Is your main character a Flat Arc who generally believes the Truth despite the opposition around them? If so, how do you keep them from being a goody-two-shoes? How do you make them relatable and realistic?
Well, first of all, just because your MC believes the main Truth of the story doesn’t mean that they’re perfect. Just like all of us, they still have a lot of other Truths to learn. However, since the story is a Flat Arc, you’re going to focus on their strength—their belief in the Truth—and how it affects everyone else around them.
So, by all means, make your Flat Arc MC flawed. But make sure that their flaws are not emphasized or highlighted. After all, this story is supposed to be about them holding to the Truth and teaching others to do the same.
However, since your MC’s flaws are not going to be as evident, they still might come off as unrealistically perfect. So how do write both a good and likable character? Let’s take a look at a few tips:
- Make them pay
Readers often get annoyed at a perfect world where everything is fine. Your MC gives to charity? So what? So do a lot of people who have good-paying jobs. But what if he’s not well-off? What if your MC is a homeless person who gives their last dollar to the church collection plate? Well, now you’ve got your readers’ attention.
See, many people will do good things when it doesn’t cost them anything. But the true Flat Arcs—the true believers in the Truth—will do the right thing even when it costs them everything.
Mary in “The Basket of Flowers” pays for pretty much every good deed she does—most notably in that she tells the truth even though it means she will be executed. The whole story is about her paying for the good things she does. The only reason she even has any enemies is because she’s kind.
Artos from “Pendragon” is constantly putting everything on the line to protect his country—even when they repay him by putting a bounty on his head. He especially suffers after King Ambrosius takes a liking to him since that causes Caydern to become jealous.
- Make them break the rules
Yes, I know… “good” people are not supposed to break the rules. But exactly what rules are we talking about? If we’re referring to rules that are according to the Truth then, yes, a Flat Arc MC will adhere to those.
But let’s face it—the real world often has the wrong concept of the Truth. This is especially true in a Flat Arc story. Therefore, the world (and the characters therein) is going to make up rules that go against the Truth. And those are the rules the MC will be forced to break.
Mary obviously breaks the rules by refusing to lie to get out of her sentence. Literally the entire world around her (with the exception of her father) is pressing her to give in. The judge, Amelia, the countess, Juliette, Mary’s fellow prisoner. They’re all telling her to say she took the ring—at least then she wouldn’t be put to death.
Under the circumstances, many people might give in and adhere to the rules of the world around them. However, Mary refuses to abandon the Truth, despite what it might cost her.
Artos also goes against the rules by continuing to fight for his country when they think he betrayed them. Anyone else would have dropped it all, gone off to hide in some obscure corner of the country, and—when the Saxons do inevitably take over—emerge to say, “I told you so!” But not Artos… he risks it all to stick to his Truth.
- Make it unnatural
Just because your MC is a Flat Arc doesn’t mean they always were one. In fact, I would venture to say that all characters believed the Lie at some point in their journey. Your Flat Arc character could be anything from a child to a former criminal.
What makes a Flat Arc character isn’t their background—it’s the Truth they’ve learned from their background. In fact, a “bad” background is often more useful in driving the Truth than a relatively good background. (More on this later when we get to the Backstory.)
So let’s just face it. We’re all humans, and we all struggle between right and wrong. Well, guess what? So does a Flat Arc character. They’ve got the same amount of conflict as a Positive Change Arc character.
They have struggles, conflict, and fears the same as the next person… doubt is the key to relatability. We’ve all wondered whether eating that bowl of spinach is really good for us. Likewise, (though on a much broader scale) a Flat Arc character will at times wonder whether believing the Truth is worth it. If it even works. If it wouldn’t be better just to give up.
From the start, Mary has doubts and fears about the Truth. However, after every doubt, she comes forth acknowledging the Truth. For the first part of the audio drama, her father is often the one to mentor her back into trusting the Truth. But after his death, she still overcomes the struggles—because she ultimately does believe the Truth, despite her doubts.
Artos, too, has his doubts. Most notable are when he runs away from the Saxons, and when he goes into hiding after becoming a wanted man. Both times, he confides in Lailoken, another outcast, of his struggles. Lailoken then gives him a few words of wisdom, thus restoring Artos’ confidence in the Truth.
- Make them humble
Just because they’re good doesn’t mean that they know it. In fact, many Flat Arc characters wonder if they’re capable of holding to the Truth. They’re gonna be humble about their goodness. A Flat Arc character wouldn’t parade down the aisle in the middle of a church service and plop a couple hundred dollar bills in the offering plate. They’d put it in an envelope and discreetly place it into the plate.
The #1 thing that many people hate about “good” characters is their tendency to be good in a showy way. Sure, they’re still technically adhering to the Truth. But they’re doing it humbly because they know that the strength doesn’t come from them… it comes from God.
Mary certainly doesn’t show off her goodness, but it does become her. That’s just who she is… she can’t help being kind to everyone. She is incredibly humble about her kindness, deflecting all of the glory to her Savior.
Artos, too, isn’t the kind of person who would flaunt his goodness. If he was, he probably would have reminded everyone at the end that he saved the country even after they all tried to kill him, and he might have even demanded compensation. But he doesn’t say a word about it… he instead talks about the Truth.
Here are a few more examples of Flat Arc characters:
- Sophie (“The BFG”)
- Wall-E (“Wall-E”)
- Elinor (“Sense & Sensibility”)
- Will Kane (“High Noon”)
- Paddington (“Paddington”)
Comment below your favorite Flat Arc MC!