of time! That’s the tricky part. My advice? Stop when you like it. Your character’s lore doesn’t have to be perfect, and neither does your character! Think of it this way: It’s better for it to be done and imperfect than perfect and never finished! Plus, how many perfect people have you met in your life? Let’s say you have, somehow, met a perfect person. Would you really want to hear their life story? 

Wrapping up

Phew, building a character's backstory can be a lot of work. (Honestly, making a character in general is a lot of work! But it’s worth it, I promise!) Think of it like putting together a puzzle. The more pieces you have, the clearer the full picture becomes. Here’s the thing about puzzles: You usually can reference the final picture while you’re making it. Without knowing exactly how your character will end up, you might struggle knowing how they started. When making characters, you’ll probably find yourself shaping your own puzzle pieces. Later, you might have to reshape them. Maybe you’ll have to throw away some pieces, if they don’t fit into the big picture! Once you finally complete your character, your character will thank you! (Hopefully, anyways! Don’t put your poor characters through too much trauma, haha!)

‍