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Q&A How do I know when and if a character requires a backstory?

In my novel, at the point where the MC meets her would-be boyfriend, Rufus, I have added a small backstory about his job. Later on, the story is almost entirely focused on the MC and what happens t...

4 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by codeNewbie‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T12:39:12Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/47126
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by user avatar codeNewbie‭ · 2019-12-08T12:39:12Z (almost 5 years ago)
In my novel, at the point where the MC meets her would-be boyfriend, Rufus, I have added a small backstory about his job. Later on, the story is almost entirely focused on the MC and what happens to her with a very little mention of Rufus' backstory.

Now, IMHO, being a lead character, his backstory is something the reader would like. Three chapters after meeting Rufus they fall in love, and then the story is almost focused on the adventure they go on together from the MC's POV.

I am unable to understand, which characters need a backstory, wherein the story it should be introduced. Are backstories 'word fillers'?

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2019-08-05T10:35:31Z (over 5 years ago)
Original score: 9