Character Arc and How it Ties into Your Story Plot By Connie Vines. #RR, #Round Robin Blog Hop, The Call to Adventure
The topic for July is the significance of Character Arcs in stories and their connection to the plot or story arc. Do you allow some time and narrative to character arcs for secondary characters?
One of the first writing classes I attended was a screenwriting class based on Chris Vogler's The 12 Stages Of The Hero's Journey.
The 12 Stages of the Hero's Journey
The Ordinary World (Where the Hero/Heroine exists before the present story begins.
Call to Adventure
Refusal to the Call
Meeting the Mentor
Crossing the Threshold
Tests, Alles, Enemies...
Approach to the Innermost Cave
Ordeal
The above can be if you analyze the original Star Wars movie.
This boils down to A protagonist embarking on an adventure into the unknown. They learn lessons, overcome adversity, defeat evil, and return home transformed.
If you are writing a romance, YA/MG novel, or historical, the plot and character arcs' development remains the same.
Romance: they start with one perspective, confront challenges that force them to face their fears and weaknesses, and ultimately change for the better.
SciFi: Here, you may be writing a negative arc where the character changes for the worst.
I develop character arcs for all of my characters. The main characters have the most detailed character arc. However, each character in the story must come across as a person. Different rules apply to the 'bad guy,' of course.
Both plot and character arc are equally important in my stories.
The plot is the device that moves the story forward, and the character emparks on their journey through these plot points--experiencing challenges (both external and internal) and obstacles along the way.
These novels have the most intense character arcs and plot arcs.
Character and plot are inseparable because a person is what happens to them. Without a clear sense of who a character is, what they value, and what they're afraid of, the reader will be unable to appreciate the significance of your events, and your story will have no impact.
Please visit the talented writers participating in this month's Round Robin Blog Hop.
See you next month 😎,
Connie
Anne Stenhouse http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com
Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/
Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog
Marci Baun http://www.marcibaun.com/blog/
Victoria Chatham http://www.victoriachatham.com
A.J. Maguire http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/
Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
