TECH: Character Arcs (Part 2) (560 words)
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writercises Original Posting 8/23/2019
Part one of the book is about the positive change arc. As we noted in part one of this series, the positive change arc starts with a person who has some issues. The story challenges those beliefs, they learn some things, and conquer their problems and change for the better. So where does it all start?Chapter 1 is about the lie that your character believes. Characters don’t want to change. That resistance causes conflict, which becomes plot. “Whether the connection is immediately evident or not, the external plot is all about the character‘s internal journey.” Wow, let that sink in. The external plot is all about the internal journey?“Plot, in its simplest manifestation, is all about the protagonist‘s goal. He wants something, and he can’t have it, so he keeps right on trying.“Okay... Now, the positive change arc is about a change in priorities, in realizing that the character is not getting what they want because either (a) they want the wrong thing or (b) the morals and methods they are using to get it are wrong.So, we’re looking at change. But, what lie does the character believe that is causing this? They have something lacking, there is some reason for them to change. They are somehow incomplete on the inside. There is some misconception that is leading them astray. E.g., might makes right, you have to earn love through X, money is the most important thing in life.The Lie! Some specific belief, that you can state in one short sentence. Now, there may be qualifiers.Okay, how do you find the lie? Start by looking at your plot. Does the conflict show it? Then look at the character’s actions and reactions. Fear, hurt, guilt, secrets, shame… These are all symptoms of the lie. Often, the character wants to shed the symptoms, but the lie holds on to them. If you need some ideas, take a look at the listings of negative traits available in various places.Some questions to ask to help identify the Lie: 1. What misconception does the protagonist have about themselves or the world? 2. Because of this misconception, what is the protagonist lacking, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually? 3. How is the interior lie reflected in the exterior world? 4. When the story opens, is the lie making the character miserable? How? 5. If not, will the inciting event and/for the first plot point make them uncomfortable? 6. Does the lie require qualifiers to narrow the focus? 7. What are the symptoms of the lie?Whoo! So there is some belief, some way of looking at the world, something that the character holds onto, that is a misconception, a LIE! What is that mistaken idea, that wrong way of thinking, that twist that is keeping our character miserable?Exercise? Sure. Take some stories you are familiar with. Now, think about it. Does the story have a positive character arc? Does the character start out with some problem, learn some lessons, and become a better person? If so, what is the lie, the misconception, the false belief that they start with. Go ahead, write up a short statement of the lie for that story, that character. Do this for at least three positive change arcs.Then watch out for part 3 of this series, where we will look at what the character wants versus what the character needs.
Part one of the book is about the positive change arc. As we noted in part one of this series, the positive change arc starts with a person who has some issues. The story challenges those beliefs, they learn some things, and conquer their problems and change for the better. So where does it all start?Chapter 1 is about the lie that your character believes. Characters don’t want to change. That resistance causes conflict, which becomes plot. “Whether the connection is immediately evident or not, the external plot is all about the character‘s internal journey.” Wow, let that sink in. The external plot is all about the internal journey?“Plot, in its simplest manifestation, is all about the protagonist‘s goal. He wants something, and he can’t have it, so he keeps right on trying.“Okay... Now, the positive change arc is about a change in priorities, in realizing that the character is not getting what they want because either (a) they want the wrong thing or (b) the morals and methods they are using to get it are wrong.So, we’re looking at change. But, what lie does the character believe that is causing this? They have something lacking, there is some reason for them to change. They are somehow incomplete on the inside. There is some misconception that is leading them astray. E.g., might makes right, you have to earn love through X, money is the most important thing in life.The Lie! Some specific belief, that you can state in one short sentence. Now, there may be qualifiers.Okay, how do you find the lie? Start by looking at your plot. Does the conflict show it? Then look at the character’s actions and reactions. Fear, hurt, guilt, secrets, shame… These are all symptoms of the lie. Often, the character wants to shed the symptoms, but the lie holds on to them. If you need some ideas, take a look at the listings of negative traits available in various places.Some questions to ask to help identify the Lie: 1. What misconception does the protagonist have about themselves or the world? 2. Because of this misconception, what is the protagonist lacking, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually? 3. How is the interior lie reflected in the exterior world? 4. When the story opens, is the lie making the character miserable? How? 5. If not, will the inciting event and/for the first plot point make them uncomfortable? 6. Does the lie require qualifiers to narrow the focus? 7. What are the symptoms of the lie?Whoo! So there is some belief, some way of looking at the world, something that the character holds onto, that is a misconception, a LIE! What is that mistaken idea, that wrong way of thinking, that twist that is keeping our character miserable?Exercise? Sure. Take some stories you are familiar with. Now, think about it. Does the story have a positive character arc? Does the character start out with some problem, learn some lessons, and become a better person? If so, what is the lie, the misconception, the false belief that they start with. Go ahead, write up a short statement of the lie for that story, that character. Do this for at least three positive change arcs.Then watch out for part 3 of this series, where we will look at what the character wants versus what the character needs.