Creating Character Arcs Workbook: The Writer's Reference to Exceptional Character Development and Creative Writing

Helping Writers Become Authors #8

by K.M. Weiland

Uncover the Secrets to Creating Characters Readers Will Never ForgetAward-winning author K.M. Weiland’s previous book, the acclaimed Creating Character Arcs, showed writers how to identify the five most important types of character arcs and use them to bring your own characters to life with stunning and powerful realism. Now it’s time to put those lessons to use! Building upon the principles you’ve already learned, the Creating Character Arcs Workbook presents a guided approach to choosing the right type of character arc for your story, joining plot and character into a cohesive and resonant whole, and choosing stories with life-changing themes.Containing hundreds of incisive questions and imagination-revving exercises, this valuable resource will show you how Write an inspiring Positive Change ArcCreate one of three unforgettable Negative Change ArcsTake full advantage of a heroic Flat ArcAlign the structure of your character arcs with that of your plotRevise a story that has no arcAnd so much more!This accessible and streamlined workbook will empower you to create resonant character arcs—and an outstanding novel.Start writing your best book today!

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference, Crafts, Education, Research

251 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 2, 2017

About the author

K.M. Weiland is the award-winning and internationally published author of acclaimed writing guides such as Structuring Your Novel, Creating Character Arcs, and Writing Archetypal Character Arcs. She writes historical and speculative fiction and mentors authors on her award-winning website Helping Writers Become Authors.

Reviews

[Julia Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is more helpful than the actual book. The workbook has detailed questions for each arc which have been super helpful in helping me identify where my characters fall short as well as where potential plot holes might be and (hopefully) fixing them in advance.

[C. Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the textbook before the workbook, but honestly, I believe the workbook can stand alone in its teachings. It is much easier to understand and has better examples. The hands-on helps, but the summaries and questions nail the subject matter home better than the textbook, IMHO.

[Roy Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We thought we had the answers, it was the questions we had wrong." Bono

Check!

Got it!

Asking ourselves the right questions is critical to success.

But … simply knowing which inquiries are the “right questions” isn’t so simple. It’s miserable, in fact, when we, as young writers, can’t even identify the writing problem at hand.

Good news, though.

Thanks to K. M. Weiland’s new work, her “Creating Character Arcs Workbook,” we needn’t lose ourselves in the numbing confusion of misleading questions. Skip the drudgery!

Want to create a killer character arc? Get the book. Like her other invaluable works on craft, the internationally acclaimed novelist offers priceless strategies in this book as well – and guides us, moreover, to the best book we can write.

Included:

• The Positive Change Arc
• The Flat Arc
• Negative Change Arc 1: Disillusionment.
• Negative Change Arc 2: Fall.
• Negative Change Arc 3: Corruption.

It’s a great book. It’s the sum of her prolific talent. Which is ample. The workbook is so dense with knowledge, in fact, that, by the time you finish reading it, you’ll feel as if you’ve experienced a personal mentorship with her. I say this because Ms. Weiland shares more than just knowledge; she shows how to work intelligently.

You owe this book to yourself. If you aspire to write, if you write and wish to improve your skills, if you’re a published author and wish to compose novels faster, then the only right question is this: Will you get a copy?

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think K.M. Weiland's website is a great resource for writers and I love the series where she dives into a topic spending weeks or months exploring everything you could possibly need to know. With this book, she has taken one of the series that has helped me the most and turned it into a workbook.

I enjoy writing character arcs because of how they allow me to know how my character should be acting or reacting at any given moment of the plot. This book walks you through the entire process of creating your character arc. First, you'll read a chapter about which arc is right for your story and how to know if you're choosing the right arc. Once you've selected an arc the book is divided into sections so you only see information pertaining to the arc you are currently working on.

What I found most useful was the corresponding page numbers for the "Creating Character Arcs" book which I referred back to a number of times. You don't need to have the other book but since I already owned it I took full advantage of the extra resource. For my character who had a flat arc, I wrote eight pages (front and back) worth of answers to the thought-provoking questions the workbook poses. Even if you write more or less than I did I think you'll come finish this book with a better understanding of your character, plot, and theme.

[Cassandra Lee Yieng · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book containing so many insightful questions, one must set aside sufficient time for reflection. I especially like the section on flat arcs, because I have a particular liking for characters who seem larger than life, most of whom follow flat arcs.

A little tip for aspiring writers: I find it overwhelming to try to answer all the questions in one sitting, and I often run out of inspiration before I finish a chapter. However, when I apply the questions to rough drafts of stories, a workable revision strategy emerges and I can keep on answering and clarifying the finer details in my writing.

