The Wound That Came First: How to Create a Backstory That Haunts
A Deep-Dive into Character Origin, Trauma, and Transformation
Written by April Martin
Every character begins with a wound.
Not always a trauma in the clinical sense, but a moment, a split, a silence, a loss, that fractured the world they once believed in.
Backstory isn’t just about what happened before page one.
It’s about the echoes still ringing inside them.
Why Backstory Matters
A well-crafted backstory doesn’t simply tell us where a character came from.
It whispers why they are the way they are.
Why does she never let herself fall in love?
Why does he lie when the truth would be easier?
Why do they flinch when someone reaches for them?
These aren’t quirks. They’re scars. And scars are maps.
Start with the Core Question:
What broke them, and what do they still believe because of it?
This single question can reveal:
Deep-seated fears
Conflicted desires
Mistrust in others (or in themselves)
Coping strategies that double as character flaws
From there, you can begin to trace their narrative DNA.
Key Backstory Elements to Explore
1. Early Life and Environment
Where did they grow up? Urban slum, mystical forest, foster care system, monastery?
What rules did they internalize from that place?
2. Family and Origin Bonds
Who raised them, or failed to?
Were they loved, used, ignored, shaped, or protected?
What did “home” teach them about safety, loyalty, and identity?
3. Education and Formative Experiences
Were they trained, indoctrinated, or self-taught?
What was their first brush with death? Power? Shame?
4. Key Relationships
Who was the first person they loved, and what happened to them?
Who betrayed them?
Who do they still carry, like a ghost in their bones?
Writing Prompt: The Defining Scar
Describe a single event that changed your character in a way they never fully recovered from.
What lie did they begin to believe about themselves, or others, because of that event?
How the Past Shapes the Present
Now ask:
What decisions in the story are rooted in this backstory?
What wounds are still unhealed?
Does the story offer them a repetition of that past, or a redemption from it?
Backstory is most powerful when it:
Mirrors the central plot
Challenges their worldview
Explains the irrational, self-destructive, or noble choices they make
Trauma-Informed Tips (For Depth and Responsibility)
Avoid romanticizing trauma, honor it by showing its complexity
Let characters respond differently to similar experiences
Consider trauma responses: freeze, fawn, fight, or flight
Show growth that isn’t linear: relapses, regressions, resistance to healing
Archetypal Patterns in Backstory
Characters often fall into mythic backstory types:
The Orphaned Hero – abandoned or betrayed, seeking belonging
The Haunted Warrior – marked by loss, bound to protect or avenge
The Broken Oracle – burdened with knowledge or foresight that cost them dearly
The Exiled Healer – cast out for what they could not fix
Let your backstory echo through symbol, memory, and ritual.
Final Thought
Backstory is not just exposition.
It is the echo chamber where every choice, fear, and transformation is forged.
It is the shadow behind the eyes.
The silence in the dialogue.
The ghost in the room that no one else can see, but the reader feels.
And when done right, it’s not just your character who’s haunted.
It’s your audience, too.