Warner Builds Characters

John S. Warner. 2022. The Secrets to Creating Character Arcs. Independently Published.

Review by Stephen W. Hiemstra

The art of writing is lot like the practice of prayer. Like prayer, many people either mimic prior practice or they ramble with little discernable structure. Yet, even for those that adopt a formal structure, like an ACTS (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication) prayer or the form of a letter, prayer reflects our theology. Reflecting on that theology can go along ways towards developing a more polished prayer life. And so it is with writing.

Introduction

In the introduction to The Secrets to Creating Character Arcs, John S. Warner writes:

“The book is designed as a guide for all the writers who have great potential but lac the confidence to write an interesting, engaging story that can keep the readers glued to the pages.” (11)

While Warner outlines the components of a complete guide to fiction writing, he concentrates on the specific challenge of crafting interesting characters. He observes: “A great character is born when the reader starts to relate the character’s actions to their past emotional struggles.” (22) This connection between the plot and the emotional life of the characters is what makes great writing out of the reach of so many authors.

Background and Organization

John S. Warner is a self-published author in the Oxfordshire, United Kingdom with minimal online presence. He writes in ten chapters:

The Holy TrinityPlotting It OutSculpting the StructureCharacters, Not CaricatureBuilding Your CharacterYour Character JourneyCombining the LotSupporting CharactersDos and Don’ts of Character CreationTaking Your Story to the Next Level (v-vii)

These chapters are preceded by an introduction and followed by a conclusion and references.

The Holy Trinity

Warner describes plot, structure, and characters as the Holy Trinity of writing (13).

He writes that: “A plot is a sequence of events that happens in a story.” (15) Plot serves to “inspire different emotional responses in the readers.” (17) He sees suspense, anticipation, surprise, and empathy as elements in evoking an emotional response (17-18).

For structure, Warner writes: “In literature, the structure is nothing more than a pattern that keeps you story organized and engaging for the reader.” (18) The basic structure is beginning, middle, and end, the traditional three-act play (19).

I cited Warner’s definition of a character above. He sees characters as either flat or round, with round characters being central to the plot (20). Great characters have internal conflict, as well as external conflict (21).

Five Must-Have Characters

Warner sees five characters as the pillars of every great story: protagonist, antagonist, mentor, sidekick, and skeptic (80).

The protagonist is the hero or heroine whose voice often carries the plot and is relatable (80). Warner writes: “Provide the protagonist with both good and bad qualities, but make sure that their good qualities surpass the bad ones.” (21). Warner sees four protagonist types: The hero, the underdog, Mr. average, and the dark soul (94-95) The protagonist is someone with a goal whose flaws stymie its achievement, keeping it out of reach until the flaw is overcome with the story evolving out of a rise in the stake should the flaw be ignored (96-97.

The antagonist is: “A character [who] is moving against the protagonist and not with them.” (81-82) The antagonist is not necessarily a villain and should have some redeeming quality. This character should be well-rounded and their motivate for opposing the protagonist should be justified (82). Warner sees the antagonist as ideally someone being self-righteous, a worthy opponent, known to the protagonist, with a dark past, and who can in some way be charming (89-90).

A sidekick is: “Most often the protagonist’s sibling, cousin, friend, or colleague…a loyal companion of your protagonist throughout the story.” (83). The sidekick enables the reader to view the protagonist through a different lens, displaying vulnerabilities. A skeptic is like a sidekick only not nearly so supportive (84).

Story versus Character Arcs

The story and character arcs are related, but separate trajectories that distinguish between the external and internal struggles. Warner writes: “While the plot is a series of events that together build your story, the character arc is a series of events that build your character.” (106) Character arcs add emotional weight, depth, and a foundation for the story arc (109).

Warner sees three types of character arcs: Change, growth, and fall. A change arc shows an underdog achieving important goals beyond themselves. A growth arc involves more personal growth. A fall arc shows a character who self-destructs (107-108).

At the heart of character arcs is a lie that the character tells themselves. The sequence of events shows how they come to accept the truth. Warner gives the example of a person who believes that they are unworthy of being loved and comes to realize that that is not true (113). A fall arc evolves from the characters unwillingness to give up the lie or to accept the truth (114). Static characters may already know and accept the truth, but struggle with the temptations posed by various lies (115-116).

Assessment

John S. Warner’s The Secrets to Creating Character Arcs provides a foundation for understanding and developing multidimensional, fiction characters, interesting and instructive to most fiction writers. Warner places his discussion of character development squarely in the context of constructing the plot and story structure, making it easy for writers in their formative process to move a few steps closer to their creative potential. Warner’s easy-going writing style can be disarming, but it contributes to its accessibility. Fiction writers should buy and read this book.

Footnotes

www.Creative-Secrets.com.

Warner Builds CharactersAlso see:Books, Films, and MinistryOther ways to engage online:Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.netPublisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com Newsletter at: https://bit.ly/trans_22,  Signup

 

 

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