(One minor point I take issue with is an example in the chapter on the Negative Change Arc: Corruption Arc > First Half of the Second Act. I believe that the protagonist Michael hid in Sicily to assume the appearance of a decent person, until his new wife is murdered. Being a fugitive, he might not have grasped the ramifications of his presence in the Sicilian community, in which he found temporary refuge, until he returns to the USA and fulfils his criminal destiny. But perhaps the author was looking from the perspective of a Michael who had already returned to America, ready to be the next crime lord, because from such a vantage point, marrying the Sicilian girl proves that Michael is ready and willing to be unfaithful to his moral code.)

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
This came out at the perfect time for me. As I'm currently in the middle of my outline, this workbook gave me a push to learn about character arcs. Now, I not only have a stronger story, but a lot of the plot-related problems I was previously struggling with have been solved.
I completed the first three arcs (Positive, Flat, and Disillusionment) for three of my characters. In the workbook, Weiland first gives a quick quiz to help you choose the right arc for your character before going into separate arcs. At the beginning of each chapter is a quick explanation of the theory behind the exercises you're about to do, then you dive in to answer questions which help you create and/or strengthen an arc.
As a whole, I found the book one of the most useful writing tools I've ever used. The examples she gave were easy to follow, even though I've never read/seen most of the stories she referenced. However, sometimes the questions became confusing. It certainly helped when I started to read Creating Character Arcs along with it, but the exercises still sometimes felt repetitive and unclear. I'm still so glad I used this for my story, as I said above, it's much better because of it.
Disclaimer: I was given a free copy by the author in exchange for my honest review.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This workbook is very helpful in developing believable and compelling character arcs. It tells what should be going on with the main character's inner life at each point in the plot. In addition to the Positive Change Arc, in which the character changes for the better through learning the truth, it includes detailed instruction on the Flat Arc, in which the main character already knows the truth and uses it to help others and transform the story's world, and the Negative Arc, in which the main character changes for the worse. The workbook includes examples of each type of character arc from well-known stories.
For readers unfamiliar with K. M. Weiland's work, this workbook is a companion to her book Creating Character Arcs. The workbook includes questions about your story to help you apply the principles in the book. The method for creating character arcs is designed to complement the system for story structure described in her books Outlining your Novel and Structuring Your Novel, both of which have companion workbooks. These books are very useful for novelists interested in a highly detailed yet flexible system of story structure.
Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for this review.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the multiple character arcs in this book, and there is a lot of questions to get you to develop your character however many of the questions repeat from arc to arc. About the only thing that change in any great amount are the examples. Which each arc she gives two examples but these examples are from movies and not Novels. I guess for creating character arc's it not really important where you get your inspirations and I get that watching a movie and studying character development is quicker than reading book after book.

I typically love K.M. Weiland's work, and her free blog is loaded with all the information you need. I also like K.M. Weiland because every time I've had a question about something and went to her blog there is a spot you can send questions to her and every time she has answered my question rather quickly.

I also like her work, while she tells you where a certain thing happens (i.e. the First Plot Point happening 25% into the novel, or the Midpoint at 50%) she doesn't tell you, you need x amount of scenes to fill this out. In fact she tells you in some of the questions if you can't get it in one scene try writing in multiple scenes. I'm sure she has it on her blog somewhere but I wish she'd go into detail on how to create a great scene.

[Kathryn Bigelow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book but I wouldn't have taken the time to read or review it if I wasn't already in love with how helpful her other workbooks and writing books are. Like all the workbooks in her writing series, this is a great book with lots of compelling questions. I found that the questions along with the references to her companion book on creating characters, really helped me delve into the character I was building, whether that was the villain or the hero. She goes into in depth details for a negative, positive, and flat character arc with plenty of examples to guide. I didn't use the fill in sections, I prefer to just read the section or question and free write in a character file. This allows me to use the book over and over again, as as someone with a digital copy, I also can't write directly in the book. If you struggle with flat characters, or just characters in general, this was a great book for making me really think about my character and where I wanted them to go. I love her books on writing as well as how helpful her website is for all things writing, I can't wait to read what she comes up with next.

