Characters: How much to develop before starting, and do they need arcs?

[Inca_UK]

I've come up with a plot I like and I'm just working on the characters now. For the first section of the story it centres around the 6 crew members of a spaceship. I'm finding the process of writing the characters more difficult than working out the plot/setting, which came together reasonably quickly in one afternoon, so I've decided to bring the issues here for discussion and see what people think and how you guys go about it.

How much of a character do you like to develop before starting the story? Mine is a plot driven story so I'm thinking as long as I have a vague idea about each character, their background and what happens to them in the story I should be ok to start writing and figure them out as I go. I think that over the first few pages I would learn about the characters and be able to build them up from there.

Do all your characters (obviously not minor characters, but those we'll be spending time with) all need to have an arc? I'm struggling to come up with an arc for my protagonist, although I've read about and perhaps he has a "flat character arc". One of the other major characters of the crew has an arc, but some of the others don't as of yet and I'm wondering about the importance of giving them all arcs. I think it really adds a lot to a story when it feels like all the characters are the heroes of their own stories, not just pieces in the protagonist's story, which we happen to be following.

I'm interested in how you like to approach these two points, so let me know.

 

[Dan Jones]

Hi Inca, and welcome to Chrons! You've come to the right place to get some answers - how you use them is up to you!

The short answer is: you absolutely need to invest in your characters, just as much as your plot, and if you have your plot pretty much figured out, it sounds like you spend much more time thinking about your characters. Quite simply, they are going to be the reader's companion(s) through the book, so you'd better make sure they have clear desires and goals that jump off the page. IMO this simply doesn't mean the collective completion of "Mission X" on behalf of "Organisation Y" - each character should have their own goals, and ideas and drives. These may (and arguably should) change as the narrative and plot progresses.

Without it they'll just be empty vessels, and the bet plot in the world becomes listless and inconsequential. Without characters to care about, the reader will lose interest. So, to answer your two questions more specifically...

How much of a character do you like to develop before starting the story? Mine is a plot driven story so I'm thinking as long as I have a vague idea about each character, their background and what happens to them in the story I should be ok to start writing and figure them out as I go. I think that over the first few pages I would learn about the characters and be able to build them up from there.

Personally, nowadays (wasn't always so) I do like to have a sense of who a character is and where she's going at the start. They've got to have some sort of identity. Identity in its most basic form is: name, job, social circumstance, etc etc. All that stuff that you can describe using labels. But to flesh them out you need to think about hopes, dreams, desires, fears, experiences, friends, language. Once you've got a handful of people fleshed out in that way, think about how they'd interact. If you've got a crew full of people, they've GOT to be individuals rather than Interchangeable Petty Officer #1, Interchangeable Petty Officer 2, etc. The first Alien film is masterful at creating a tapestry of individuals working and interacting together in a confined space. Remember, no matter how "plot-driven" you are, the characters are your vehicles. Make 'em nice for the reader to sit in.

Do all your characters (obviously not minor characters, but those we'll be spending time with) all need to have an arc? I'm struggling to come up with an arc for my protagonist, although I've read about and perhaps he has a "flat character arc". One of the other major characters of the crew has an arc, but some of the others don't as of yet and I'm wondering about the importance of giving them all arcs. I think it really adds a lot to a story when it feels like all the characters are the heroes of their own stories, not just pieces in the protagonist's story, which we happen to be following.

This is an interesting question, and I think it's more of an art than a science. You alone know how much a certain character is going to feature, so make a judgment as to whether they're there as a plot device (which is fine), or whether they are there as central to the story itself. Remember, it's not about what story you're going to tell, but whose story are you going to tell. If your MC has no arc, why is he the MC? Maybe you should think about switching things up and make the character with the arc your main POV character? If the arc isn't obvious, maybe there isn't one. That can be ok - having a character who is unwilling / resistant to change can be just as dramatic as someone who does, but it shouldn't be for lack of agency, which is a different matter. You're quite right that people should be the heroes of their own stories; but it's a skill to balance numerous stories: too few and you could end up with a diluted story if your MC isn't fleshed out enough - too many and you can lose control of the narrative (see the 4th and 5th Song Of Ice And Fire books).

Anyway, good luck!

 

[Inca_UK]

Yeah thats some good advice and I agree with what you've said. I wasn't suggesting I was thinking of heading into the story with a bunch of blank slates, but I definitely agree that need fleshing out much more. A good set of characters really is as important as the plot in some ways. And as the first part of the book only really has those 6 characters (the crew members) in, it would be massively beneficial to try and develop them and the dynamic between them.

