We Get It, They Have Issues. What Are They Gonna Do About It?

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We love a juicy backstory. That tragic childhood, that long-lost love, that formative betrayal, these are the things that make a character feel real, right?

Kind of.

Backstory matters, but not as much as we like to think. What really defines a character on the page, the thing that hooks a reader, is choice.

Choices Reveal Character

You can tell me a character grew up on the streets, clawed their way out of poverty, and learned not to trust anyone, but I won’t feel that character until I watch them choose not to save a friend in a dangerous moment because they’re too afraid of betrayal. Or better yet, until I see them risk it anyway.

What your character chooses, especially under pressure, reveals who they are in a way no backstory ever can. Readers want to watch people make decisions, wrestle with consequences, and change.

It’s in those heart-pounding moments, when the stakes are real (well they’re made up, but you know what I mean,) the outcome uncertain, that character shines through. Does your thief turn in the loot to save a kidnapped child? Does your hero take the fall to protect someone else? Does your villain hesitate before crossing a line they swore they’d never cross?

Your readers aren’t here for your character’s résumé. They’re here to watch them make choices that echo beyond the page.

Backstory Explains. Choice Defines.

Backstory explains why your character fears commitment.

Choice shows whether they run, or whether they stay despite their fear.

Backstory explains why your villain craves power.

Choice shows how far they’ll go to seize it…or whether they’ll walk away.

It’s tempting to pour all your creative energy into a rich, layered history for your characters. And that’s fine, as long as you remember that history is the shadow, not the spotlight. The real story is in what your character does when it counts.

Ask yourself this, when the moment comes, what decision do they make? What does that reveal about who they are, and who they want to be?

Stakes + Choice = Reader Investment

A choice without stakes is boring. And a backstory without a present-moment decision is just exposition.

But put your character in a situation where they have something to lose, force them to choose, and suddenly your reader is leaning in. They want to know what happens next. They want to know who this character really is. They have to know!

Stakes don’t have to be life and death. They can be personal, emotional, or relational. The point is, the outcome matters to your character, and by extension, to your reader. Give them a meaningful decision with consequences, and you’ll create a moment that sticks.

Think about the choices that make you fall in love with a character. The soldier who refuses an unjust order. The sister who forgives a betrayal. The villain who spares a life at the last second. Those are the moments readers remember. Those are the moments that define your story.

Use Backstory as Context, Not Crutch

The best stories weave backstory in as subtext—the shadows behind the choices. Hint at it. Let it shape the character’s internal conflict. But keep the spotlight on the now.

Your character’s past matters.

Their choices matter more.

Think of backstory like seasoning, not the main course. Use it to add depth and flavor, but don’t let it overpower the dish. Your reader wants to experience the story unfolding in real time, not sit through a history lecture.

If a piece of backstory doesn’t inform a choice or raise the stakes, ask yourself if you really need it on the page. Sometimes, what’s unsaid can speak volumes.

Writing Challenge: Take a scene you love and ask yourself, am I relying on backstory here? What choice is my character making right now? How can I make it harder, riskier, or more revealing?

That’s where the story lives.