Five Common Character-Arc Blunders
Shaping amorphous emotions into a coherent arc can be tricky.
Latest in Character Arcs
Six Sloppy Character Arcs in Popular Stories
What lessons are we supposed to learn here?
Four Supporting Characters Your Hero Can Learn From
They teach a lesson your hero won't soon forget.
Six Types of Downward Turning Points
Downward turning points make failure feel satisfying.
How to Create an Unhappy Ending
In a truly tragic story, the hero fails because they made the wrong choice.
Episode 355: Developing Character Relationships
What if I just take most of my characters and replace them with animal companions?
Planning Character Arcs
How to develop the emotional side of your plot.
What Redemption Arcs Tell Us About Forgiveness
A storyteller's take on #metoo and cancel culture.
Six Characters With Poorly Handled Arcs
When growth feels forced, it's worse than no arc at all.
Episode 270: Redemption Arcs
Sometimes, we love a villain.
The Four Essentials of an Effective Character Arc
How to create a problem, cause, turning point, and improvement.
How The Rise of Skywalker Finally Made Kylo Ren Worth Redeeming
The mess that was the final Star Wars film nonetheless offers lessons on villain redeemability.
Reconciling Character Choices With Your Plot
Getting into your character's head can help you judge emotional choices.
Choosing a Follow-Up Strategy for a Popular Story
Hollywood has made the act of revisiting old fan favorites something of a gimmick.
Depicting Characters Held Back by Fear
While it may look different for each of us, living life to the fullest is what we’re all striving to do.
Q&A: How Do I Tell a Family Saga?
Answered
Logan