This is an interesting question, and I think it's more of an art than a science. You alone know how much a certain character is going to feature, so make a judgment as to whether they're there as a plot device (which is fine), or whether they are there as central to the story itself. Remember, it's not about what story you're going to tell, but whose story are you going to tell. If your MC has no arc, why is he the MC? Maybe you should think about switching things up and make the character with the arc your main POV character? If the arc isn't obvious, maybe there isn't one. That can be ok - having a character who is unwilling / resistant to change can be just as dramatic as someone who does, but it shouldn't be for lack of agency, which is a different matter. You're quite right that people should be the heroes of their own stories; but it's a skill to balance numerous stories: too few and you could end up with a diluted story if your MC isn't fleshed out enough - too many and you can lose control of the narrative (see the 4th and 5th Song Of Ice And Fire books).

Anyway, good luck!

I've read that the three types of arc are positive, flat and negative. Positive is where the character believes a lie and overcomes it learning "the truth", flat is where the character already knows "the truth" and the world believes "the lie" and they have to stay true to the truth and try and make the world see it. Negative arc would be a fall from grace, from the "truth" to the "lie".

My MC follows a flat arc in this respect and his interactions with alien species tests his "truth", but by the end it is reenforced. He is the MC because this arc is central to the plot of the book, where as the character I mentioned with the positive, more obvious arc is a secondary character as his arc is a more personal one, where the arc itself is not central to the story.


Now that I've thought about it, I'm thinking all the characters do not need arcs, as everyone does not go through changes at once, though it does help to try and think how they would react to the situations your putting them through and see if you can figure out an arc from that.

 

[tinkerdan]

For character arcs I'd say that you should have and should concentrate on the Protagonist and Antagonist Arcs. And those arcs should be determined around how they fit into the Narrative Arc, with an understanding that not all of the arc of their lives needs to be there. It could be confined to the portion that fits within the Narrative Arc.

It doesn't hurt to know the whole arc of the character from birth to death but using it all would only be necessary if the Narrative is to cover the birth to death.

Also I'd caution if you're trying to jamb backstory arc into the introduction of the character, be careful not to put in too much at once.. Too many times I find this happening not just with the Antagonist and Protagonist, but with most of the more important characters. The story stops and there's a couple of paragraphs used to try to catch the reader up to what the writer knows. My suggestion is to fill in what you need for where you are at in the story. (That could include the whole backstory if for some reason that chapter demands the whole backstory for it to -smoothly move forward-; but that rarely is the case.)

Show the backstory arc within the narrative while it's moving forward.

Once again it doesn't hurt to have an arc in mind for secondary characters; but unless you really need it, try not to go into as much detail as you would for the main characters.

I often work up the main characters Arcs separately ahead of time and then fit that with the present narrative; although sometimes even with the main character I have to write some scenes down to get a feel for the character and then from there try to decide why the character is the way she is.

Many of the secondary characters might be left to develop as they are needed in the story. This allows me to shift them more organically with the narrative and allows for the times when they might surprise me with the directions they take.

Sometimes the best way to start--for me--is to just start writing and seeing where the characters go with the story before I start concentrating on their arc and what makes the character tick.

 

[Brian G Turner]

I'm interested in how you like to approach these two points, so let me know.

You don't have to give your protagonist a development arc - but in many instances, it can make the story more engaging. IMO the best book on arcs is Save the Cat by Blake Snyder - read that, and I'll be surprised if you're not inspired to make your protagonist a lot stronger.

Supporting characters aren't usually given enough time or focus to allow much development.

2c.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I couldn't write any character without an arc - even the secondary ones. For me, it simply wouldn't be possible.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

I introduce and develop all the characters even the ones with just a name and a bit of dialogue. All I know about character development I learned from Dolly Parton. She introduces her characters and gives them depth with a Shakespearean ability. Her songs are worth listening to from that point of view. Even a line of dialogue or a description can give a character background and an arc.

 

[allmywires]

A good set of characters really is as important as the plot in some ways. And as the first part of the book only really has those 6 characters (the crew members) in, it would be massively beneficial to try and develop them and the dynamic between them.

I would say that characters are more important than plot! You can carry a weak plot with amazing characters, but you can't carry a good plot with boring ones (imo, i suppose). I'm a character-writer first and foremost above any semblance of plot, though, so i guess that's different for everyone.

as for the arcs, I like to get to know my characters as I write them, but I always have an overriding idea of which general direction they're heading. As mentioned before, I am a terrible plotter, so at least if I don't know where my plot is going, I need to know something to keep me moving forwards.

 

[Phyrebrat]

I would say that characters are more important than plot!

I totally agree! And, the plot does not stand in isolation from the characters, either. They are responsible for it. Their arc - their actions; cause and effect of their make up - are what make the plot exist.

pH

 

[Jeremy M. Gottwig]

How much of a character do you like to develop before starting the story? Mine is a plot driven story so I'm thinking as long as I have a vague idea about each character, their background and what happens to them in the story I should be ok to start writing and figure them out as I go. I think that over the first few pages I would learn about the characters and be able to build them up from there.

