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I absolutely love what @daeus-lamb said. Backstories can be a very powerful part of your plot. And what @samuel said about timing. I think Sanderson also does an amazing job with that. He adds little hints and comments throughout his story that keeps you wondering. When he finally reveals the backstory it’s like reading the next book in a series that ended with a cliffhanger.

I spend wayyyy too much time on backstories. I’m trying to spread my time out on characters beyond my protagonist. It’s a daily struggle. I think character’s stories are so cool because they’re not only fascinating, but they reveal so much about what shaped the character. Just like real people. You can tie a lot of psychology into it as well, which is always a bonus to me.