The last blog in this series discussed the importance of a Character Arc and its role in your story. Now it’s time to look at how to develop the arc.
Characters need to be fully realized, complex people with virtues and flaws. They need convictions and fears, hopes and worries, and skills to help and hurt their progress. Most importantly, they need to change. This is the crux of character development. But how do you do that?
Change lies in action, not thought. It is not enough for your character to realize something. It must show in her actions. It’s the classic show, don’t tell. Changes should be credible and silent so don’t talk about them or reveal them except through deeds.
There must be a reason for your character to change. It may be part of her motivation or arise from a specific catalyst. Either way, your character must find a reason to keep going no matter the obstacles before her. If she does quit, show the story contained within that choice.
Perhaps everyone else chose to fight the invading monsters and your character stayed behind. Show why. The contrast between those who went forward and those who did not should reveal your character and why she is the way she is. If this choice happens in the beginning, you have a starting point for growth. Perhaps she moves from being cowardly to being brave. Or maybe she will be shown as the smart one who didn’t rush to danger without strategy. Whichever the reason, use it to start the story and move through your development from that point. If it happens in the end, tie it back to her arc. Maybe she used to be the reckless one and has finally learned her lesson. Show her growth in how she responds to others and thinks of herself.
Challenge your character. Keep building opportunities to grow by placing obstacles before her. The obstacles can be internal or external—a mistaken belief or a raging storm. Increase the obstacles and consequences as much as you can given the nature of your story. Thrillers demand fast-paced obstacles with high-risk consequences. The more, the better. Love stories require more inner conflict. But no matter the genre, you can always push your characters more than you think. It’s this pushing that will help your character change and grow.
Character Development in Scenes
Every scene should provide new information to the reader—information that propels the story forward for the reader. It should either show your character’s intention for that scene or offer a glimpse into her past or backstory. This can be done through exposition, dialogue with another character, action or any other type of scene as long as it provides new information that informs the story and moves it closer to the end. Be wary of using too much exposition as it slows the pace.
Scenes should either add complications or remove them as the story progresses. Which you choose will depend on the type of story you are writing and the pacing of that story. Sometimes it is important to offer your readers a respite if you have a breakneck pace. Other times it is best to add obstacles and difficulties upon your character.
One of the best ways to develop your character is by presenting her with trials she can only pass if she changes. For example, imagine you have a character who is lost in the wilderness. She needs to find civilization but the only way is to cross a wide river and she’s deathly afraid of swimming. This situation forces her to face her fear if she wants to survive. This is a simple example, but it illustrates how each character has to face her fears, prejudices, way of life and habits to make it in the new world presented in the story. Make change necessary to the outcome.
The next blog will explore ways to develop your character through a series of tips.