13.34: Q&A on Character Arcs
Your Hosts: Brandon, Valynne, Dan, and Howard
You had questions. We came up with answers. The questions are below:
- How do you fulfill promises about character arcs without being cliché? How do you subvert character tropes without betraying the reader?
- Do you need to complete each character arc in a single story featuring multiple characters?
- What separates an iconic character from a caricature?
- Have you ever had an iconic character necessarily become a character in need of an arc?
- How do you continue a character’s story after they’ve completed their original arc?
- How much does a character need to change in their arc?
Homework: Trace the skyline of a mountain. Treat that line, with its ups and downs, as the narrative curve for a character arc.
Thing of the week: Fat Angie, by e. E. Charlton-Trujillo, narrated by Angela Dawe.
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