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# The Secrets to Creating Character Arcs: A Fiction Writer's Guide to Masterful Character Creation

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The Secrets to Creating Character Arcs: A Fiction Writer's Guide to Masterful Character Creation [Warner, John S., Warner, John S.] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Secrets to Creating Character Arcs: A Fiction Writer's Guide to Masterful Character Creation

Review: A Great Book on Structure! - This book is chock full of great information on structure! Whether it’s plot structure, character arcs, or story arcs you need, this book is for you! This book also contains great advice about the different types of characters and how to write them realistically and effectively! I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to the seasoned veteran writer as well as novice writers! This book is all you need to write great stories!
Review: Warner Builds Characters - The art of writing is lot like the practice of prayer. Like prayer, many people either mimic prior practice or they ramble with little discernable structure. Yet, even for those that adopt a formal structure, like an ACTS (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication) prayer or the form of a letter, prayer reflects our theology. Reflecting on that theology can go along ways towards developing a more polished prayer life. And so it is with writing. Introduction In the introduction to The Secrets to Creating Character Arcs, John S. Warner writes: “The book is designed as a guide for all the writers who have great potential but lac the confidence to write an interesting, engaging story that can keep the readers glued to the pages.” (11) While Warner outlines the components of a complete guide to fiction writing, he concentrates on the specific challenge of crafting interesting characters. He observes: “A great character is born when the reader starts to relate the character’s actions to their past emotional struggles.” (22) This connection between the plot and the emotional life of the characters is what makes great writing out of the reach of so many authors. Background and Organization John S. Warner is a self-published author in the Oxfordshire, United Kingdom with minimal online presence. He writes in ten chapters: 1. The Holy Trinity 2. Plotting It Out 3. Sculpting the Structure 4. Characters, Not Caricature 5. Building Your Character 6. Your Character Journey 7. Combining the Lot 8. Supporting Characters 9. Dos and Don’ts of Character Creation 10. Taking Your Story to the Next Level (v-vii) These chapters are preceded by an introduction and followed by a conclusion and references. The Holy Trinity Warner describes plot, structure, and characters as the Holy Trinity of writing (13). He writes that: “A plot is a sequence of events that happens in a story.” (15) Plot serves to “inspire different emotional responses in the readers.” (17) He sees suspense, anticipation, surprise, and empathy as elements in evoking an emotional response (17-18). For structure, Warner writes: “In literature, the structure is nothing more than a pattern that keeps you story organized and engaging for the reader.” (18) The basic structure is beginning, middle, and end, the traditional three-act play (19). I cited Warner’s definition of a character above. He sees characters as either flat or round, with round characters being central to the plot (20). Great characters have internal conflict, as well as external conflict (21). Five Must-Have Characters Warner sees five characters as the pillars of every great story: protagonist, antagonist, mentor, sidekick, and skeptic (80). The protagonist is the hero or heroine whose voice often carries the plot and is relatable (80). Warner writes: “Provide the protagonist with both good and bad qualities, but make sure that their good qualities surpass the bad ones.” (21). Warner sees four protagonist types: The hero, the underdog, Mr. average, and the dark soul (94-95) The protagonist is someone with a goal whose flaws stymie its achievement, keeping it out of reach until the flaw is overcome with the story evolving out of a rise in the stake should the flaw be ignored (96-97. The antagonist is: “A character [who] is moving against the protagonist and not with them.” (81-82) The antagonist is not necessarily a villain and should have some redeeming quality. This character should be well-rounded and their motivate for opposing the protagonist should be justified (82). Warner sees the antagonist as ideally someone being self-righteous, a worthy opponent, known to the protagonist, with a dark past, and who can in some way be charming (89-90). A sidekick is: “Most often the protagonist’s sibling, cousin, friend, or colleague…a loyal companion of your protagonist throughout the story.” (83). The sidekick enables the reader to view the protagonist through a different lens, displaying vulnerabilities. A skeptic is like a sidekick only not nearly so supportive (84). Story versus Character Arcs The story and character arcs are related, but separate trajectories that distinguish between the external and internal struggles. Warner writes: “While the plot is a series of events that together build your story, the character arc is a series of events that build your character.” (106) Character arcs add emotional weight, depth, and a foundation for the story arc (109). Warner sees three types of character arcs: Change, growth, and fall. A change arc shows an underdog achieving important goals beyond themselves. A growth arc involves more personal growth. A fall arc shows a character who self-destructs (107-108). At the heart of character arcs is a lie that the character tells themselves. The sequence of events shows how they come to accept the truth. Warner gives the example of a person who believes that they are unworthy of being loved and comes to realize that that is not true (113). A fall arc evolves from the characters unwillingness to give up the lie or to accept the truth (114). Static characters may already know and accept the truth, but struggle with the temptations posed by various lies (115-116). Assessment John S. Warner’s The Secrets to Creating Character Arcs provides a foundation for understanding and developing multidimensional, fiction characters, interesting and instructive to most fiction writers. Warner places his discussion of character development squarely in the context of constructing the plot and story structure, making it easy for writers in their formative process to move a few steps closer to their creative potential. Warner’s easy-going writing style can be disarming, but it contributes to its accessibility. Fiction writers should buy and read this book.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #90,107 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #29 in Authorship Reference #88 in Fiction Writing Reference (Books) #133 in Writing Skill Reference (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 329 Reviews |

## Images

![The Secrets to Creating Character Arcs: A Fiction Writer's Guide to Masterful Character Creation - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61YhCXWtshL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Great Book on Structure!
*by T***R on December 13, 2022*

