As fiction writers, our goal is not just to finish the story. What is more important is to keep readers wanting to read until the last page. One of the best ways to achieve that is through a strong character arc. A story can have a great idea or an interesting world, but if the characters feel flat or undeveloped, readers can quickly lose interest.
5 Important Elements to Building a Strong Character Arc
Characters are the entry point for readers to experience your story. Through them, readers can feel the conflicts, themes, and emotions that you build. In order for your main character to feel alive and have strong development, there are five important things you need to think about. What are those five elements, here is the explanation.
1. Old Wounds
What past experiences are still lingering in your character?
Every character has a past. Whether it is a bad experience, a failure, or a loss that shapes the way they see the world. These wounds often become obstacles in their journey, and the reason why they have not changed.
Usually it is something painful; it could be trauma or an event that completely changed their perspective. For example, Harry Potter grew up without parents and always wondered who he was. The wound formed a deep emotional connection throughout the story. But wounds do not always have to be dramatic. In a romance story, for example, it could be just a heartbreak that makes the main character afraid to fall in love again.
2. Internal Issues and Flaws
What makes your character weak?
This is the essence of the character arc. They grow. They change. And the change should feel earned, not sudden. Readers want to see a journey, not an instant result. This is where the emotions come in.
Wounds from the past usually leave scars, and that’s where character flaws emerge. Maybe they become insecure, cynical, or too stubborn. If your character has been hurt, they may have a hard time trusting others. This flaw keeps them stuck in place, and becomes a source of conflict throughout the story.
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3. False Beliefs
What false beliefs do they hold?
From this hurt, often comes false thinking. For example, feeling unworthy of love, or believing that everyone will eventually leave them. This is a lie they believe, and your story will be stronger if you can show them the process of realizing that this belief is wrong.
After being hurt, characters often develop a false belief in life that is not entirely true. They may believe that everyone will leave them, or that love always ends badly. These beliefs cause them to misinterpret the events in the story. They may see happy couples but think it is just a pretend.
4. Desires
What are they pursuing?
Your character should have something they want. This is their main goal throughout the story. It can be something concrete like wanting to get promoted or find someone, or something more emotional like seeking validation.
Usually, this is some kind of fake solution to their hurt. For example, after being hurt, they become obsessed with their career because they feel that success can cover up the pain. This goal may still be relevant, but it doesn’t necessarily solve their underlying problem.
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5. Needs
What could really heal them?
Unlike wants, needs are usually deeper and often unnoticed by the character. They may want to be successful, but they actually need to learn to trust others. This conflict between wants and needs is what makes the character feel alive.
This is the most important part of a character’s journey. This need is not about external achievement, but about inner change. They may need to learn to trust again, forgive, or accept themselves.
In a romance story, for example, a new character will develop when they meet someone who shows that love is not always painful; and at the climax of the story, a big choice will appear for them to choose whether to stick to old desires or change for the sake of real needs.
That’s a review of the 5 important elements that you should pay attention to when you want to create an interesting strong character arc, and of course get loyal readers who follow the journey of the character you develop until the end. I hope the review is useful.