Peter Dunne’s book Emotional Structure has given form to something I’ve always thought was simply intuitive: the character arc in a novel.
Dunne emphasizes that emotional structure has to come before plot, because the plot is used to reveal the emotional structure. If you haven’t thought about emotional structure before plotting out your novel, fret not. You can apply Dunne’s ideas to revise your novel as well.
Dunne sees the emotional arc of a character as having an evolution where one step follows another in a structured way, no matter what the particulars of your story or plot. It goes something like this:
Our hero has survived so far by developing habits to avoid pain. Without these habits, or crutches, her life is too risky. Now some kind of PLOT EVENT happens and her habitual defenses no longer work. She’s forced onto a new path, for the moment, in order to get back to “normal” where her habits will work again. Then more PLOT happens, and now her tools for survival aren’t working anymore. Her emotional walls start to crack, her weaknesses are exposed, maybe weaknesses she wasn’t even aware of. Her old habits are useless. She must be brave, take a risk or leap of faith. This is a huge moment of vulnerability. But she learns something: that she can change. Here she learns something about the thing that caused her to build those defensive habits in the first place. She has to face this past to free herself, and the PLOT connects this moment to her physical survival. In that moment, she grows. She may be clumsy and frustrated in using her new emotional tools at first, but she has to use them in order to survive.
You can see how this emotional structure is pretty generic, but also how the plot is (in Dunne’s view) existing solely to force the hero’s fears to the surface. The life threatening plot isn’t there to kill your hero, but reveal her (and the co-protagonist is there to help things along).
I encourage you to read the book to fully understand how this can play out for your novel. The book rambles along – oddly not as structured as you might expect! – but there are several insights throughout Emotional Structure that make it worth the time to read.
Do you plot out your protagonist’s emotional arc, or do you intuitively pants your way through?
I still haven't picked up this book. I'm craft booked out for now, but i'll eventually get there. I don't plot the emotional arc but I know where my character starts and where she needs to end up and then I try and bring it into play every scene.
I intuit with (as you know) moderate success. I am, however, learning to plan that aspect as well.
I do a little bit of both. I'm not a total pantser, I have a good idea of where a story is going while I'm composing the first draft, but details always emerge and events come up I didn't plan for. In revisions I touch up the emotional acrs, usually adding emphasis to the early stages of the story to better set up an emotional conflict / resolution later in the book.
Pantser here! I read The Plot Thickens and it says essentially the same thing. If you know EVERYTHING about your characters, there are no questions of what they would do in any situations. You've already built the constructs.
Yeah…I quit working on the ms that I used The Plot Thickens on. Completing the exercises in the book took more time than actually writing the story.
I am by no means an expert on any level. But Dunne's book sounds like he dove into my head and fiddled with my subconscious. LOL This ~ "…that emotional structure has to come before plot, because the plot is used to reveal the emotional structure."~ is how I began to write. I think it's probably because I'm deeply emotional, although rather private about it. When I started writing, I noticed that I always looked to my characters inner emotions first and tried to find a plot and scenes that would bring those out and change them in some way. I have to get this book. Thanks. I also think it depends on the writer and how he/she is comfortable with formulating a story.
@Laura You've been on quite the run of craft books lately (me too). I'm ready to write, write, write now. π
@Adam I think it's an iterative process – intuit, plan, intuit some more, plan some more. Also called learning. I do it a lot. π
@Rick I think emotional context is very subject to revision – it's something that, for most of the MS, can be in the background and then (somewhat easily) be brought out more clearly on revision.
@Becky I totally skip the exercises, too! LOL One of the key questions I had on this story I've been plotting (now writing) is when to stop the plotting. The answer came when I was already writing the first chapter in my head.
@Sheri I do believe every writer has their own process, but I think having a deep sense of the emotional life your character, as you do, gives you a strong advantage. That tells me your intuition is strong, and you should trust it.
I'm a complete panster LOL:)
I'll have to look for this book at some point. I think the emotional side is often what really hooks readers, so it makes sense to devote some time and thought into planning it.
I've only recently started plotting before writing. I try to figure out my character's goals, motivations, how they react to situations and why and how (by the end of the book) they have changed. Maybe I've been plotting emotional arcs without knowing it?
@Lindsay Pants on, my friend! Nothing wrong with that. π
@Andrea It's amazing what a tiny change in emotional resonance can do for a book/chapter/scene.
@Natasha That's entirely possible – I understand things in my head without ever really articulating them in any formal way. And to really understand my characters, I usually have to write them.
I think I have in the back of my head that my character has to show growth by the end of the book. Hopefully I'm doing it in my writing….
Now you see why I loved the book. It's already made a big difference in my WIP. π
@Sharon I'm sure you are – it's an intuitive thing most of the time.
@Stina Thank you for recommending it! It's been incredibly valuable! π
I do indeed plot out the emotional stuff – it's character motivation for me and without it I don't feel as if the plot will work anyway. I must read this book…
I enjoyed perusing your blog – keep up the good work!
I'm an intuitive pantser. Therefore, I'll be buying that book! Thanks, Susan. π
I think it varies a lot from story to story. Some I discover a bit more as I write, or even as I revise. For others, though, that arc is the central concept of why I'm writing the story, and I know the basic arc long before my fingers hit the keyboard.
@Pat Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you find the book useful. π
@Shannon LOL! I hope it helps!
@Bryan I'm with you – it varies a lot. Sometimes I think I know what it is, then it changes on me. π
Oh, wow, that is a really great summation, not that I don't want to read the book. I applied it–just as you described it–to the novel I am preoccupied with right now, and, YAY, the formula works! Now, to reread and apply it to my next WIP. Thanks so much for posting stuff like this, it really does help!
@JB And comments like yours make it worth taking the time to post! Thanks!! π
Kind of scary how this relates to real life. No wonder almost every human on the planet craves "story". We need it to learn how to grow.
The life threatening plot isn't there to kill your hero, but reveal her.
That is pure brilliance.
@Margo Yes! Exactly.
@Sherrie It is! But the brilliance belongs to Dunne, not me.
It sounds like a great book. I'll definitely check it out. I have put thought into my character's emotional arc but I could stand to think about it more. This is something I'll work on during revisions. π
@Ghenet Revisions is a great time to make the emotional arc sing!
hi miss susan! i didnt ever think on that emotional stuff. i just keep on writing ad it just seems to be there at all the places its sposed to be. all my stories got something my mc learns bout himself at the end. im a seat of the pants pilot for sure. hope i dont crash and burn. ack!
…hugs from lenny
Did you read my mind? I was pondering fresh ways to flesh out character and by jove, I think you've pointed me to the perfect resource. Sound like I'll be able to create some kid-friendly lessons for my class from EMOTIONAL STRUCTURE as well. Double-dipping!
@Lenny You just keep writing, Lenny! That's the most important thing! π
@Leslie LOL! I hope you find it useful! π
It's interesting how this structure for character arc fits in so well with what I've been learning about plot structure. The three PLOT bits that you mentioned are essentially the first plot point, the midpoint and the second plot point.
Until recently I was completely unaware of the necessary structure for character and plot, but since my eyes were opened it has revolutionised how I write and I am practising applying these new techniques..
@Adam I know what you mean about that plotting really making a difference! π
I'm in a craft book reading spree lately, so I'll be adding this to my tbr. Thanks!