Character Arcs - 2 Ways to Write Better Character Arcs
10#FantasyStorytelling #CharacterArcs #Writing
Character Arcs - 2 Ways to Write Better Character Arcs
Caleb Monroe and Jay Sherer discuss strategies and writing techniques for creating better character arcs. How can you write better character arcs? Caleb and Jay break it down.
Character arcs! One of the most important elements of storytelling. Excellent character arcs make for compelling stories. But how does a writer or storytelling create a compelling character arc? Caleb and I have different approaches. We share those with you in today's video! Creating character arcs... Let's dig deeper!
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WANT MORE? CHECK OUT JAY'S ONLINE COURSES:
- Fiction Writing: How to Find an Avid Audience as a Writer: https://www.udemy.com/course/writing-...
- Fiction Writing: How to Write a Concept that Sells (Coming Soon!)
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THE RECLAMATION SOCIETY'S ORIGINAL STORIES:
- Star Wars: Rivals: https://youtu.be/wrqWoTLRzCw
- DEATH OF A BOUNTY HUNTER: https://mailchi.mp/99c612968e83/dbh-q...
- TIMESLINGERS: bit.ly/TimeslingersKindle2
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Want the full, unedited, 2-hour conversation with Caleb Monroe? Become a member of The Story Geeks Club (VIP Tiers): https://www.patreon.com/thestorygeeks
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JAY'S NOTES:
Question #3: In a related, but slightly nuanced question: When you take character development and break it down into a character arc that moves and transforms throughout a story, how do you measure that character arc? How do you ensure that your character has a compelling arc from beginning to end?
A character arc is the journey your character takes. And it’s usually their response--emotionally--to the conflict.
They start at point A and travel to point B. And inside that journey there are micro-changes that transform them over time.
The best insight into character arcs, in my opinion, is Lajos Egri’s technique that he discusses in The Art of Dramatic Writing.
If we want stories to inform us as to WHY people make the decisions that they make, then storytellers need to showcase how characters change in a believable way.
And essentially, what Egri says is, it’s a step-by-step process.
A character doesn’t go from being happy to committing a murder. There are stages.
And when the plot or the conflict forces the character into a new stage, it’s a gradual progression.
The most popular example is Yoda’s quote from Star Wars: Fear leads to anger, which leads to hate, which leads to suffering… and then you get to the dark side.
You can’t jump stages. Fear without anger won’t produce the dark side. And anger can be righteous unless it turns into hatred… and living with hatred produces internal suffering, and now the character is ready to go full dark side.
I literally write out the characters emotional journey--the series of emotions I want them to experience, and then I’ll match that up against my story structure.
Of course, I do that SUPER early on… and then from there I let it all play out in the writing.