TECH: Character Arcs (part 10) (700 words)
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writercises Original Posting 11/22/2019
Aha! Chapter Nine is all about the midpoint. Wait, isn’t that something from plotting? Well, yes. Weiland is tying the positive change arc, the internal changes and growth, to the external plot points. The midpoint, where the character faces up to things, is one place where the two rub up against each other pretty obviously. So...Weiland starts by reminding us that in the positive change arc, the protagonist spends the first half of Act two lost in this new land, making mistakes based on false assumptions, and getting his hands (and probably other parts of his anatomy) slapped repeatedly. But he’s learning things! He’s starting to figure it out. And... here comes the midpoint!Big change! The character at least turns away from the effects of the Lie, even if he doesn’t repudiate the Lie yet. The character also goes from reactive to active. This is where the story swings, if you will (see James Scott Bell’s Write Your Novel From the Middle if you want to know more about the magic of the midpoint!).So, why does the character shift from reactive to active? Well, Weiland suggests it comes from the middle of the character arc!The moment of truth, the moment of grace, the mirror moment... this is where the character takes a good, long look at the external conflict and at his own self, and accepts the Truth! Where he sees what he really wants, and where he is really going.Now, often this does not mean the character flat out dumps the Lie. But... he sees there is another side, and starts to act in line with that. He is, in point of fact, stuck between the Lie and the new Truth!The Midpoint is usually a big, important scene, but that shift in personal knowledge is often a subtle thing. Still, make it a solid, dramatic change if you can.Weiland has a number of examples you may want to read through to see more about how the midpoint and the change in the character go together.And, of course, Weiland provides a set of questions to help with the character’s arc at the midpoint.1 What personal revelation does your protagonist have at the midpoint?2 How has the protagonist changed between the first plot point and the midpoint?3 How does the revelation at midpoint give the character enough knowledge to start taking control, and move from reaction to action?4 What definitive action with the character take against the opposition?5 What new understanding of the conflict does the character get at the midpoint?6 What new understanding of himself does the character get at the midpoint?7 What is the moment of truth for your character? What does he accept and understand in that moment? What makes him see it?8 How is the character still, at least superficially, holding onto the Lie?9 What is he going to do based on the Truth?10 How does the conflict between the superficial Lie and the deeper Truth make the inner conflict evolve?The midpoint is where your character gets it, and starts changing his actions to really start winning.Weiland concludes, “ When planning your Midpoint, identify the Truth your character must recognize and create a mind-blowing scene to support it. Done right, it will end up being one of the most memorable chapters in your book.”So, there you go! Halfway from the first doorway of no return, with the second half of Act two ahead, and the second doorway of no return still to come. But... the big shift has hit, and the character is working towards the Truth. They’ve seen that burning bush, the dream of honor, or whatever, and are going to start working towards that.Exercise? I think probably the best one is to do something like what Weiland did with her examples. Take books or stories you like, maybe some of yours, and figure out what the midpoint is in them. Look for that glimpse of what’s behind the conflict, and the realization of what it means. Write it up, in a here’s the glimpse, and here’s what it means to the character format.Then come back for our next episode, when we’ll look at the second half of Act two!
Aha! Chapter Nine is all about the midpoint. Wait, isn’t that something from plotting? Well, yes. Weiland is tying the positive change arc, the internal changes and growth, to the external plot points. The midpoint, where the character faces up to things, is one place where the two rub up against each other pretty obviously. So...Weiland starts by reminding us that in the positive change arc, the protagonist spends the first half of Act two lost in this new land, making mistakes based on false assumptions, and getting his hands (and probably other parts of his anatomy) slapped repeatedly. But he’s learning things! He’s starting to figure it out. And... here comes the midpoint!Big change! The character at least turns away from the effects of the Lie, even if he doesn’t repudiate the Lie yet. The character also goes from reactive to active. This is where the story swings, if you will (see James Scott Bell’s Write Your Novel From the Middle if you want to know more about the magic of the midpoint!).So, why does the character shift from reactive to active? Well, Weiland suggests it comes from the middle of the character arc!The moment of truth, the moment of grace, the mirror moment... this is where the character takes a good, long look at the external conflict and at his own self, and accepts the Truth! Where he sees what he really wants, and where he is really going.Now, often this does not mean the character flat out dumps the Lie. But... he sees there is another side, and starts to act in line with that. He is, in point of fact, stuck between the Lie and the new Truth!The Midpoint is usually a big, important scene, but that shift in personal knowledge is often a subtle thing. Still, make it a solid, dramatic change if you can.Weiland has a number of examples you may want to read through to see more about how the midpoint and the change in the character go together.And, of course, Weiland provides a set of questions to help with the character’s arc at the midpoint.1 What personal revelation does your protagonist have at the midpoint?2 How has the protagonist changed between the first plot point and the midpoint?3 How does the revelation at midpoint give the character enough knowledge to start taking control, and move from reaction to action?4 What definitive action with the character take against the opposition?5 What new understanding of the conflict does the character get at the midpoint?6 What new understanding of himself does the character get at the midpoint?7 What is the moment of truth for your character? What does he accept and understand in that moment? What makes him see it?8 How is the character still, at least superficially, holding onto the Lie?9 What is he going to do based on the Truth?10 How does the conflict between the superficial Lie and the deeper Truth make the inner conflict evolve?The midpoint is where your character gets it, and starts changing his actions to really start winning.Weiland concludes, “ When planning your Midpoint, identify the Truth your character must recognize and create a mind-blowing scene to support it. Done right, it will end up being one of the most memorable chapters in your book.”So, there you go! Halfway from the first doorway of no return, with the second half of Act two ahead, and the second doorway of no return still to come. But... the big shift has hit, and the character is working towards the Truth. They’ve seen that burning bush, the dream of honor, or whatever, and are going to start working towards that.Exercise? I think probably the best one is to do something like what Weiland did with her examples. Take books or stories you like, maybe some of yours, and figure out what the midpoint is in them. Look for that glimpse of what’s behind the conflict, and the realization of what it means. Write it up, in a here’s the glimpse, and here’s what it means to the character format.Then come back for our next episode, when we’ll look at the second half of Act two!