Activity 2.4.1: Backstory Brainstorm Page activity

20–30 minutes

Learning Targets

I can create original characters with backstories, motivations, and flaws that make them feel real.

Your Context

Before you write your character's full backstory in Assignment 2.5, you need to plan. This brainstorm uses the Wound and Want framework from Lesson 2.4 as a graphic organizer to develop your character's history.

Your character should live in the region you created in Unit 1. Think about how your world's geography, culture, and history would shape a person growing up there.

Directions

  1. Character Basics: Name, age, role in their community, one physical detail that reveals something about who they are.
  2. The Wound: What happened to this character that changed them? Be specific. Not just "something bad happened" but the particular moment and its sensory details.
  3. The Want: What desire did the wound create? What does this character need so badly they'd risk everything for it?
  4. The Contradiction: What is one thing about this character that seems to contradict their wound or want? (This is what makes them round, not flat.)
  5. Three Showing Details: Write three specific behaviors, habits, or reactions that SHOW the wound without TELLING it. (Example: "She always sits with her back to the wall in restaurants.")
  6. D&D Translation: If you were filling out a D&D character sheet, what would this character's Bond and Flaw be?

Your Brainstorm Worksheet

1. Character Basics

Name: ___________________________________

Age: ___________________________________

Role in their community: ___________________________________

One physical detail that reveals something: ___________________________________

2. The Wound (The specific, sensory moment)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. The Want (What does this character desperately need?)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. The Contradiction (What contradicts the wound or want?)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Three Showing Details (Behaviors that reveal the wound without telling)

Detail 1: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Detail 2: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Detail 3: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. D&D Translation

Bond: "I _________________________________________________________________________________________"

Flaw: "I _________________________________________________________________________________________"

AI Guidance for This Activity

This brainstorm is YOUR creative work. Do not use AI to generate ideas, backstory elements, or character concepts. You may ask an AI tool to ask you questions about your character to help you develop your own thinking (for example, "Ask me probing questions about my character's formative moment"). Your answers and creative thinking must be your own.

What's Next

Complete this brainstorm, then move on to Check Your Understanding: Backstory Concepts.