In today's world, many characters have traumatic pasts and backstories. There are so many characters with tragic backstories that they are almost considered cliché. As a result, it is very hard to write distinctive characters with traumatic backstories. If you choose to write a character who has experienced trauma, it is important to make them original and to handle them in a way that's authentic to real survivors. It isn't impossible to write characters with tragic backgrounds, so here are things to consider as you write.
Define why you are Including Trauma
Defining why you are including trauma, is the first thing to do before you write about a character's trauma. In most cases, stories will read fine without a tragic character or backstory. You should write about tragic and sensitive events only if it fits a character and is relevant to your story. Including a traumatic backstory can add depth to a character and give your character opportunities for growth, but you should never include a tragic backstory just to engage readers or stereotype a character. If it doesn't contribute to your characters or plot, it won't have an impact on your readers. Before you write your novel, make sure you know why you want to add a character with a traumatic background, especially because trauma can be triggering for some readers.
Think Beyond Death
Yes, death can be very traumatic and tragic, but death isn't the only tragic occurrence in life. A common cliché in literature is that a character is traumatized by the death of a loved one. Though this cliché is realistic, there are many more tragedies that may impact your characters. Some traumatic events could be: living with a mental illness, viewing a gruesome scene, or losing a very important object. If you want your writing to feel fresh and distinctive, steer away from recycling the same tragic clichés. Clichés are tropes or expressions that have lost their originality due to overuse. When you write it is important that you don't bulge your novel with clichés, because clichés demonstrate a lack of creativity or original thought.
Remember Tragedy can be Small
Relating to the previous point, tragedy can stem from a seemingly "small" event. Tragedy is a spectrum and something that is tragic to one person may not be to another person. There doesn't need to be a gigantic, life-altering tragedy in your character's life for when to feel affected. Based on the emotional range and personality of your character an event that typically isn't seen as tragic may be traumatic to your character. As you write, get to know your character and their emotional range, to determine how the tragedy has impacted their lives.
Include Unique Character Quirks
An efficient way to ensure your character's traumatic backstory isn't cliché or boring to readers is to include quirks. Your characters need to feel alive and realistic to readers, and including original or unique quirks is a great way to do so! Character quirks are different than character flaws in that flaws are typically negative personality features of a character. Quirks are usually demonstrated as habits. Like people, every character should have their own, unique quirks. If you do use a specific cliché or backstory, giving your characters distinctive quirks will help them appear different and authentic. For 50 character quirks prompts, click on the button below!
Consider Their Motivation
Another way to create non-clichéd characters with traumatic backstories is through motivation. Defining the motivation gives direction to the character's actions. What motivates your character should be special and individual to them. Their motivation should set them apart from the other characters in your novel. A tragedy can help fuel your character's motivation, but you need to determine the long-term motivators of your character. Even if your character has experienced a traumatic event in their life, this doesn't ensure that your plot will be engaging. Defining the tragedy that occurred in your character's life will make it easier to decide what motives them, but question what will keep readers interested in your book. What is the long-term motivator in your character's life?
Focus on the Plot, not Just the Tragedy
Though a tragedy can be a life-changing event, your story doesn't need to revolve around it. As mentioned, a character's tragedy shouldn't be the single guiding factor in their life. When writing, make sure to focus your story on the plot and story, rather than solely examining a character who has experienced something traumatic. Real people never want to be defined by a single event and characters shouldn't either. A well-rounded story has interesting characters, an engaging plot, and enveloping setting, it shouldn't just be about the specific tragedy of a character.
Research Psychology
When writing about a character who has a traumatic background, you must do thorough research. It is important to represent your character's experience accurately, especially if you don't have personal experience with the issue. You don't need to be a psychologist to write about how traumatic events impact people, but you should have a basic understanding. Whether you research online or by asking people who are familiar with the topic, make sure you can portray your character accurately. Research your type of trauma and learn how it impacts someone's brain and decisions. Understand the physical response to trauma and learn how triggers can affect people. Research is important because it prevents misinformation from being spread and it engages readers who are familiar with these events.
Consult With Experienced People
Apart from online resources, you may want to speak with specialists and other people who are familiar with trauma and tragic events. Specialists, including psychiatrists experienced with trauma, can help answer your questions and provide more insight than online sites. Although it may feel intimidating or strange to ask someone about their experience, people are willing to share their stories and are open to sharing. But of course, if someone is not ready to talk, you must respect their boundaries.
Consider Their Triggers
Having triggers are common when you have experienced a tragic event. Triggers or stressors are situations that create an onset of emotions and often worsen someone's mental state. Triggers typically remind people of a traumatic or negative event in their lives. When writing characters who have experienced trauma it is important to think about what their triggers may be. Considering what may trigger your character will help deepen their character and help you understand more about them. If you choose to include triggers in your writing, make sure they are done with care and are represented accurately.
Incorporate Emotions
One prominent cliché when writing characters with tragic backstories is that they never experience emotions. Your character may be strong, but that doesn't equate to not experiencing emotions. If your character has experienced a tragic event, then their trauma should manifest itself in some way. (Whether that is physically, psychologically, or emotionally.) Make sure to display their emotions and show the reader how their trauma continues to touch them.
Writing an intriguing and original character is a great way to attract readers, which is why it is important not to use clichés. Characters who have experienced death and trauma have been written so many times, that they are almost overused. It is difficult to write a tragic backstory for your character that feels authentic and new, but it can be achieved if you follow the tips above.
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