Maybe you’re in the planning stages of writing your novel. Or you’ve already written a draft and you suspect it’s not working because of an issue with your character/s.
In this post, I’ll be delving into character arcs, why they’re important and how to go about creating one that’s right for your book.
What Is a Character Arc?
This is how the main character evolves over the course of a story. It’s a gradual, internal change that goes on to affect their decisions and actions at key points in the plot.
Why Are They important?
Arcs provide meaning. They allow readers to connect and identify with a character, or at the very least, understand the reason behind a character’s choices. Even if a reader doesn’t agree with those choices, the motivations and reactions of the character still make sense within the context of the story.
Character arcs and the plot work together to show the theme of your novel.
Who Should Have a Character Arc?
It’s okay for minor characters to have smaller arcs afforded to them, but your main character should have the most prominent arc.
To identify your main character, it’ll be the person that has the most to gain or lose. Who will undergo the most dramatic change? Do they have agency and are they driving the plot? Are they interesting? These are a few things to think about. Sometimes, the main character may not be who you initially thought they’d be. There are instances where authors have gone on to change their main character during the revision process to better serve the story.
The Key Components of a Character Arc
A Want - Also known as the outer motivation, this is what your character desires and is hoping to achieve. Their goal forms the focus of the main plot. For example, it may be to solve a family mystery, gain a promotion, or become part of a special group.
A Need - Beneath the surface, your character is driven by an unfulfilled need. Perhaps, they want to solve that family mystery to better understand the past and receive healing, gain a promotion to feel more in control of their life, or become part of a special group to so that they finally feel they belong somewhere.
A Range of Conflicts - If your character’s goal is too easy, the book will be over pretty quickly. Someone or something must be standing in the way and consistently preventing them from meeting their goal. Your antagonist, your character’s lack of knowledge or social status. It may be physical barriers such as the need to travel somewhere, sickness, red tape, or constant setbacks in a relationship.
A Lie or Flaw - In addition to the outer conflicts present, is the “lie”. From the beginning, your character may hold a misconception about themselves or their world. Although they don’t realize it, their belief is holding them back and causing problems in their daily life. By the end of the novel, the character recognizes their misconception or flaw, and based on the chosen character arc (which will be explained later), they will either reject or hold on to their belief.
A Wound - How did this lie or flaw originate? What happened to your main character, or what situation were they in that caused this belief to be ingrained in who they are now?
Let’s see an example of these components in action!
Ella from Perfected is a genetically engineered human sold as a pet to a wealthy congressman and his family.
Author: Kate Jarvik Birch
Publisher: Entangled Teen, 2014
A Want - Trained to be demure, elegant, and agreeable, Ella wants nothing more than to please her new masters. This involves being a good companion and playmate to the congressman’s daughter, Ruby, who has struggled with peer friendships. Ella’s want and goal gradually changes over the course of the novel as she becomes more aware of the world around her and the dark side of being a pet.
A Need - What Ella needs is to embrace her humanity and to gain the courage to escape from her luxurious prison.
A Range of Conflicts - The congressman is powerful with eyes everywhere. Escaping her new home isn’t an easy feat, and he doesn’t take too kindly to the relationship that develops between Ella and his son, Penn. Groups in society opposed to the legislation around human pets don’t always have the power, funds, organization or means to help. Ella also suffers from naivete from her upbringing in Greenwich Kennels. She can’t read, swim, or easily take care of herself, her lack of skills acting as a barrier. She also owns nothing in her own right, making her resources for escape limited.
A Lie or Flaw - For this book, it’s in the title. Since young, Ella has been taught that she must be perfect and that her sole purpose is to enrich the lives of others. She’s led to believe she isn’t a real human, nor will she ever be accepted as one.
A Wound - Ella is haunted by the “red door”. Pets considered defective, sick, or imperfect are returned by their owners to the kennel and sent through the red door. Girls that go through it disappear and are never seen again, an eventuality Ella endeavors to avoid at all costs after witnessing it in her childhood. This fear drives her initial want and creates a risk to her need in the novel. Something that is further explored in the sequel.
The Different Character Arcs
With the components looked at, what arc types are there?
Positive Arc - The character changes for the better by the end of the story. They let go of the lie or flaw holding them back, which helps them to overcome the main conflict by the climax. By the end, their underlying need is met.
Example:
Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice
Author: Jane Austen
Publisher: Thomas Egerton, 1813
Negative Arc - The main character ends up in a worse place than when the novel began. They never reject the lie or flaw, or if they do, they go on to face a graver reality. Characters following this arc experience failure, tragedy, or corruption.
Example:
Catherine from Heartless
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends, 2016
Flat Arc - This one is a little different. Characters in this category are steadfast. Instead of a lie, they possess a truth they hold on to throughout the challenges that come their way. They help to change the world around them, rather than needing to change themselves.
Example:
Gandolf from The Lord of the Rings
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
Publisher: George, Allen & Unwin, 1954
The type of character arc that you choose is going to depend on the plot, the themes you want to explore and your target audience.
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