The one thing that makes all stories magically is arguable character progression.
I’ve already shown how to write a story, and how to be be consistent with your writing. However, there is more to writing than that. It is paramount that all who wish to take part in this path of writing need to know how to write a satisfactory character arc.
So, how do you write a satisfying character arc?
To write a character arc, you must write your character in such a way that they behave in one way at the beginning of the story, which causes them problems, so they chase a goal to fix the problem but instead they learn the problem is within themselves. Then have them overcome the problem within, and as a reward, they receive the goal they were searching for.
Then at the end, demonstrate the change, through showing how they do not find the same old problems as challenging anymore. A tip would be to use personality quirks, and character design to demonstrate their character arc. Change the clothes they were, the way they speak, and some of their signature traits to something more positive at the end of the story, showing their internal growth.
That is a bit wordy, I know. So I will be explaining it in details, along with a step by step process of how to do it, in this article. Hope this helps, now let’s get to it:
What Is a Character Progression?
A character progression is when a character moves from the way they are to another manner in order to be able to solve the central conflict of the story.
The simplest way to explain this is to say it is when a character moves from being one way to another.
The best way is to take a character at the beginning of the story, and place them to their future self at the end of the story. The difference you see between these characters is character progression. Some examples of character progressions are when:
- A shy character moves on to be a bit more confident and self assured
- An analytical and careful character moves on to letting go and becoming more carefree, and happy.
- A proud character moves on to become more humble.
- A selfish character moves on to become more selfless
- A guilty characters moves on to become more self-accepting and forgiving.
However, the truth is that this process could go on forever, with a number of different variations. You see, a character is the manifestation of ideas. This is explained on the how to develop a character article.
I’ll summarize it here. Basically, a character is built around a central flaw.
The character believes this flaw because of past experiences, and because of this flaw they believe, they live out a life that causes them problems. So the character chases the goal of the story, believing it will solve their problems.
In the process of chasing this goal, they realize the flaw they believe and change themselves inside, and as a result, they are rewarded with the goal they were seeking.
So, you can see why this has such endless examples to draw from. This flaw (believing they are worthless, or weak, or that the world is for those who take what they want) could lead to all sorts of problems (shyness, over carefulness, pride, selfishness, and the likes), that it is an endless list.
In spite of that though, there are still only 3 types of characters arcs.
There is the positive character arc. Here, it is when the character sees they flaws, and overcomes them. Then there is the negative character arc, which is where the character fails to see their flaw, and they never change.
Then there is the flat character arc, which is when the character has no flaw, but their character progression manifests through the other characters around them.
How To Come Up With A Great Character Progression?
1. Introduce the character, and show their physical design To Signal The Character Progression
You need to write introduce the character to yourself, then to the readers.
First, you’ll need to meet the character.
This means you need to develop the character. There’s an entire different article on how to do that, but basically, character development, and progression is like building a car (development) and then driving the car to win the race (progression).
If you are too lazy to read that one, understand that the easiest way to develop a character is to use their physical design.
Picture the scene you saw them in in your head, and ask what they are wearing, how do they speak, how do they move. Make note of these things and decide why they are like that.
Finally, when it comes to the writing part, you need to make sure that you have a moment where you introduce the character to the readers. This means you need to show who they are physically.
2. Show the Character Motivation, why they want what they want etc Before Starting The Character Progression
Then you need to introduce the character’s motivation.
For this one, you can do it in 2 ways.
If you have a sharp scene in mind of that character, then meditate on it. Ask yourself why they are doing what they are doing? And to what end? What is their motivation? I have another article for that which is more detailed.
The second way to do this is to simply write the motivation from your mind. For who are they fighting? To protect what, or gain what?
3. Show the Character’s mistaken Belief
Then, you need to figure out the character’s flaw.
Next, you have to create the character’s flaw.
When you have the character’s motivation, and physical design, it is only natural that you will be able to figure out what the character’s flaw is. The flaw is not the problem.
