How Does The Main Character’s Arc Relate To Story Structure? by Wendy Kram

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#writing #screenwriting #screenplay

[gnarthdarkanen]

Story structure, such as it is, is a more or less guiding template that can be applied to most stories in a given genre. It's not a blueprint for much of anything architecturally speaking... That is to say, one really does NOT need to start with a diagram of structure to take to the next step of outline, and follow through with fleshing out... to produce a decent story. AND no, before anyone asks, it doesn't much matter what genre you're talking about.
The three-act structure, for instance, can be applied to practically any story from any genre. The scenes don't really need to change, and the format doesn't get too far "tweaked" away from the original to be recognizable... It just helps package that story, with a modest amount of "refinement" into a comfortable and familiar form that almost anyone will recognize when they see it.

A character's arc, on the other hand, is a widely varied thing. If you're telling a traditional comedy, a romance, or an adventure, most of the time, you can draw a character arc in terms of "value A" where the character's perspective starts... and "value B" where the character's perspective has shifted by the end of the story. A line can be drawn through this adventure with ups and downs to illustrate viewpoint shifts through the story that the character might go through as he or she endures this trial and fire, but usually, from "value A" the character usually gains something in perspective by "value B" (end)...

How you frame that journey in structure is entirely up to you (writer)... AND just because you do not NEED to start by diagram and architectural structure analysis, it does NOT mean that you can't. I'm sure someone in the world has done it that way and managed successful writing. It's just not a necessary method...
For my two-cents', it would seem more organic to write the character up, get the journey and trials of this story together, and while fleshing it out, (maybe) start putting some notation or marking places where you might define the particulars of "Acts" or "Chapters" to employ in your polished work as a Structural Template for whatever work, genre, or style you wish to emulate (or stand on its figurative ear)... ;o)

[dranipani]

Excellent question. Thanks for making this video.

[muzikmanner]

What about a character who has no arc, but a straight line, up to down, like Hud, played by Paul Newman in the movie of the same name. He starts out a heel and and ends up a heel. He has no redeeming qualities.

[royfr]

It's 'Along Came Polly'.... Not Something about Polly..