It's possible a writer can do what annlarimer told me she does, which is to create a separate history as needed for each story.
I don't go anything like that far. But Nicholas (for example) doesn't have to have the same backstory in every, er, story I write. To put it in more fannish terms, they don't have to take place in the same universe. Does he need family? Does he need to not have family? Whatever, story.
Oh, don't make me go into my chat history to see what you said because you'd probably be right and then I will obsess about misquoting you so for the record you have to agree with what I said, okay?
Besides, how is creating separate universes different than creating separate histories?
When I was writing orginal fiction, one of my favorite parts was creating the characters and the backstory and the mythology of the world me and my co-writer were working within. There's something about generating ideas and figuring out who these people are, that's very euphoric to me. It's very satisfying. Sadly, I think, when it comes to my attempts at org. fiction, I am better at developing the story. characters, history, than I am at actually executing the story
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I'm great at character and world building. Perhaps I missed my calling as a RP Game developer, who knows.
I especially like what you say in you last paragraph there. I think the gaps in canon are exactly what draws me to fanfiction. It is in the filling of these gaps that my character development takes place.
I figure backstory is sort of like building a set: you need to have enough stuff on the backside to hold up the bits that are visible on-camera and keep them from falling over, and it all has to extend far enough that you aren't going to see the raw edges creeping into the frame, but it's not like the rest of the house actually exists.
(I mean, unless you're filming on location because you found a really good spot and you're just going to drop everything in to a pre-existing scene -- but then you have to pay attention to how you get all the cameras and lights and stuff through the door.)
I don't think original fiction is really any different, though. You still only generate as much backstory as needed, it's just that you're aware how much of it ends up on the cutting-room floor. The audience never sees it, but you have to have had it there for the rest of the performances to look right...
It's backstory that makes me see fanart as a break! I don't have to do it, I don't need to do squillions of concept pieces, character sheets, maps and plans. I just sit down and draw whatever I damn well please, maybe referring to dvds or books for details and schematics, but someone has done all the legwork for me. I can just run with their ideas and reference their pre-existing bits and pieces
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I think many writers see back story the same way, as unseen depth to character. And two-dimensional characters are probably lacking enough back story to make them feel real, but I think, from a writing standpoint, extensive character building too often takes the place of plot.
True! Sometimes, it's nice to have a character study piece, but not everyone can pull that off. It's more about having a feel for the character than a backstory for them anyway.
Two dimensional characters are necessary in stories, and fun to play and expand upon with in fanfiction.
I like having a backstory filtered out from the canon material of whatever fandom I'm interested in, of course, but making up my own is very hard for me. It feels like I'm messing around with someone else's things, y'know? Like fishing around in that fandom's sock drawer and re-arranging things, as well as adding my own socks and a few fuzzy booties. More or less
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For myself, while seeing what others have done with their fanfic backstories is interesting, it really only adds to my confusion when I'm trying to do my own.
I tend to agree. This is why I get slightly irritated when others make it a point to go into their back stories. It's all well and good when you're writing a story, but a good back story doesn't need explaining outside the events of your story. In my opinion, that is.
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I don't go anything like that far. But Nicholas (for example) doesn't have to have the same backstory in every, er, story I write. To put it in more fannish terms, they don't have to take place in the same universe. Does he need family? Does he need to not have family? Whatever, story.
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Besides, how is creating separate universes different than creating separate histories?
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I especially like what you say in you last paragraph there. I think the gaps in canon are exactly what draws me to fanfiction. It is in the filling of these gaps that my character development takes place.
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So that's what I should do with my life. :)
i probably would really enjoy doing stuff like that...though I'm not a gamer...
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I figure backstory is sort of like building a set: you need to have enough stuff on the backside to hold up the bits that are visible on-camera and keep them from falling over, and it all has to extend far enough that you aren't going to see the raw edges creeping into the frame, but it's not like the rest of the house actually exists.
(I mean, unless you're filming on location because you found a really good spot and you're just going to drop everything in to a pre-existing scene -- but then you have to pay attention to how you get all the cameras and lights and stuff through the door.)
I don't think original fiction is really any different, though. You still only generate as much backstory as needed, it's just that you're aware how much of it ends up on the cutting-room floor. The audience never sees it, but you have to have had it there for the rest of the performances to look right...
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I think many writers see back story the same way, as unseen depth to character. And two-dimensional characters are probably lacking enough back story to make them feel real, but I think, from a writing standpoint, extensive character building too often takes the place of plot.
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Two dimensional characters are necessary in stories, and fun to play and expand upon with in fanfiction.
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I tend to agree. This is why I get slightly irritated when others make it a point to go into their back stories. It's all well and good when you're writing a story, but a good back story doesn't need explaining outside the events of your story. In my opinion, that is.
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