Writers are notorious for knowing the smallest of details about their characters. Their love language. Whether they're an early bird or a night owl. Their comfort foods. The first ride they're going on at Disney World. What they're singing at karaoke night.
Even though these details may not make it into your final draft, they're fun to know. But one thing that might actually come in handy for writers in unexpected ways is their characters' birthdays.
In a coming-of-age story, birthdays can be turning points. Your protagonist might be overwhelmed by studying for her bat mitzvah or finding the balance between tradition and her own wishes for her quinceanera, or feeling less-than because her family can't afford to throw a sweet sixteen bash like the popular girl had but eventually learning that what matters isn't how you spend your birthday but who you spend it with.
It could also be an adult character realizing that age is really just a number and that there's still plenty to look forward to at forty.
You might have a Longlegs scenario in horror, in which the killer targets victims born on a certain date, or a Happy Death Day situation where the character's birthday becomes a living nightmare.
In dystopian works, birthdays may be a time of a life-altering event, like the surgery in Uglies or being terminated at age 30 in Logan's Run.
Even if these events don't take place during the story, they can help you shape the world and the characters residing within it.
Since my typical posting schedule means my birthday falls on an upload day this year, I figure it's a great time to look at some of the reasons a writer might want to know their characters' birthdays—even if they don't actually come up in the story.
Getting In (Time)line
Some stories might prominently feature a character's birthday as a noteworthy event or be mentioned casually in passing. In others, it may not ever come up.
For writers with a story or a series spanning several years, being aware of your character's birthday can help keep the timeline straight and avoid accidental inconsistencies.
Let's not forget that Ross from Friends has two different birthdates; in a 1997 episode, he says it's in December but later in 2002 he says his birthday is in October.
A mention of their birthday passing can also help readers keep up with the character's age and the passage of time. We might know that they were born in the springtime, so whenever we see their family sewing the seeds of a new year, we can assume the character is another year older even if they don't explicitly say their birthday has come and gone.
Unwrapping Backstory
Character birthdays can be more than just a fun fact: they can also be used to shape your characters' pasts or future.
We all know Dr. Doofenshmirtz's evil backstory begins with neither of his parents "bothering" to show up for his birth!
Even if it isn't nearly as tragic, previous birthdays can inform your character's personality and relationships with others.
Maybe your character didn't have much growing up and is is therefore uncomfortable receiving gifts in general, especially when their love interest goes all out in their honor. They might want to be the center of attention after having to share every birthday with their twin, or struggle to celebrate if their twin is deceased. Or they hate Christmas because their birthday is December 23rd. This might be the first birthday they're celebrating because they've moved away from a religion or culture that didn't allow it.
Do they love celebrating their special day or would prefer it go unnoticed? Are they still angry over their ex forgetting their birthday, their stupid birthday... among other things? How do they feel about getting older in general?
Though a seemingly small detail, awareness of your character's birthday can enhance your story.
Give Me A Sign
A popular reason writers might know their character's birthday is their astrological sign. A writer might assign August 19th as their character's birthday and then find out they're a Leo. Others might intentionally make their character a Leo and subsequently decide their birthday is August 19th based on that.
This may end up being a fun piece of trivia you as the author know, or it can help in character development.
Using the aforementioned Leo character as an example, you might look into traits commonly associated with those born under that sign. Leos are said to be naturally strong leaders who are passionate about their interests and fiercely loyal to their loved ones. They can also be overbearing at times or cocky.
Exploring the traits associated with your character's sign can be a fun way to get to know them. Do they fit these expectations or subvert them?
And if you're writing a romance or have a romantic subplot, you may take this a step further. This Leo character might have a love interest who is a Sagittarius as they're believed to be the most compatible. Or for an enemies-to-lovers pairing, the Leo might be entangled with a Scorpio, who are said to be a far-from-stellar match.
Just remember that zodiac signs aren't a blueprint for personalities but can be a good reminder that in order to write a character who feels human, it's important to strike a balance between the positives and their flaws.
Let's Get Social
Regardless of your publishing path, authors need to be good at promoting their books (yes, even if they're traditionally published). Social media is such a powerful tool that can be tricky to navigate, especially when you're in need of ideas for posts.
Keeping track of your characters' birthdays can offer some fun content throughout the year. Maybe you plan out a series of posts celebrating a character during the week of their birthday, highlighting fan art if you've been fortunate enough to receive any, sharing fun facts about them or quizzing your readers on them, posting a clip of you making their favorite recipe, dancing to a song you associate with them, moodboards and favorite quotes from your story, and just highlighting the reasons you love them.
You might also be able to enlist your street team if you've got an upcoming or recent release and use the character's birthday as an occasion to challenge them to post something; you could also invite readers to do the same with an incentive in mind...
Giveaways And Discounts
Among these social media posts, you might also host a giveaway in honor of your character's birthday.
You might offer the eBook version of your novel at 20% off the weekend of its protagonist's birthday or host a giveaway in which one lucky winner receives a physical copy (possibly along with some other goodies). Perhaps their means of entry into the giveaway is to post a short IG reel or TikTok sharing the reasons they love the character or answering three character-based trivia questions correctly in the comments.
There are a lot of ways to have fun with character birthdays on social media, so get creative!
A birthday can be more than just a date for writers. It can influence your character's identity. Even if your character's birthday doesn't come up explicitly, having that nugget of info in the back of your mind can help make them feel more realistic.
Additionally, it can be good to have as a writer from the logistical standpoint and even in terms of marketing. Whether you're intentional and choose a meaningful date or just throw a dart at a calendar, knowing your character's birthday can be more than trivia.
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