G = Genre. It is my belief most writers have one, maybe if lucky two, genres we're particularly drawn to in reading and writing. I'm a firm believer in playing to your strengths so would never attempt to write in a genre I don't love deeply. (I think that lack of love would show through in your writing and you can't fool readers a second time). Characters in genre fiction can be subverted (Terry Pratchett was brilliant at this) or you can write them "straight" but with added twists of your own, something that makes your dwarves stand out for example.
H = History. Not only is there the history of your fictional world to consider (how much of it is behind the events you are creating for your story?), but history in reality can be the source of much inspiration for stories and characters. Obviously there is historical fiction and the what-if novels as I like to think of them. What if WW2 had not been won by the Allies for instance? So how can you use history to create your characters? What is their personal history?