Character-driven vs. Plot-driven Stories (with Examples)

In the writing community, stories are often broken down into two major categories: character-driven and plot-driven. 

What is a Character-driven Story? 

Character-driven stories focus more on the character(s). They focus more on the character's internal journey, how he is impacted by the events of the plot, and how he arcs through the narrative (because of his choices). The stakes are deep and personal, and are often related to the character's identity--who he will or won't become. A Man Called Otto, Legally Blonde, and Hamilton are character-driven stories. 

What is a Plot-driven Story? 

Plot-driven stories focus more on the plot (obviously). They focus more on the external journey. Rather than emphasizing personal stakes, they emphasize broad, far-reaching stakes. They are less about how the protagonist is impacted by the events, and more about how other people or the world are impacted by them. 007, Stranger Things, and Indiana Jones are plot-driven stories.

In reality, though, this is more of a spectrum than an either-or situation. Most successful stories are, to some extent, both "character-driven" and "plot-driven."

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✨Write Your Best Book

Writing a novel is no picnic. (As you’ve likely noticed.) 

New writers often tell me it’s a lot harder than they imagined… 

And even experienced writers hit obstacles. 

When I’m doing an edit, I give as much feedback as I can, but it’s not realistic for me to send 700-800+ pages worth of storytelling teachings, principles, and guidance. It’s too much. 

I explain as precisely and thoroughly as I can in a shorter amount of space, linking to articles and resources. And while that goes well, it’s not always as comprehensive as I’d love it to be. This is because in a strong, resonating, professional-level story, its elements build off and influence each other.

In order to create the best climax, you need to thoroughly understand character arc and theme. And in order to write an impactful theme, you need to understand plotlines and character roles. Then in order to write a powerful protagonist, who exercises agency, you need to understand crises, internal turns vs. external turns, advanced scene structure, and more.

And even if you have all these pieces, it’s not enough. You need to know how to structure them properly—in a way that hits, hooks, and reels in your audiences so they keep turning pages.

That’s what my writing course, The Triarchy Method, gives you.

And it’s better than a 700-800+ page book—the personalized feedback is still there. I give assignments that target the principles we cover (which you’ll use your work-in-progress to fulfill), and I return them with feedback and suggestions.

You also get a scene workshopped in class, and you’ll be given a final guided outline to fill out. All the classes are recorded, so you can go back and rewatch them. You’ll also get their slides and can be part of a writing group or partnership (if you so desire).

The thing is, I only take 9 students, because it’s the only way I can give each student and story the attention it deserves. It’s the only way we can evolve your story into its best version.

A few writers have already signed up, so there are fewer than 9 spots available.

The course starts next month, and I wanted to let you know that early bird pricing ends May 19th. (2 weeks from now.)

Enroll to reserve your spot, or learn more, here: https://www.fawkesediting.com/triarchy-method-writing-course

TL;DR

When I’m doing an edit, I give as much feedback as I can, but it’s not realistic for me to send 700-800+ pages worth of storytelling principles. In a strong story, its elements build off and influence each other, and they’re properly structured to keep the audience engaged. That’s what my writing course teaches you.

It’s better than an 800-page book because it has personalized feedback, workshopping, recorded classes, writing partnerships/groups, and more.

The course starts next month. Early bird pricing ends May 19th (in 2 weeks).

There are < 9 spots available.

Learn more here.

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Writing Slice of Life, with Kishotenketsu

When writing slice-of-life scenes, sequences, acts, or whole narrative arcs, it can be tricky to keep them interesting; kishotenketsu story structure can help writers do just that. 

What is Slice of Life?

Slice-of-life moments depict ordinary, everyday life. They can include routines, like walking a dog, making dinner, or even waking up and getting ready for school; or typical social interactions, like hanging out with a friend, asking a spouse about their day, or getting permission from a boss to leave work early. They tend to have low conflict and low stakes, and in fact, they may even have no conflict.

The longer the slice-of-life part is in a story, the trickier it can be to pull off. A bored audience is usually one that won't stick around, and slice-of-life can be rather mundane. 

In a strange way, this often makes slice of life significantly more difficult to write. In a high-stakes, conflict-filled scene, the writer has a lot to work with. If your character is running away from a serial killer, it's innately interesting, and the audience is much more likely to stick around. When a character is doing routine paperwork with little at risk, it can easily, and quickly, turn boring. (And frankly, many unpublished slice-of-life scenes don't contribute enough to the story.)

With that said, what often makes slice of life interesting and enjoyable are the characters and their relationships, and/or the atmosphere and setting. With the "right" characters, a simple trip to the grocery store can be a treat. And if the setting is something like Paris, then everyday experiences there can feel like pleasurable escapism. The target audience may want to linger in a bakery near the Eiffel Tower. 

Many fans of slice of life also cite nostalgia as a draw, and they appreciate reading or watching a story that is actually relaxing. While not a requirement, slice of life tends to be lighthearted. If an entire book or show is slice of life, then often it will be paired with another genre--most commonly comedy or romance. It's typically very difficult to get away with writing something that is pure slice of life (because of some reasons we'll cover below).