This book is chock full of great information on structure! Whether it’s plot structure, character arcs, or story arcs you need, this book is for you! This book also contains great advice about the different types of characters and how to write them realistically and effectively! I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to the seasoned veteran writer as well as novice writers! This book is all you need to write great stories!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Warner Builds Characters
*by S***ﻦ on April 22, 2022*

The art of writing is lot like the practice of prayer. Like prayer, many people either mimic prior practice or they ramble with little discernable structure. Yet, even for those that adopt a formal structure, like an ACTS (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication) prayer or the form of a letter, prayer reflects our theology. Reflecting on that theology can go along ways towards developing a more polished prayer life. And so it is with writing. Introduction In the introduction to The Secrets to Creating Character Arcs, John S. Warner writes: “The book is designed as a guide for all the writers who have great potential but lac the confidence to write an interesting, engaging story that can keep the readers glued to the pages.” (11) While Warner outlines the components of a complete guide to fiction writing, he concentrates on the specific challenge of crafting interesting characters. He observes: “A great character is born when the reader starts to relate the character’s actions to their past emotional struggles.” (22) This connection between the plot and the emotional life of the characters is what makes great writing out of the reach of so many authors. Background and Organization John S. Warner is a self-published author in the Oxfordshire, United Kingdom with minimal online presence. He writes in ten chapters: 1. The Holy Trinity 2. Plotting It Out 3. Sculpting the Structure 4. Characters, Not Caricature 5. Building Your Character 6. Your Character Journey 7. Combining the Lot 8. Supporting Characters 9. Dos and Don’ts of Character Creation 10. Taking Your Story to the Next Level (v-vii) These chapters are preceded by an introduction and followed by a conclusion and references. The Holy Trinity Warner describes plot, structure, and characters as the Holy Trinity of writing (13). He writes that: “A plot is a sequence of events that happens in a story.” (15) Plot serves to “inspire different emotional responses in the readers.” (17) He sees suspense, anticipation, surprise, and empathy as elements in evoking an emotional response (17-18). For structure, Warner writes: “In literature, the structure is nothing more than a pattern that keeps you story organized and engaging for the reader.” (18) The basic structure is beginning, middle, and end, the traditional three-act play (19). I cited Warner’s definition of a character above. He sees characters as either flat or round, with round characters being central to the plot (20). Great characters have internal conflict, as well as external conflict (21). Five Must-Have Characters Warner sees five characters as the pillars of every great story: protagonist, antagonist, mentor, sidekick, and skeptic (80). The protagonist is the hero or heroine whose voice often carries the plot and is relatable (80). Warner writes: “Provide the protagonist with both good and bad qualities, but make sure that their good qualities surpass the bad ones.” (21). Warner sees four protagonist types: The hero, the underdog, Mr. average, and the dark soul (94-95) The protagonist is someone with a goal whose flaws stymie its achievement, keeping it out of reach until the flaw is overcome with the story evolving out of a rise in the stake should the flaw be ignored (96-97. The antagonist is: “A character [who] is moving against the protagonist and not with them.” (81-82) The antagonist is not necessarily a villain and should have some redeeming quality. This character should be well-rounded and their motivate for opposing the protagonist should be justified (82). Warner sees the antagonist as ideally someone being self-righteous, a worthy opponent, known to the protagonist, with a dark past, and who can in some way be charming (89-90). A sidekick is: “Most often the protagonist’s sibling, cousin, friend, or colleague…a loyal companion of your protagonist throughout the story.” (83). The sidekick enables the reader to view the protagonist through a different lens, displaying vulnerabilities. A skeptic is like a sidekick only not nearly so supportive (84). Story versus Character Arcs The story and character arcs are related, but separate trajectories that distinguish between the external and internal struggles. Warner writes: “While the plot is a series of events that together build your story, the character arc is a series of events that build your character.” (106) Character arcs add emotional weight, depth, and a foundation for the story arc (109). Warner sees three types of character arcs: Change, growth, and fall. A change arc shows an underdog achieving important goals beyond themselves. A growth arc involves more personal growth. A fall arc shows a character who self-destructs (107-108). At the heart of character arcs is a lie that the character tells themselves. The sequence of events shows how they come to accept the truth. Warner gives the example of a person who believes that they are unworthy of being loved and comes to realize that that is not true (113). A fall arc evolves from the characters unwillingness to give up the lie or to accept the truth (114). Static characters may already know and accept the truth, but struggle with the temptations posed by various lies (115-116). Assessment John S. Warner’s The Secrets to Creating Character Arcs provides a foundation for understanding and developing multidimensional, fiction characters, interesting and instructive to most fiction writers. Warner places his discussion of character development squarely in the context of constructing the plot and story structure, making it easy for writers in their formative process to move a few steps closer to their creative potential. Warner’s easy-going writing style can be disarming, but it contributes to its accessibility. Fiction writers should buy and read this book.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tons of Great Advice!
*by S***T on August 15, 2022*

I'm a linear writer and reader. I like my ducks in a row. Sometimes the material is interesting enough and requires that I venture out of my comfort zone. This is that sort of resource book. "The Secrets to Creating Character Arcs" doesn't actually talk about character arcs until pg 105. It goes to great lengths about story and structure and characters and the importance of creating great characters. It also summarizes the different types of plots and story arcs before talking about the types of characters and must-have qualities. Bonus! Great tips on writing faster are also included along with a wonderful reference list. The book is loaded with much more than creating a character arc. Maybe it just needed a different title. I'm happy I bought it.

## Frequently Bought Together

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