Basically, if a character is a shy character who does not stand up for themselves, that’s the problem, not the flaw. The flaw is why the character is so shy. Maybe they believe that they do not deserve to be heard. Maybe they think they have nothing of value to give.
These last 2 options are a flaw.
When you’ve figure out the flaw, you need to justify it. Why does the character believe this? You could say the shy character watched their parents divorce when she was young. No matter how hard she tried to speak, they would not listen to her. So now she believes she is not worth hearing.
You see how the backstory automatically comes up? So write this flaw for yourself, in a private book.
When you are writing the public book, you need to show this problem to the viewers, and the flaw.
Maybe the character has a flashback scene. But it is better when it is a one of line like, “Oh, shucks Marry, I don’t think no body wanna here me.” This tells us what her flaw is, without the flashback which could take time, and also it would show that the character already knows their flaw, which defeats the point of the story.
The need to figure it out later, and only later will they have the flashback.
4. Show the External Factors the Character Has to Overcome To Complete The Character Progression
You then must show the external factors the character has to overcome.
The external factor is the villain.
For proper character progression, you need to make a villain who has the same flaw as the hero. However, the villain developed different problems from this flaw. Maybe the hero is timid because they believe they are worthless.
You could have a villain who is haughty, but the villain also believes they are worthless, so they are overcompensating. You could even go the opposite way.
Maybe the hero is brash, but our villain is quiet, and calculating, but both of them believe only glory makes you safe in this world so they both chase it.
This is best used when you write it in private, or in your notes, then you will slowly reveal this in the story.
5. Have The Initial Interaction Between character And External Foe
Make the initially impact between the hero and the villain a microcosm of all that is coming.
Now that all the background work is done, you will have to begin your drive.
You will begin writing your character progression. The way you start this is with the first contact between your hero, and your villain. The first contact needs to serve a purpose; it needs to show that the villain and the hero are connected.
There are 2 ways of doing this.
The first is through dialogue. You could have the two meet, and exchange words. They should either agree on something, or disagree in such a diametrically opposed way that they seem the similar.
A better way is the second way, which is where we see the main character show us their signature skills (cooking, a fight style, or basket ball skills whatever that may be from your development stage), and the villain steps up, and easily counters the heroes skills.
Maybe, they do not even meet.
Instead, we see the villain move, and he speaks, and acts in a way diametrically opposed, yet similar to our main character. We see this in the Dark knight with Joker. He is competent, and works outside the law like Batman.
But his equipment are roughly thrown together, unlike Batman’s expensive military tech.
Our villain needs to be seemingly better than our hero, but it should not be clear why, yet.
6. Have the Character’s Attempts to Overcome the Foe with The Fake Solution
You need to write the conflict between the hero, and the villain.
The next thing we need to see is the hero be defeated by the villain.
This part is crucial as it allows the hero to meet their first defeat. This does not necessarily mean a physical beatdown, if that is not the type of story you write. It just basically means that the hero is chasing after a goal, which the villain is also chasing. But the villain is making strides towards the goal, and the hero is being left behind.
That’s the defeat.
The defeat is crucial for character progression because it shows us that the villain is superior to the hero, and specifically, the villain is better than the hero because he exploits the heroes flaw.
For example, let’s say we have a timid hero who believes they are worthless.
The villain will use the heroes hesitancy to his advantage. Or if the hero is brash, and reckless, then the villain could set traps where the hero thinks he will gain glory, only to end up falling behind and the villain rushes ahead.
The point here is that the villain wins over the hero specifically because the villain takes advantage of the heroes flaws.
7. Have The Character’s Second Interaction with The External Foe
The next step of character progression will see the villain finally expose his similarity to the hero.
Following the initial defeat, the hero is usually undeterred, and they believe they just need to try again and they will defeat the villain. However, the villain once more defeats the hero. Now, the villain exposes to the hero why he wins.