Yet, with the rise of slice-of-life vlogs in recent decades, as well as slice of life's close cousin, cozy fiction, it's obvious there is an appetite for "quieter," realistic content.

One of the best ways to handle that content, is to follow kishotenketsu story structure.

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Turning Point vs. Plot Point vs. Plot Turn

Plot turns, turning points, and plot points work to turn the direction of the story, but few writers fully understand what they actually are.

And when I was learning the writing craft, I sometimes wondered what the difference was between turning points and plot points. And plot turns for that matter.

At the time, I couldn't find any clarity online. So . . . here is the post that past me needed. 😉

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Positive Tension & Stakes: The Potential for Things to Go Right

Tension and stakes are two key components of storytelling, and they often go hand-in-hand: If you want to increase tension, you layer on stakes. And if you want to lessen tension, you remove stakes. 

Typically when we consider tension and stakes, we look at them through a "negative" lens. They are about what could go wrong and what could be lost.

Tension is regularly confused with conflict, but they are two different things. Simplistically speaking, tension is the potential for problems, and conflict is the problem actually happening. Tension comes from anticipation.

Stakes are often defined as what the character has to lose, what is at risk in the story. I prefer to define them as potential consequences. They are what could happen, if a condition is met. For example, if Fred gets fired, then he'll lose his house. Losing his house is a potential consequence. His house is what is at risk in the story (along with his job, obviously). So, it is what is at stake.

In order to increase tension, we layer on more stakes. If Fred gets fired, then he'll lose his house and his wife. And if he loses his house, then he'll have to move in with his twin brother, who is an abusive jerk. And if he loses his wife, then Fred won't get to see his kids that often. Now, when Fred meets with his boss for an evaluation, we feel more tension, because so much is hinging on him keeping his job.

Usually in the writing community, when people talk about tension and stakes, they're referring to things going wrong. Fear is what typically keeps readers turning pages.

But the reality is, tension and stakes can also come from the positive: the potential for things to go right. And hope can sometimes be just as powerful as fear in creating page-turners.

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Kishotenketsu Story Structure Explained (with Examples, Visuals, Variations)

Kishōtenketsu is a 4-part narrative structure from East Asia, and over the years, it has slowly been making its way into Western writing communities. From Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away, to the award-winning horror film Parasite, to anime and manga like Demon Slayer topping the charts, and the climbing craze for k-dramas, many Westerners have fallen head over heels for the kishotenketsu (pronounced "kee-show-ten-ketsu") storytelling approach (whether they know it or not). Unfortunately, though, there have also been quite a few misunderstandings about what kishotenketsu actually is, and how it works, on its way to the West.

Last year, a student in my writing course asked me to comment on kishotenketsu. And while I will openly admit I'm not an expert on it, or East Asian culture, I'm not completely clueless either. Japan has long held a special place in my heart because my dad, brother, aunt, uncle, and cousins lived there. My best friend's dad did work there. And my other brother's close friend was half-Japanese--he'd sometimes share cool shows with us (fun fact: my first Studio Ghibli film was all in Japanese, no subtitles, thanks to this friend).

I wish I could say these people helped me write this article, but the truth is, they didn't; they haven't studied kishotenketsu or writing in depth . . . and with the research I've done, I know more than them on this topic now. (It probably also helps that I inhaled a lot of anime during my formative years 😉) With that said, I am open to hearing corrections from those who know more than me--I just ask they be given with kindness.

I am not East Asian, but what I am is a professional editor and writing instructor who has studied a lot about stories and their structures. I believe my thoughts on this topic are worth sharing. Also, I did look at sources that were actually East Asian, because I do prefer to learn straight from the originators. My references are listed below.

Let's get into it.

(*Notes: I sometimes use West and East in this article as generic terms; I'm aware they are imprecise, but this allows for simplicity. Based on the content of this article, I'm sure you'll get what I mean. Also, plurals are handled differently in English versus Japanese, so I've coined the word "tens" to reference multiple "ten" for clarity, for my audience--I'm aware this isn't how it's handled in Japanese.

Finally, because this ended up being a longer-than-normal post, I've included a table of contents 😊)

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Does My Character Have to Arc?

Some writers wonder if their character has to have a character arc. 

Usually those who ask this, view character arcs as a protagonist changing, and from that perspective, the answer is no. Your character does not have to "arc" (read: change).

But perhaps the more accurate question is, "Does my character have to have an internal plotline?" That is what is really being asked here.

Because at the basic level, all characters arguably "arc," but not all characters have internal plotlines. If the protagonist has no internal plotline, then usually that means a different plotline needs to be emphasized in its place.

Let's dig into what a "character with no arc" actually means (at least imho).

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Registration Now Open for the Triarchy Method

Hi friends! 

Registration for my live online writing course is now open. 

- Sign-ups are first come, first serve 

- I'm only taking 9 students for the course this year. 

