Reflecting on story development

When coming up with my story. I feel I would have been better off first deciding the location. Then developing characters. Then wondering what type of conflict or event may emerge between the two. Then and only then should I have come up with a story and developed it from there.

• Setting
• Characters
• Relationship
• Story

If I had followed this format the story process would have been more fluid. Instead I tried to come up with a story divorced from setting and then impose a setting onto the story. My characters are without substance and a back story. I am finding it rather difficult to impose a back story onto characters who I have already decided their actions.

Really glad I have learned this.