Comments on: Starting and ending the character arc

By: Jordan

Jordan — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:17:24 +0000

Oh, also: we are not fictional characters. Using our lives as a model for a compelling story very seldom works.

Fiction is peopled by people who bear striking similarities to humans. They have some of the same characteristics, behaviors, mannerisms and speech patterns. They even look like humans. But Homo fictus, as James N. Frey calls them, must be consistent, with behaviors ruled by some underlying, internal logic. For the time we share with them, their lives have purpose and direction. They get to face their enemies as well as their inner demons and weaknesses and come out stronger.

And also, they have much more interesting conversations.

One last note: I didn’t say anything had to be missing externally—quite the opposite. The character is missing “something deeper, on an emotional level, that the character needs.” And like I said in my last comment, that can be acceptance or appreciation of the good things in his/her life. But that’s not the only possible character arc.

By: Jordan

Jordan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:35:52 +0000

Actually, I think that’s just another character arc—ignorance (of what you have/want) to knowledge. It’s a good one, but it’s by no means the only one.

And the reason why it’s called an arc instead of an arrow is because it’s not going to be a linear process, not necessarily because the character ends in the same place as they began. In fact, especially when they end up in the same situation or location, the character has to have changed—even just by coming to a realization, albeit a big one—for the ending to be satisfying.

And like I said in the article, it’s the external events in the story that prompt or even force this growth. But having an external goal (like in your astronaut example) isn’t the same thing as the internal character arc. What is his underlying motivation? Why does he want to be an astronaut? What does that have to do with his kids dropping out of school? (More about that this afternoon.)

I like how Jami put it—the character reaches a point where they can move forward from that flaw. And that can also be to leave the flaw behind, to learn that relying on that behavior or crutch only hurts them, or to discover new depths to themselves.

By: Jami G.

Jami G. — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:04:51 +0000

Iapetus,

You have a really good point. The character arc is not an arrow, and many flaws and weaknesses can’t be “fixed”. I guess another way to look at it would be to say that the character reaches a point where they can move forward from that flaw.

My WIP chapter 1 doesn’t actually have anything missing externally either. As you said, it’s more that her weaknesses have blinded her to what she has.

Jami G.

By: Iapetus999

Iapetus999 — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:47:27 +0000

Ah, but is there something really missing? Or is it really that the character is blind to their own abilities?
There’s a reason it’s called an “arc” and not “arrow”. Frankly, I’d rather it be called a Character Boomerang, because the more the character fights, the more stuff hits him in the back of the head.
Problems are never truly solved until the character understands why things are problems for him.
And flaws are flaws–we all have them, and they can’t really be fixed. I don’t think I’ll ever be an Olympic Hurdler. I think it’s really the hidden strengths that make characters come alive…the ability to work through loss, self sacrifice, moving outside the comfort zone…the moment when he says, “I may never be an Astronaut, but damned if I’ll let my kids drop out of school” where new possibilities come alive.
I think this is one of the strongest themes of my current WIP. My FMC is so focused on what she doesn’t have, she’s completely blinded herself to what’s right in front of her.

By: Jami G.

Jami G. — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:40:51 +0000

Rachelle,

I *so* understand. One of my very minor characters in Book 1, has decided that he will reappear in Book 2, wants a whole subplot in Book 3, and has hijacked my brain for a day while he tries to convince me that his story really deserves its own book. LOL! Do kids that have imaginary friends grow up to be authors?

Jami G.