I tend to get nervous about fully-fleshed plots without first coming up with fully-realized characters. How do you know how your characters are going to respond to any given situation? At some point, you might realize that your characters are making unnatural decisions in order to adhere to the plot.

It's possible to write a story this way (trust me, I know), but you're going to be doing a lot more rewriting.

I think I'd recommend fleshing out your characters and then going back and revising your outline.

 

[Kissmequick]

You don't have to give your protagonist a development arc - but in many instances, it can make the story more engaging. IMO the best book on arcs is Save the Cat by Blake Snyder - read that, and I'll be surprised if you're not inspired to make your protagonist a lot stronger.

I second that recc.

A lot depends on how you write. I don't have much more than a basic idea before I start (for my last series it was "Disgraced guildsmen forced into highway robbery. Rob wrong coach. Maybe some clockwork") and went from there. The plot and characters turned up. And the characters informed the plot. However, if you've planned the plot, you may want to plan your characters some as well (unless you're open to changing the plot) as you'll find as they develop as you write, the plot will change because you'll suddenly realise X wouldn't do Y because Z.

If you're fine with the plot changing (I find the organic changes seem to be more logical/work better, but that's me) then I'd go ahead and develop on the fly. However if you are sold on the plot as is, you're going to need (probably) to develop the characters to make sure they fit in with your plot and aren't making out of character decisions/actions just because the plot says that has to happen.

ETA This goes for villain's motivations/actions as much as heroes'.

 

[Inca_UK]

I am open to the characters changing the plot. I started with a bit of an idea about the characters, wrote the plot and then was thinking that by running the characters through the plot and let it change as the characters exert their influence. I think it fits as it is. I do need to do some work on the villain though. I think he'll turn out to be quite a interesting character.

All in all, the more you plan the better and more coherent its going to turn out.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

All in all, the more you plan the better and more coherent its going to turn out.

Not always. It depends what sort of writer you are.

 

[Dan Jones]

All in all, the more you plan the better and more coherent its going to turn out.

Not always the case as Jo says. I've tried to plan the backside off my latest novel, but it turned out that writing the darn thing was much more conducive to creating something complete and sensible. In planning I couldn't even decide whether my book was a standalone novel or a trilogy! Sounds stupid but after writing it the answer became hilariously obvious, because you just don't know how things are going to turn out - writing's organic.

 

[Loren]

When writing a story everything should be open to change, including the characters (your characters need to change through the story anyways). It's good to frame out as much as you can in the beginning, but characters develop through the story and you can always go back and embellish as your understanding of the characters matures.

Every story will go through revisions, anyway, so don't get hung up with the idea that you have to stick to a plan. Sometimes you will need to experiment.

 

[thomas sweetman]

I couldn't write any character without an arc - even the secondary ones. For me, it simply wouldn't be possible.

What's an arc ( total novice)

 

[Droflet]

A story or character arc sets a course for the character and story to take. It's one of the aspects that makes the character and story interesting. How will the story develop? How with the character deal with this challenge? That sort of thing. I'm sure there are Chrons who can express it better than I.

 

[Denise Tanaka]

When I first started writing stories, I refused to outline a plot in advance. I felt it stifled me and hindered the characters in striving for their hearts' desires. I usually had a question in mind to open up my process. Character X, roughly sketched out in my head, desires something or has a problem. If I got into my main character's head, I strapped in for the ride to see how he/she would reach the goal, solve the problem, etc. That works well for a short story. In a novel length piece, I ran into problems. Sometimes hundreds of pages would go by and my character would be painted into a corner that I could not see a way out of. I have tossed out a lot more pages than I have kept, I can tell you!!

These days, I make a rough road-map of a novel's plot as a guideline for my characters to follow. Even so I still begin with who my people are. It might be I developed my process from long-ago aspirations of becoming a t.v. script writer and writing G-rated fanfic as episodes that never were. I'd always have a setting and characters, but the question of what they DO is what drove a story forward. How can we fix Mister Data's stupid programming glitch that prevents him from speaking in contractions? How would the Lone Ranger, getting older, deal with Tonto being killed at Wounded Knee? And so on.

And... ditto to everything above.

 

[Brian G Turner]

What's an arc ( total novice)

In very basic form: protagonist wants something, antagonist stands in their way, conflict results from the protagonist overcoming the antagonist in order to achieve it.

During the process, the protagonist will often change/grown/development - after all, the person they started as was unable to get what they wanted - but the person they become can.

Like I said, that's a very basic description.