I read Truby's The Anatomy of Story, and while it was outstanding, I wanted more. This book has some overlap, but focuses less on overall plot and more on individual character arcs. I found the section on flat character arcs most useful, as Truby mainly covers positive and negative arcs in context of the larger plot, and flat arcs tend to work well if you're writing for games. This book is also useful in that Weiland covers different example stories than Truby.
That said, I have a nitpick: On page 238, I think Weiland missed the mark in her analysis of Guardians of the Galaxy. She claims that for Quill (Star Lord) his Lie and Truth are:
Lie: "The only way to survive is to look out for Number One"
Truth: "The only way to be a complete and fulfilled person is to care what happens to others"
That may be true, but it doesn't interact with the antagonist at all, nor the underlying question the main characters are trying to answer. A more appropriate set would be:
Lie: "The answer to loss of family is to pursue a hedonistic, selfish life"
Truth: "The answer to loss of family is to form a new family and move on"
With that set, it interacts with all the other main characters in the story:
Ronan (antagonist): "The answer to loss of family is to seek vengeance on a planetary scale"
Yondu: Already knows the Truth, but hides it due to his position as the boss of the Ravagers
Gamora and Nebula: "The answer to loss of family is to seek vengeance, subversively"
Drax: "The answer to loss of family is to seek direct vengeance"
Rocket Raccoon: "The answer to loss of family is to lash out at those around you"
After they lose the Stone at Knowhere, Quill grasps the Truth, and begins to convince the other Guardians of it. Nebula remains as a reminder of what Gamora would have been if not for Quill.
It further interacts with the climax of the story:
Ronan sets out to destroy others (Xandar) for his family.
The Nova Corps. unites to protect others and for their duty to each other, but they fail.
The Ravagers unite for themselves and their shared interests, but they fail. Yondu was really doing it for Quill (his family), and survives.
The Guardians unite to protect others and for their new familial bond to each other.
That bond allows them to share the burden of the Infinity Stone and prevail, even though in the moment it seemed suicidal. None of them would have done that at the start of the movie, and it's based in their new answer to the story's underlying question, in direct opposition to the antagonist's answer.
It's why Gamora offers her hand, and when Quill looks her way, he sees his mother and takes it. It's why Drax and Rocket join in. It's why Ronan can't understand how it's possible for them to hold the power: It's not just what they're doing but *why* they're doing it. And that's why that scene is so powerful. In that moment, the Truth triumphs once and for all. When you hear "We're the Guardians of the Galaxy", you believe it in your Soul.
So yeah, other than that, I highly recommend this book. 9.5/10
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
Great on Kindle
Great Experience. Great Value.
Putting our best book forward
Each Great on Kindle book offers a great reading experience, at a better value than print to keep your wallet happy.
Explore your book, then jump right back to where you left off with Page Flip.
View high quality images that let you zoom in to take a closer look.
Enjoy features only possible in digital – start reading right away, carry your library with you, adjust the font, create shareable notes and highlights, and more.
Discover additional details about the events, people, and places in your book, with Wikipedia integration.
Get the free Kindle app: 
Enjoy a great reading experience when you buy the Kindle edition of this book. Learn more about Great on Kindle, available in select categories.
Frequently bought together
This item: Creating Character Arcs: The Masterful Author's Guide to Uniting Story Structure (Helping Writers Become Authors)
$15.79
Get it as soon as Friday, May 2
In Stock
+
$16.78
Get it as soon as Friday, May 2
In Stock
+
$9.96
Get it as soon as Friday, May 2
In Stock
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
More items to explore
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Popular Highlights in this book
The Lie is a specific belief, which you should be able to state in one short sentence.Highlighted by 3,667 Kindle readers- The Thing Your Character Needs is usually going to be nothing more than a realization.Highlighted by 3,453 Kindle readers
- In a word, the Thing Your Character Needs is the Truth. He needs the personalized antidote to his Lie.Highlighted by 2,899 Kindle readers
About the author
Relative writing instruction on how to create memorable characters who will grow on readers and remain in our indelible memory.
After I read Structure Your Novel by Weiland, I snatched up every instructional writing book this author has published. Creating Character Arcs is one more gem in my resource library of books on craft. This book makes little things like characteristic scene moments and characters who act on false assumptions understandable and easy to balance. Using the clear thought provoking questions at the end of each chapter deepen the entire writing process. Not only am I impressed enough to own a digital copy of the book, I bought a hard copy so that I can flip to pertinent sections that relate to my current WIP. Weiland's instructional style has changed how readers perceive my writing. So many have commented on the major improvements I've made. I owe this to Ms. Weiland and her command of the crafted word. Creating Character Arcs is a timely publication that will be relative to authors for years to come. Don't miss this one! Sherrie Marshall [...]
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2018
- Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2016
Top reviews from other countries
-
-
Cliente AmazonReviewed in Brazil on September 26, 2023
Livro muito bom e vale cada centavo
- Siddhant KarReviewed in the United Arab Emirates on May 13, 2024
Perfect for rising story tellers
-
- DolaBhaiReviewed in Australia on October 5, 2024
Great book for writing characters
