I've been working on my original novel for years and year, but now that I think that I'm in my final editing stage, I'm stuck. I had the idea of to write what happened before the main character's time with his knights, his father, his village, etc. Is this a good idea and worth pursuing? I don't know where to start with the characters (who to do it based upon or from multiple views) and the main plot, the settings, etc.
No. Write story, not back story. If you're in your final editing stage, you clearly didn't need the back story for the current novel.
I've read stories like that. Some rocked my world. Others fell flat. Try posting snippets and see if people like it. I can't really tell so far... If you don't know where to start with the basics and you've worked for years, maybe google "writing process for beginners"? I'm against word counts a day things, but writing absolute @ss is better than years and a year of wasted effort/energy/life/time you could spend not doing a story without a story and just a vague concept.
If the story did not need back story to begin with, it should not need back story now. If you were in the beginning stages, I'd say write the story as it comes to you and the order in which you want it read will come as you write, but in this case, I'd say just finish the story. Any kind of backstory would have been best sufused throughout the story in small sequels to major scenes. I'm not quite clear on how you were planning to incorperate it, but if it were necessary, you would asked sooner