He does this in 2 steps.
First, the villain reveals how the heroes flaw, and says what the hero has believed since the beginning of the story.
The flaw is finally exposed to the hero. The villain tells the timid guy that he must feel so worthless. Or to the brash guy, he tells him that he must feel like he has to attain glory just to be accepted. Just to survive in this society. This will shake your lead character to the core.
Secondly, the villain reveals a twisted solution to the flaw.
The villain reveals why they never have to deal with what the hero is dealing with, and why they are so much stronger than the hero. But the solution is usually perverse, and runs against everything the hero believes to be right.
However, the villain still wins, thus shaking our heroes resolve harder than anything in their life.
To the timid guy, the villain could say that he feels worthless, and he could get rid of this by simply fighting for himself, instead of his friends. Or to the brash guy, he could say that he wants glory to be accepted by society, when in fact he should only ever attain glory in order to rule society, and make them love him by force.
Both these characters would disagree and try to beat the villain, but the villain defeats them.
Yes, this dialogue can be given by the villain to the hero. But the villain could be speaking of their plans to an ally.
The point is, this finally awakens the hero to the truth of his flaw, and makes the villain more frightening to the hero, as he realizes this person will take more than punching to defeat, and this psychological self evaluation is something the hero does not wish to do, as it is tough and painful, meaning they have to address their backstory, and childhood traumas to win.
8. Show The Character Overcoming The Internal Foe To Win The Character Progression
You need to have your main character face their internal flaw.
This would be the perfect place for that flashback scene.
Now, you will need to write your main character descend into their darkest moment. After the hero learns the villain is superior, they try to fight them anyway, usually by doubling down on the false idea they held.
The timid guy tries to fight the villain by asking more people to help, and the brash guy tries to be more reckless and do more dangerous things. this is the midpoint of the story, and it is when the hero will appear like they are beginning to win.
However, this is only because the villain is about to get serious.
The villain then reaches out, and fights the hero in earnest for the first time.
This leads to the story changing from hopeful, to extremely dark, because the hero loses again. This time, they lose something extremely dear to them. Maybe a loved one or something. Additionally, they lose the methods they used to fight the villain.
If it is a treasure story, the lose the map. If it is a fighting story, they lose their sword. Whatever it may be, they lose their means to continue.
The hero then has no choice but to face their flaw, usually through a flashback.
They address their flaw, and realize that if they want to save what they have left, they need to do something differently. So the timid guy starts giving orders. The brash guy distributes the labor, and lets others do work that will win them glory.
9. Show The Character’s External Change (Change Design, behavior, temperament)
You will need to show how the hero has changed before their final battle.
Following their new found identity, and realization, you must show this change in the hero.
This can be done through a physical appearance change. Maybe they started the story wearing blue, but it ends with them in white, showing their enlightenment. Additionally, you must show a change in their personality, or their temperament.
Maybe they smile more. Or smile less. Maybe they just talk differently, and carry themselves differently. Or it is in temperament. Maybe they aren’t as riled up anymore. This change reflects physically.
10. Show the Character Fighting The External Foe, and Finally Overcoming It
Finally, show your hero overcoming their flaws through them defeating the villain, and claiming the goal.
By now, you have shown that this is about more than just the price.
The stakes have reason to the highest they can get. And you have shown how dangerous our villain is, so there is doubts if the hero could even defeat the villain.
Make the hero defeat the villain.
The final war begins, and because of these changes, the hero not only catches up to the villain, but they overcome them.
Here, the villain is left bewildered and the hero reveals the problem with the heroes belief, and how they were the right one. Usually, the hero does not hate the villain as much anymore, instead they feel at peace, and in power. Finally having overcome their life’s horrors.
This is what makes all stories great and magical.
When we see these people overcome flaws they’d been suffering from since childhood, and make their lives more productive, and happy, we believe we can do the same with our own lives too. That is magic right there, and once you starting mastering it, you will start mastering mastery.