Creating Character Arcs: The Masterful Author's Guide to Uniting Story Structure, Plot, and Character Development

by K.M. Weiland

Questions to Ask About Your Character’s Ghost 1. Why does your character believe the Lie? 2. Is there a notable event in his past that has traumatized him? 3. If not, will there be a notable event in the First Act that will traumatize him? 4. Why does the character nourish the Lie? 5. How will he benefit from the Truth? 6. How “big” is your character’s Ghost? If you made it bigger, would you end up with a stronger arc? 7. Where will you reveal your character’s Ghost? All at once early on? Or piece by piece throughout the story, with a big reveal toward the end? 8. Does your story need the Ghost to be revealed? Would it work better if you never revealed it? Backstory is always one of the most interesting aspects of a character. In constructing yours, pay special attention to the Ghost. If you know what initiated your character’s belief in the Lie, you’re halfway to helping him overcome it.