- Classes start June 9th at 7 pm EDT (5 pm MDT) and end on August 27th (all classes are recorded, so if you miss it live, you can watch it later. You can also rewatch the course however many times you want to in coming years)

***Register for the Triarchy Method HERE*** 

The Triarchy Method is a developmental writing course that is all about strengthening the "bones" of your story (character, plot, and theme)--and you may have heard me reference it in my posts . . . or seen me share some slides and diagrams from it. Like these . . . 

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What Your Character Likely Fears Most

While I don't consider the protagonist's greatest fear to be positively vital to a good story, knowing it and working with it can certainly improve the story and give it more impact. Perhaps the reason I don't focus too much on fears, is because if you have the proper story pieces in place, your protagonist's greatest fear is likely already in place as well--you just may not realize it. But once you do, you can utilize it to better effect.

So let's dig into how to find your protagonist's (or any character's) greatest fear, according to story theory.

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What is a Deus ex Machina? Why is it "Bad" Writing?

What is a Deus ex Machina? 

In writing, a deus ex machina happens when something (character, object, ability, event) suddenly resolves a seemingly unsolvable situation, usually at or near the climax. The "something" is unexpected or unlikely, coming out of nowhere.

The term deus ex machina is Latin and translates into "god from the machine." It references ancient Greek theater, where a god character would be lowered on a crane (machine), or raised through a trapdoor on a riser (machine), to resolve the story's problem. This pulls the story toward its conclusion.

Deus ex Machina Examples

Some examples of a deus ex machina include:

- A powerful, skilled minor character who abruptly shows up to save the protagonist by defeating the antagonist at the end.

- A protagonist suddenly finding a magical object that defeats the antagonist.

- An unexpected rainstorm that puts out a fire surrounding the heroes' homes.

- A character who abruptly reveals she's the sharpest shooter in the region, and she can make the unlikely, extremely difficult shot that will definitively thwart the antagonist.

- A pack of wolves charging into the clearing to take out the bad guy at just the right moment.

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Writing Try/Fail Cycles: Strengths vs. Weaknesses

What is the Try/Fail Cycle? 

The try/fail cycle is a writing approach where a character attempts to achieve a goal multiple times and fails at least twice before succeeding.

For example, our child protagonist may have the goal to own a bike. She goes to a neighbor who has outgrown hers, and asks if she can have it (try), and the neighbor says no (fail). So, then she decides to do a bake sale on her sidewalk to earn money to buy a new one (try), but it rains, so no one shows up (fail). She learns about a contest that has a new bike as a prize, so she competes (try), and wins (success). She now has her own bike.

This is a very simple example, but the try/fail cycle is simple in and of itself (which is simultaneously a strength and a weakness).

The try/fail cycle approach was common in the 1950s, and taught by author, editor, and critic Algis Budrys. Unfortunately, though, no one seems to know who originated it, since it wasn't Budrys himself. I first learned about it from David Farland, who was mentored by Budrys, but I've never been able to track down the original source (though David talks about it in his book, Million Dollar Outlines). David himself mentored many writers who went on to become best-selling authors (like Brandon Sanderson and Dan Wells, to name two). And in more recent times, some of those writers (and others) have evolved the concept. For example, Mary Robinette Kowel pairs it with the "No, and" vs. "Yes, but" rule. And I've seen others relate it to Orson Scott Card's M.I.C.E. quotient. 

In its initial form, though, the try/fail cycle is that simple. The character tries and fails at least twice, before succeeding.

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Using Character & Theme to Fix a Scene

Recently I rewatched the original Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy (if you haven't noticed from my latest posts), and it really holds up: complex and sophisticated plotting, iconic characters with sturdy arcs, and nuanced themes about honor and freedom.

This trilogy did so many things right. It's no surprise it was a huge hit. (Do they even make movies like this anymore?)

While I could go on long about everything that it does right, today I actually want to zoom in on what I consider its weakest element: Davy Jones's Locker.

This is one (1) scene in the whole trilogy, but it's always felt off and just . . . weird to me. To the extent that it sort of taints my memory of the last film (which, revisiting it again, is actually quite well written).

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Is Your Character Truly the Antagonist?

Previously, I went over what a protagonist actually is (and what it isn't), and I gave some defining attributes to help you determine if your character is truly the protagonist. So it only seems natural that I do a follow-up on something similar: what an antagonist truly is.

Of course, though, not all antagonists are characters. Some stories may not even have an antagonistic person. The antagonist could be nature, like a hurricane or a disease. It could be technology, like a computer virus. It could be a religion. With that said, though, many stories do have an antagonistic character.

Villain vs. Antagonist

We often think of the antagonist as the "bad guy," the villain. And frequently she is. But just as I pointed out that not all protagonists are heroes, not all antagonists are villains. The antagonist does not need to be "bad." A loving family member, friend, ally, significant other, or pet could actually be an antagonist. Technically, a hero could be the antagonist. This is exactly how Death Note is set up. The bad guy/villain is the protagonist. And the good guy/hero is the antagonist. The role has nothing to do with morals.

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