One of the most important parts of writing a character’s arc is their motivation. They must have reasons to do the things they do, to say the things they say, to decide for or against any choice throughout your entire book. The reasons boil down to backstory. Even their ultimate story goal is a choice they are pursuing due to their backstory.

This article discusses how writers can use backstory to help develop your fictional character so that their journey throughout the book is believable as they make tough decisions, resist change, and ultimately reach their ultimate story goal.