@katrina101010 Okay, so! When I go into writing my backstories, I think about how I want them to END. If you're trying to write a character into a campaign, the ending should lend itself to another beginning. I think about the GOALS that my character is going into the campaign with. From there, I ask, "How did this goal become a driving force for them?" And then backwards again, "What life were they leading before their goals?"
I try to keep the stories under ~3,000 words, or ten pages. Most DMs won't actually read that much (as a DM, I will read EVERYTHING my players send me; the more the better! But not all feel the same). 2-5 pages is probably the sweet spot for back stories. So keeping things short, with a clear story path is the best.
Once I have a basic A-B-C outline of my story, I think about how I want to PLAY that character. Azazel, for example, I tried to use short, clear sentences. She was raised by a bear, after all, so she has less to say out loud. On the other hand, Mild Spice talks A LOT, so her sentences tend to be longer and feel LOUDER.
I have no idea if this process is going to work for everyone, but I really hope it helps! Thank you for your patience while I found words for you! ~Kaz
