Dear Writer,
This week, one of my students asked me about character arcs. What are they, and how do we write them?
On the surface, they’re very simple. When I taught this lesson in a brick-and-mortar school, I’d draw three straight lines on the whiteboard: one pointing up to show a positive change arc, one level for a flat arc, and one dropping down for a negative change arc. Then I would erase all three and draw a squiggly line to show that, really, no character, existing or imagined, will have a constant trajectory in any direction. There will be fluctuations throughout the story, even in the flattest flat arc.
Let me explain the arcs simply before we go any deeper.
Positive Change Arc
Over the course of the story, regardless of backsliding or low points, the character becomes something “better.” Happier, more accomplished, more ethical, etc.
A good example (there are lots) would be Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. He starts out a grumpy miser, but by the end, after a bit of help and introspection, he finds the secret to real happiness.
Flat Arc
No marked change in the character. They are who they are, and there’s no need for growth (or decline). These characters are made interesting by how they affect the people and world around them. You’ll see virtuous paragons inspiring their friends, dastardly villains burning it all down, or a side character that you didn’t pay enough attention to.
Most iterations of Captain America are like this. He rarely becomes more or less ethical, but he’s always getting people to follow him and be better.
Negative Change Arc
If your story calls for a darker vibe, or if you and your audience are just a little sadistic, you might make your character end up worse at the end than when they started. Falls from grace, descents into madness; whatever it looks like for your character, make it hurt both them and the reader. There’s some kind of catharsis involved in the process, at least that’s what the Greeks thought with their tragedies. Oedipus, Orpheus, Achilles. A fatal flaw isn’t the only way to bring a character down, but it’s worked well for thousands of years.
Lies and Truths
A bit more practical advice on positive and negative change arcs: as discussed in previous letters, character is shown by actions, the choices we make; any change is accompanied by internal conflict. Don’t let an external force be the sole driver of an arc. Advice from a trusted mentor or friend may help an aspiring hero on the path, but the big moments of change (often these happen during climactic scenes, moments of truth) must stem from difficult choices the character makes themselves.
Luke didn’t resist the Dark Side because Obi-Wan told him to; it was a choice he had to make himself while navigating pressure from both sides.
Aang spared Ozai even when everyone important to him insisted that killing the Fire Lord was the right thing to do.
Arcs are driven by choices. Don’t let change come easily for your character.
Let me explain a practical model that will help plan change arcs: The Lie Your Character Believes. (I first learned about this from K.M. Weiland’s blog helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com.)
The Lie (capital “L”) is a core untruth the character has bought into about the world or themselves that is holding them back from achieving happiness, or contentment, or whatever the end goal is. If your character has a therapist, this is what they’d be working on. “I’ll be happy when…,” “I don’t deserve to be loved,” “Might makes right,” etc. There are infinite Lies; come up with one that works thematically with your story. Your character should struggle with this. Again, it will take more than a bit of advice for your character to find the Truth, which is the opposite of the Lie and will bring a clear view of themselves or the world, and enable them to do the thing, whatever the end goal is in your story.
A positive change arc will see the character finding their truth, often at the climax (if that’s how you plot your story). With a negative change arc, they’ll either fall deeper into the Lie, or even add a brand new one to make them even more miserable.
Final Thoughts
I like to think that most readers read to be inspired. I enjoy seeing characters go through earned positive arcs because I want to go through the same. That being said, high points are defined by lows. It’s up to you to find the right balance. Good luck.
Go write something.
Probably lying to himself,
Tyler Hess
Freelance Editor
https://www.tylerhessportfolio.com
www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-hess-a76629170
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