'I can't make a history for myself without defining at least some history.'
That's never the problem. If I haven't made this clear in the past then I'll try again.
As soon as anyone writes a backplot they define the world, they've created more characters in it for the very least, they may well have created villages and minor events as well. It's when a backstory is written in such a way, that affects everyone and future limits what they can do then theres a problem. Or when a backstory is contray to the world theres a problem (e.g. My father was a nice drow necromancer, who lived in the village of elven priests). Or when it defines something that gives your character an egde theres a problem (e.g. My uncle is wealthy Lord who gives me 20 groats every week). Theres no harm in having 20 different villages called Cradle View, in fact it might even make for funny roleplay, but to take an extreme example when someone writes a backplot that says '[Character name] was born in [town] the one population centre in the entire world', you get a problem, because they everyone must have come from [town] or from outside the world. It's the difference between 'During the later stages of his training, when each Searcher was looking for a deity to devote themselves to' and 'During the later stages of his training when Tobin was looking for a deity to devote himself to'. The story is the same, the meaning is the same, but now it affects Tobin not everyone.
That's the issue, not defining the world itself. If people accept guidance and advice and change things before they happen too early then the issue can be resolved with the minimum of mess.
no subject
That's never the problem. If I haven't made this clear in the past then I'll try again.
As soon as anyone writes a backplot they define the world, they've created more characters in it for the very least, they may well have created villages and minor events as well. It's when a backstory is written in such a way, that affects everyone and future limits what they can do then theres a problem. Or when a backstory is contray to the world theres a problem (e.g. My father was a nice drow necromancer, who lived in the village of elven priests). Or when it defines something that gives your character an egde theres a problem (e.g. My uncle is wealthy Lord who gives me 20 groats every week). Theres no harm in having 20 different villages called Cradle View, in fact it might even make for funny roleplay, but to take an extreme example when someone writes a backplot that says '[Character name] was born in [town] the one population centre in the entire world', you get a problem, because they everyone must have come from [town] or from outside the world. It's the difference between 'During the later stages of his training, when each Searcher was looking for a deity to devote themselves to' and 'During the later stages of his training when Tobin was looking for a deity to devote himself to'. The story is the same, the meaning is the same, but now it affects Tobin not everyone.
That's the issue, not defining the world itself. If people accept guidance and advice and change things before they happen too early then the issue can be resolved with the minimum of mess.