[Amy Karas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Creating Character Arcs Workbook is an excellent resource for writers on the go. (And, let’s face it we’re writers, when aren’t we?) This workbook is the companion to the writing craft book “Creating Character Arcs,” by Ms. Weiland. I have found the workbook of particular use in the development of my secondary characters as I work through my first draft. The instruction in the workbook is effective for its succinct nature. In the middle of my first draft I don’t want to slow down and read an entire chapter of a writing craft book, just to find that one sentence that I read forever ago, that I know will help me solve my character arc problems. I want efficiency. (Because we’re writers, so this is probably our second job) The Creating Character Arcs Workbook has crystallized information that clarifies the essentials of character arc creation. The workbook contains a wealth of information. Questionnaires, diagrams, and examples of arcs from familiar stories streamline the character development process.
TL:DR Skip your latte/ whatever your vice is and go get this workbook if you want a quick and dirty reference for all your character arc needs.

[M.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

(English is not my first language, so please be patient with all the grammar and spelling errors.)

For the last year, it feels like K.M. Weiland became my personal writing coach through her books and weblog. With this workbook and its companion, the Creating Character Arcs book, she wrote the best books yet. Well, at least that’s my opinion.

This Workbook is exactly what the title promises: an helpful Workbook by de ‘textbook’. I think you wil get the best of it by reading it along Creating Character Arcs. It helps you to practice the theory through lots of questions, so you can make it your own and apply it to your own story.
The book is divided into 5 segments, the 5 character arcs. Every character arc has examples of books or movies, which are easy to follow if you haven’t read or seen it. There are also al lot of questions and exercises for every character arc.

This workbook is a fantastic help by creating solid character arcs and tie them to the plot and story structure. I highly recommend it!

[Anna Erishkigal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had the companion "Creating Character Arcs" textbook for a while now and used it to help flesh out some particularly pernicious character arcs in my latest epic fantasy novel, so when I saw there is now a workbook, I snagged it. The workbook follows along nicely, and complements, but doesn't repeat the lessons in the textbook. Each work-lesson is reinforced with several fresh (new) examples from dozens of books and movies which most people will be familiar with, ranging from Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, up to modern movies ranging from Thor to Master & Commander to more literary movies such as 'Doubt.' Each exercise has 2-3 lines to scribble, but it's mostly exercises and examples, so you're not paying for a book filled with useless empty space (I'm too cheap to scribble in it, so I always carry a notebook for my scribbles). The paperback edition is nice because, at 7.5x9, it's a big enough workbook to give you a visual picture of the exercises, but not so huge you can't shove it into your purse. Great companion for the 'Creating Story Arcs' textbook -OR- as a standalone

[Steven Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another frequently consulted book when writing.

It is also one that I had Staples break down into a ring bound binder so that the pages lay flat on the scanner bed.

I scan the needed pages into Adobe and make them fillable forms. Once the forms are filled, I drop them into Scrivener in the character's folder.

While writing I keep the character's files open and consult it frequently making sure I have not done something silly such as changing the characters sex, name, description (I once discovered I had changed a character from very short to very tall, and nearly made a vampire, into a crossdressing predator that was a blend of Bram Stroker's Dracula and Count von Count from Sesame Street), and other character details through the story.

Using the scanned pages in Adobe (there may be other programs that you can use that I am not aware of such as newer versions of Word perhaps) is more convenient than using pencils and erasers with varying degrees of successfully cleansing a page from the previous project.

[Lauren Waelder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The companion to this workbook, Creating Character Arcs, was the first book by K. M. Weiland I read. It introduced me to her style of breaking down the often-complicated process of writing into its simplest points, with plenty of examples to see how to use the tips in your own work. I am happy to say that the Creating Character Arcs Workbook fulfills in every way my high expectations of Ms. Weiland’s books. I was pleased to see the level of attention to each arc, not just for the positive change arc. I also especially enjoyed the exercises in creating not one but four potential items for the arcs’ frameworks, so that writers can test several options and see which works best.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for my honest review. However, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and applying it to my present work, and I look forward to referring back to it in future projects. I recommend this book to any writers who are trying to create interesting characters.

[Chelo Biggerstaff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very useful for any writer wanting to take their books to the next level.

There are books you use once. You may find them useful, but you read them through one time and you're finished. Then there are the books you re-read, time and time again, because you get something new every time.

I've now read this book through twice (and used it to help me finish my WIP for NaNoWriMo). I'm quite positive I will use it many more times to clarify the character arcs within the greater framework of my story. It's that good.

Do you know the difference between a positive change arc and negative change arc? Do you know how these things fit into your greater story arc? Do you know why it matters?

I currently have the ebook version; either version would work well for repeated usage. Just be sure to use your own paper for filling out the questions and you're set.

Works very well with -Structuring Your Novel- and its accompanying workbook.

[Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a formula for creating character arcs, choose this book. It will provide you checklists, up to 15 separate points, and what your protagonist should do at certain markers in the novel (e.g. 75% mark). It comes down to the protagonist’s truth versus the lie, in every work of fiction. I found this book overwhelming, too pedantic, and the three act structure and character arcs Weiland describes seem more fitting for movie screenplays than novels. She cites movies as examples more than novels, and even the novels she cites, all made into films. I will probably refer to Weiland’s workbook to check against my protagonist’s character arc, but for a reread I will go to Donald Maas’s The Emotional Craft of Fiction, which is far more inspirational for an aspiring writer.   

[LKbytheBay · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Creating Character Arcs Book and Workbook should be required reading and exercises for student writers of any genre. Yes, I’m including historical non-fiction, memoir and other unlikely genres in that observation. Even memoirists need to convey to the reader how their life has changed over time. By using the Workbook, knowing character arc types and subtypes then applying that knowledge to YOUR story, the reader can hear about your journey as only you can tell. There are more in-depth explanations in this book than any other character arc reference I’ve found. Learn as you apply it to your work in progress. That’s a smart time saving move in my opinion.

[Christina Li · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author K.M. Weiland does an excellent job of walking a writer through creating a character that is full, interesting, and changes over the course of a story. She has exercises at the end of each chapter to help you develop your own ideas as well as plenty of choices and examples of what to do with this knowledge she shares. My personal favorite is the 'lie your character believes' and what the character does with that lie. Will he/she overcome it or not and why and how do you work this outcome in your writing. Following this book will push your writing to the next level. Highly recommend!

[Dex Vaughn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great supplement to the actual book. There were writing exercises to complete that you can use while outlining the character arcs for your book. It's a great reference tool to flip through and tab up for when you want to use different types of arcs.

The only draw back from using this kind of tools is that it can give you tunnel vision when you create things. In the past, any outline I created would seem too formulaic and soulless. As long as you keep this as a frame of reference, as opposed to a tracing board, the writing process can be smooth sailing.

[Chiara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!
As she does in other books, K.M. Weiland explains in such a clear and complete way a lot of things you need to know to write fiction. Reading this book, I could understand where I must change the plot and character in order to create better character arc and, even more important, I could better understand what kind of arc is the best for that piece of fiction I'm writing and for that character.

[Cordia Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I think K.M. has 'said it all' about whatever writing topic she's delving into, along comes a workbook to go with the originating text. First she 'tells' you how she does it in the textbook, then invites you to 'show' off your story in her workbooks.

Much as I've loved her other craft books, the Character Arcs series is my absolute favorite. If you write and haven't tapped into her advice, this text and workbook are the perfect place to start.

[Lacey Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just what I needed!

A perfect companion to “Creating Character Arcs”! The questions in this workbook helped me understand what I was wanting to say with my characters and who I wanted them to be. It was so helpful I organizing my thoughts and guiding me from the beginning to the end of my story. I’ll be using it for all my characters. I can’t wait to get into the other outline and structuring workbooks too!

[Fred Fanning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creating Character Arcs Workbook is an excellent book to actually implement the lessons taught in her non-fiction book Character Arcs. I liked the workbook because it walks you through the steps you need to know and practice to learn to develop character arcs that make a book exciting. I have read both books and recommend reading them both to discover the most, especially if you are a writer or author.

[J.P. Grider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, KM, for once again making my job of creating wonderful stories and characters easier. With the addition of Creating Character Arcs Workbook, I now know my characters in a way that will make my story so much better. I'm able to grasp my protagonist in a deeper more meaningful way. And I just may use this workbook for my antagonist as well - because even he needs a richly executed arc.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully helpful and practical companion book. I was lucky enough to read an advance copy and couldn't wait to get it. I didn't actually read it in a day: the exercises take a lot longer and really make you think.

[Juneta Key · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy for an honest review. K. M. Weiland has a way of showing you what she means and giving you tools to put it to action. This companion workbook to Creating Character ARCS is no different. I highly recommend this and all her work. I've never been disappointed.

[Jay Sprenkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent discussion of another facet of writing well. I would personally prefer a different format. I prefer a very succinct summarization followed by expanded commentary on each of the points. The material is all there but I found it hard to read

[Carrow Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great tool for people who are new to developing character arcs or were told their character has no arc. Highly recommend getting its sister book. Did not give it five stars because while the workbook is helpful, all I really needed was the primary book.

[G. Edward Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has wholly invigorated my character creation mindset. Filled with checklists to guide you at every step you will not be left wanting for something more when it comes to your character's arc in your story.

[Regan Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth the money. I really enjoyed this book. It breaks down stages of character arcs well (focusing mostly on positive change arcs because they’re most common). The author includes a wide range of examples for each point she makes. I’d highly recommend.