I'm currently looking for a better way to organize my character's backstory. Right now, I'm just using several cluttered Google Docs, but I'm wondering if anyone knows of a tool that makes it easier for me to organize information on my character's backstory, characters who are a part of his story, and specific events so that my DM doesn't have to dig through tons of text walls and poorly formatted Google Docs. I'm looking for something that would allow me to make tabs or some kind of easy to access menus so you can find things you want easily. If anyone knows of a website or a way you like to organize expansive backstories or something, let me know!
Honestly, the D&D Beyond sheet has a pretty good Notes section, split into subtabs for Allies, Enemies, Organizations, Backstory and Other. If we're talking pages & pages of information, the simplest solution is probably to use the standardized section formatting options in Google Docs so it can automatically create a table of contents. If you want to go All In, especially if your DM wants to as well, websites like World Anvil may be what you're looking for.
In general, my advice is to write shorter backstories. If your character’s backstory is long and detailed enough to have multiple tabs etc., then that’s less of a backstory and more of a short story. A backstory is intended to explain how a PC got from “born” to being a relative “noob” as a 1st level character. If it’s too long and detailed it generally doesn’t fit with the concept of a rookie PC. A rule of thumb I picked up from someone else on this site is that the backstory should have around one paragraph per Proficiency bonus. So if you’re starting at 1st level, you have a +2 Proficiency bonus, then 2 paragraphs 3-5 sentences long is about right.
You can always do more than that, and sometimes I do, but as a DM, if someone handed me a backstory longer than 3 or 4 pages tops, I would really not appreciate it. And if it was complicated enough that I actually needed to be able to cross reference it multiple ways, I would appreciate it even less. DMs have an entire world to organize, and multiple players running characters each with their own backstories. So DMs already have a lot on their plate. It has been my experience that when a backstory is too long that the DM is less likely to use anything from it in their games. Most DMs prefer a “Goldilocks Zone” length backstory, not too long, but not too short either.
Of course, everyone is different. Maybe your DM is different and they will appreciate it, don’t know.
Keep the back story's short and to the point. In the long run it will only matter to you.
Keep in mind most characters are just on the upper edge of childhood when they are level one. I would not expect you to have made a mortal enemy unless is it Becky Doob's dad and brothers who are out to remove your shorthairs because you dishonored the 4th daughter, not the beautiful one, but the one who is good a getting milk out of the family goats and makes really good goat cheese. That cheese is what got her in trouble though as she was selling it at the market and you didn't have enough money, so you said you would let her touch your dagger for a half a cheese.
However, during the campaign you build up your story with deeds of daring do.
Keep it under 500 words to start.
And then use the character sheet to keep track of new
How about OneNote, if it's available/you're on Windows? I find it has good organisation (for me too, I like formatting [and ease of sharing] in Google Docs but organising is pretty poor). You can have groups and sub groups (tabs), and hyperlinks within the document e.g. link to specific lore/events that are related, like you wanted..
I wish that there was a list of suggestions for character organizations that you could pick
Setting books like the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, Eberron: Rising From The Last War, and the Explorer's Guide To Wildemount all mention some of the organizations & factions in their respective settings. If your campaign is in a world of the DM's design, talk to them about what kind of organization you want your character to be a part of(mercenary company, thieves' guild, holy order, etc) and maybe the two of you can work together to create something.
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I'm currently looking for a better way to organize my character's backstory. Right now, I'm just using several cluttered Google Docs, but I'm wondering if anyone knows of a tool that makes it easier for me to organize information on my character's backstory, characters who are a part of his story, and specific events so that my DM doesn't have to dig through tons of text walls and poorly formatted Google Docs. I'm looking for something that would allow me to make tabs or some kind of easy to access menus so you can find things you want easily. If anyone knows of a website or a way you like to organize expansive backstories or something, let me know!
Honestly, the D&D Beyond sheet has a pretty good Notes section, split into subtabs for Allies, Enemies, Organizations, Backstory and Other. If we're talking pages & pages of information, the simplest solution is probably to use the standardized section formatting options in Google Docs so it can automatically create a table of contents. If you want to go All In, especially if your DM wants to as well, websites like World Anvil may be what you're looking for.
In general, my advice is to write shorter backstories. If your character’s backstory is long and detailed enough to have multiple tabs etc., then that’s less of a backstory and more of a short story. A backstory is intended to explain how a PC got from “born” to being a relative “noob” as a 1st level character. If it’s too long and detailed it generally doesn’t fit with the concept of a rookie PC. A rule of thumb I picked up from someone else on this site is that the backstory should have around one paragraph per Proficiency bonus. So if you’re starting at 1st level, you have a +2 Proficiency bonus, then 2 paragraphs 3-5 sentences long is about right.
You can always do more than that, and sometimes I do, but as a DM, if someone handed me a backstory longer than 3 or 4 pages tops, I would really not appreciate it. And if it was complicated enough that I actually needed to be able to cross reference it multiple ways, I would appreciate it even less. DMs have an entire world to organize, and multiple players running characters each with their own backstories. So DMs already have a lot on their plate. It has been my experience that when a backstory is too long that the DM is less likely to use anything from it in their games. Most DMs prefer a “Goldilocks Zone” length backstory, not too long, but not too short either.
Of course, everyone is different. Maybe your DM is different and they will appreciate it, don’t know.
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Keep the back story's short and to the point. In the long run it will only matter to you.
Keep in mind most characters are just on the upper edge of childhood when they are level one. I would not expect you to have made a mortal enemy unless is it Becky Doob's dad and brothers who are out to remove your shorthairs because you dishonored the 4th daughter, not the beautiful one, but the one who is good a getting milk out of the family goats and makes really good goat cheese. That cheese is what got her in trouble though as she was selling it at the market and you didn't have enough money, so you said you would let her touch your dagger for a half a cheese.
However, during the campaign you build up your story with deeds of daring do.
Keep it under 500 words to start.
And then use the character sheet to keep track of new
How about OneNote, if it's available/you're on Windows? I find it has good organisation (for me too, I like formatting [and ease of sharing] in Google Docs but organising is pretty poor). You can have groups and sub groups (tabs), and hyperlinks within the document e.g. link to specific lore/events that are related, like you wanted..
I wish that there was a list of suggestions for character organizations that you could pick
Setting books like the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, Eberron: Rising From The Last War, and the Explorer's Guide To Wildemount all mention some of the organizations & factions in their respective settings. If your campaign is in a world of the DM's design, talk to them about what kind of organization you want your character to be a part of(mercenary company, thieves' guild, holy order, etc) and maybe the two of you can work together to create something.