But what do you do when you run out of ideas for your own characters backstory or when you are unsure whether something you have planned for them is allowed? Maybe you just reread everything you have written so far for the fifth time, just to notice that your character still feels bland, uninteresting or maybe just not real.

In a case like this, you can always send an owl right to a member of the Backstory Team, they will do everything in their power to make your character come to life!

In the following article I am going to tell you more about the work the Backstory Team does and you will get some tips for your own backstory.

So sit down with a cup of tea, just as I did with some of the members and enjoy!

The work of the Backstory Team is very important for this website, as backstories are the users’ opportunity to show who their character is and how they became how they are now. It is an important part of an RPG-website like WoP, which makes it fundamental to ensure that people abide to the rules in their profiles.

The members are allowed to work independently, they answer questions other users ask and are supposed to look through a certain amount of profiles per week, but that of course doesn’t mean that there is no team work involved! Sometimes it is not easy to judge if someone does indeed violate rules and in cases like that the team sits down, and debates calmly and linearly on the case, one of the team members told me. The members even shared a little story with me, where a user had a good and detailed explanation, why their character would have cat ears and a tail, and asked a member of the team whether that would be allowed or not. In the end it was decided that it wasn’t realistic enough for World of Potter – too bad! I wish I could have cat ears!

Realism is something you should always keep in mind when writing the backstory for your character. Nobody is perfect – not even your beloved character! So give them flaws, those make them likable!

For the backstory you could summarize what happened so far in their life or you could write a story about a certain event, like their first visit to Diagon Alley, the day their parents met or the moment they received the letter from Hogwarts. If you are in a higher schoolyear already you could also include a recap of the previous years!

Try to put a lot of detail into your story and if you want some more personal tips and suggestions, simply write an owl to a member of the Backstory Team, so that they can proofread your text. They are all very kind and happy to help you!

When I asked what traits someone who wants to apply for the job should have one team member told me that it is advantageous to like reading a lot. Also it is essential to be able to point out the rules when there are violations against them, strictly if needed, so no one will feel disadvantaged. Another important thing that one should always keep in mind is that appertaining to this job is another part that actually goes for all jobs that come with a colour. You are to set an example for the other users. You should be kind, supportive and open to people, no matter how much they might irritate you. Foul language is not allowed, same goes for violence and caps in chat.

I think I am going to revisit my characters backstory now, I am sure that the members of the Backstory Team will have some great tips ready for me!

Writen by Mira Jones!