As I see it, a role-play takes place in the present and moves onward, so my focus and interest is in developing my character through interaction and introspection. Oftentimes people write a terribly detailed history for their character and it is rarely or sometimes never referenced from that point on. It gets treated as something that has happened in the past, and thus stays there. Seems like a waste and a hassle, so as for me, I will write a minimal history for my characters, unless the role-play I'm in relies heavily on things like lineage, relations with famous or otherwise very important persons, a specialized occupation that would require a more rounded explanation, or is one of those "help me get my memories back" stories where it's essential to the plot.
I don't need to write a complete history to justify my character's personality and actions. It's like when you meet a stranger for the first time and you notice their quirks and behavior. You do not know anything else about that person save what they present to you themselves. That's the kind of development I like: blind.
Some people say that they want to see a history because it's the applicant's writing sample. Recounting a list of events, to me, is about as helpful to understanding one's writing ability as reading the synopsis of a biopic. If you want a writing sample, ask for an excerpt involving the character doing something related to the plot of the story. Most people will write you a post in the form of a prologue. I think that's the best way to go about it.
