The Storyteller’s Mission with Zena Dell Lowe

11. The Character Arc: How to Show Character Growth and Change


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In this episode of The Mission with Zena Dell Lowe, Zena expands on one of the fundamental principles of storytelling, namely, that the finest writing not only reveals true character, but arcs or changes that character for better or for worse over the course of the telling. But in order to show us that a character has grown, you must:

1.    Set up the character’s need from the very beginning, and differentiate their need from their want.

2.    Recognize that with very few exceptions, whoever changes the most in the story is your main character. 

3.    Make sure that your character’s growth is believable; the audience has to buy it. 

4.    Allow the character’s choices to take on greater and greater importance as they grow in self-awareness. 

5.    And finally, recognize that everything that happens in the story is part of the main character's internal emotional arc.

 
QUESTIONS OR TOPIC REQUESTS? 

If you have a question or a specific writing related topic that you would like Zena to consider addressing in a future podcast, click on the link below to leave a voicemail recording for Zena.

https://www.speakpipe.com/ZenaDellLowe

 

DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPTS?

Zena is currently working on making the transcripts for these podcast episodes available for download on the Mission Ranch Films website. If you would like to be notified when this option is available, click here to join our email list. https://missionranchfilms.com

 

SPECIAL THANKS

The Mission with Zena Dell Lowe would like to thank composer Carla Patullo for the original music she graciously permits us to use in the intro and outro of this podcast. To find out more about this amazing talent, go to  www.carlapatullo.com

 

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The Storyteller’s Mission with Zena Dell LoweBy Zena Dell Lowe

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