This is the beginning of a series on plots and character arcs. We will be going through each element and plot point one by one—using the Three-Act structure—and providing examples along the way. So buckle up and hold on… it’s going to be a long and wild ride.
When I say the word plots, what’s the reaction that comes to your mind? Typically, it will fall under one of these three categories:
- “Yay! Plots!”
- “Bleh! Plots!”
- “Huh? Plots?”
To be completely honest, I’ve had all of those reactions at some time or another during my writing journey. When I first began to learn about plots, I was very skeptical. Soon, that skepticism turned into disdain. Plots seemed to be like a cage that constrained creativity—a crutch for weak writers who couldn’t come up with a good story on their own.
But as I continued my research, plots began to grow on me. I started to recognize both their importance and their usefulness. I also started to realize that I had been using plot elements all along, though only subconsciously.
The more I learned about plots, the more I saw how deeply they were ingrained into the art of storytelling—and into my own mind.
So… what are plots? You might be imagining those essay outlines you had to write in school, and you would be partially correct. As you’ll soon see, plots are guidelines. However, they’re much more than just guidelines. They’re like a part of nature—a normal flow of story. Rather than hindering our creativity, plots are like channels that help to organize our thoughts into something both beautiful and relatable.
Plots and character arcs use the same general elements and points… they’re pretty much two sides of the same coin. The only reason we use two different terms is that, in this series, I’m really going to be picking things apart and getting down to the fundamentals.
So when I use the term “plot” in this series, I’m referring to the outward action… the external conflict. The term “character arc,” however, will refer more to the internal conflict—the stuff that goes on inside the main character (MC).
While the plots themselves are generally the same beats across all types of MCs, character arcs get a little more specific. There are three main types of character arcs… Positive Change Arcs, Flat Arcs, and Negative Arcs. We will be covering all three during this series, as the internal conflict differs between each one.
If some of this sounds complicated and confusing, don’t worry. As we go on through this series, things should become clearer. In two weeks, we’re going to come back and take a closer look at Positive Change Arcs.
Have you ever used plots or character arcs? Tell me your opinion of them in the comments!