Back in biblical days, as Noah closed the door and the first raindrop fell, maybe he turned to his wife and said, “It’s all in the ark.” Or maybe not, after all, we know that the unicorns got left out. But seriously, for building great characters, it is all in the arc, the character arc. The story is about the big something that changes the ordinary world and sets the main character (MC) on a new course. That change whether it be physical, mental or spiritual, is their arc. The plot is what happens. The arc is how your character is affected by those happenings.
There are several types of arcs including positive, static, and negative. At the beginning, your MC will believe he understands his world. Your job is to show him the falsehood underlying that belief. Some call this the great lie. When his eyes are opened, he will be forced to change his belief system. Think of Cinderella, she believes she’ll never get out of a life of hard labor and servitude. She has nothing at the beginning of the story to let her believe life will get better. She experiences many obstacles before becoming the co-ruler of her country. The truth she believed at the start has been exposed for the lie it always was. And the result is a changed woman.
The protagonist of most stories will have the largest character arc. When you build your story, you’ll be coming up with obstacles to put in the path of your MC. Choose obstacles that will play into the arc you want for your character. For a positive arc, you’ll have a character start out one way and end up being a changed, and for the better, person. Do you want a criminal to reform? Give him plenty of temptation and room to fall back into old ways. Would you like to see a shy young adult, (think of Cinderella) learn that she has the power within her to succeed? Push her into the limelight and let her grow before your readers’ eyes. When the tension is at its highest and your character makes a decision that would have been unheard of for her at the beginning of the story, a decision that changes her life for the better, she’s travelled the positive arc.
If you’re writing a series of books, you may have a fully developed hero who doesn’t change. You might present opportunities for growth and have him resist change. Your readers will sympathize. We’ve all got areas where we know improvement would be wise, but we can’t seem to change. That’s called a static arc. And it works, but you can have secondary characters changing around him to keep the story interesting. For example, you could have all his alcoholic friends reform, but he doesn’t.
Or maybe you start out with an innocent person, without a mean bone in his body. Life comes along and many bad things occur. The changes your character goes through turn him into a gang boss, intent upon revenge, or a wicked wizard wreaking havoc upon those who have wronged him. This is a negative arc, and it can make for a nail-biting, edge of the seat read. Think of Jack Nicolson’s character in the Shining as he descends further and further into insanity.
Whether you choose a static arc or one with significant positive or negative change ahead, use obstacles to fuel the resistance to change, anticipated growth, or descent. Your readers will not only relate, they’ll love you for it.