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Mastering Character Arcs: How Fifteen Universal Journeys Can Power Up Your Novel’s Cast
Your plot doesn’t sell your book.
Did you know several of the biggest story franchises feature almost identical plots? Start looking around and you’ll notice that many of our favorite films, books, and TV series share incredibly similar tropes, roles, and narrative arcs.
The thing that sets them apart? Their characters.
In order to grab your readers’ attention, your book’s cast needs to be packed with dynamic characters who change as your novel unfolds. But when it comes to creating loveable (or hateable) fictional personalities, where should you start? And how do you know when you’ve fleshed out a character enough?
In Mastering Character Arcs, join book coach and developmental editor Lewis Jorstad to
The blueprint for relatable, realistic character journeys,The secret to sparking believable transformations in your cast,A deeper type of character arc most guides don't teach—including twelve arcs you’ve probably never seen before,Seventy-two unique character combinations for you to experiment with,And how to expand your novel with dozens of supporting archetypes.
From basic stories of growth or decay, to specialized quests like redemption and coming of age, Mastering Character Arcs will give you the tools you need to create characters that bring your story to life!
Did you know several of the biggest story franchises feature almost identical plots? Start looking around and you’ll notice that many of our favorite films, books, and TV series share incredibly similar tropes, roles, and narrative arcs.
The thing that sets them apart? Their characters.
In order to grab your readers’ attention, your book’s cast needs to be packed with dynamic characters who change as your novel unfolds. But when it comes to creating loveable (or hateable) fictional personalities, where should you start? And how do you know when you’ve fleshed out a character enough?
In Mastering Character Arcs, join book coach and developmental editor Lewis Jorstad to
The blueprint for relatable, realistic character journeys,The secret to sparking believable transformations in your cast,A deeper type of character arc most guides don't teach—including twelve arcs you’ve probably never seen before,Seventy-two unique character combinations for you to experiment with,And how to expand your novel with dozens of supporting archetypes.
From basic stories of growth or decay, to specialized quests like redemption and coming of age, Mastering Character Arcs will give you the tools you need to create characters that bring your story to life!
- GenresWritingNonfiction
284 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 3, 2022
31 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 3, 2022
I came across the Novel Smithy blog a few months ago and it has revolutionised my writing life. Lewis Jorstad manages to be simple, comprehensive, and concrete in his advice and this latest book is no exception. With hundreds of writing books out there I didn’t expect new material but lewis goes far beyond the usual heroes’ journey or lover motivation we’ve read a hundred times before. With 14 different secondary arcs (15 if you count the hybrid one) cross referenced with 3 primary arcs and supplemented with an analysis of secondary characters you have an list that will suit any story and a plethora of new ideas for your characters.
And yet the writing is simple, the concepts easy to understand and Lewis’s colloquial style is like discussing a favourite topic with an old friend. I particularly appreciated the clear organisation of the chapters making it easy to navigate and to focus on the character arcs that are most relevant to your story.
But I think my favourite part came near the beginning with the chapters on identity and motivation. The whole concept of identity (internal and external) was a brilliant take on characters and the combination of questions and the idea of a story goal unpacked motivation turning a nebulous idea into a concrete structure.
Which reminds me the questions at the end of each chapter were great. Easy to understand and quick to do they helped illuminate character. I’m halfway through book three in a fantasy trilogy with the same protagonist and I still discovered new and exciting angles on a girl I thought I knew inside out.
This is an excellent book and though I received an advanced copy there was no obligation to leave a review and the opinions I have advanced are totally my own. In fact, I bought my own copy as well because writing advice like this deserves a place on my shelf. Highly recommended.
May 3, 2022
I received an advanced copy of this book with no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own.
As an aspiring author, I have been reading a lot of books to help improve my craft and if I had to recommend only one book to a new author that would really accelerate their writing journey, it would be Mastering Character Arcs by Lewis Jorstad.
I found this book enormously helpful. Jorstad gives a step-by-step blueprint for how to navigate the complex process of creating realistic and dynamic characters. If you are like me, and do not have an education in writing, and are therefore unfamiliar with a lot of the industry lingo and buzz words, you will LOVE this book.
Each arc is broken down, explaining not only what it is, but how to use it with concrete examples followed by thought-provoking questions that you can ask yourself about your own writing. I cannot say enough good things about this wonderful tool that Jorstad has created for writers of all backgrounds and experience levels. This is a must-have in your writing toolbox.
As an aspiring author, I have been reading a lot of books to help improve my craft and if I had to recommend only one book to a new author that would really accelerate their writing journey, it would be Mastering Character Arcs by Lewis Jorstad.
I found this book enormously helpful. Jorstad gives a step-by-step blueprint for how to navigate the complex process of creating realistic and dynamic characters. If you are like me, and do not have an education in writing, and are therefore unfamiliar with a lot of the industry lingo and buzz words, you will LOVE this book.
Each arc is broken down, explaining not only what it is, but how to use it with concrete examples followed by thought-provoking questions that you can ask yourself about your own writing. I cannot say enough good things about this wonderful tool that Jorstad has created for writers of all backgrounds and experience levels. This is a must-have in your writing toolbox.
May 6, 2022
*I received an advanced copy of this book with no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own*
Mastering Character Arcs by Lewis Jorstad is beyond doubt one of the best writing craft books I've ever read.
Not only does Jorstad go over about 15 character archetypes in this book (which includes primary, secondary as well as hybrid) but he does so in a way that's easy to understand. He made even the most complex of concepts seem doable by taking popular stories as examples and then explaining it and breaking them down into such a simple, concise manner, creating a sort of beat sheet if you will that feels easier to follow.
I found it to be enormously helpful and made the process of character development sound a whole lot less daunting.
Whether you're an aspiring writer or an already published one, this book is a must have!
I, for one, will definitely be checking out more books by this author.
Mastering Character Arcs by Lewis Jorstad is beyond doubt one of the best writing craft books I've ever read.
Not only does Jorstad go over about 15 character archetypes in this book (which includes primary, secondary as well as hybrid) but he does so in a way that's easy to understand. He made even the most complex of concepts seem doable by taking popular stories as examples and then explaining it and breaking them down into such a simple, concise manner, creating a sort of beat sheet if you will that feels easier to follow.
I found it to be enormously helpful and made the process of character development sound a whole lot less daunting.
Whether you're an aspiring writer or an already published one, this book is a must have!
I, for one, will definitely be checking out more books by this author.
May 9, 2022
As I read through this book, I was blown away not only by all the details but also by how well organized the entire book was. Who knew there could be so many character arcs? Who knew they could be broken down so thoroughly? I was so impressed by Mr. Jorstad's knowledge and ability to explain what could be a difficult subject to understand. Whether you're a new writer or an experienced novelist, this book will aid you in developing your characters and your storyline thoroughly. Highly recommend for your writer basics books.
November 28, 2022
Excellent read for any writer , can really help get you unstuck.
June 23, 2022
Mastering Character Arcs is such a helpful book. It’s well written and clear and explains things clearly without leaving me feeling that I’m reading a for dummies version. I learned from it and would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn how to write better characters.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews