13 Hours ~ the Fairytale Heroine's Journey

13 Hours
The Fairytale Heroine's Journey

There is a ton of information on the Heroic Cycle, or Hero's Journey, but what about the Heroine's?

Being a female that prefers to write stories with a female lead, I decided to do a bit of my own research into the myths and fairy tales that feature Heroines rather than heroes. What I found was a little...startling. While many things in the Hero's Journey still apply, Her journey is not quite the same as His because the path the Heroine takes through the labyrinth is guided by her Heart not her head--or her sword. 

There are Thirteen stages in the Fairy Tale Heroine's Journey. 

Thirteen hours in her clock of adventure--one for each full moon in a year.

Fair Warning: The fairy tale examples used here are my opinionated interpretations of the oldest and Grimmest versions I know.

1. Upon a time ~ Secret Betrayal
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Too pretty, too smart, too loyal, too friendly, too obedient, too good at housekeeping, or sewing, or spinning, or making the flowers grow--someone is always out to get the Fairy Tale Heroine. Though it's usually a jealous (aging,) female relative that betrays her, male relatives do too--by trading her skills for cold hard cash.

• Snow White, Cinderella, Psyche, and Vasilisa were so pretty they inspired jealousy in the other women they lived with.
• Beauty's father steals a flower and the cost is Beauty.  
• The father of Rumpelstiltskin's maiden bragged ridiculously about her until he was finally told to prove it, or die.
• The princess in the Goose Girl was too rich and, too Passive, for her maid to resist bullying.
• Rapunzel's mother couldn't get enough parsley.
• Bluebeard's wife, on the other hand, was out to get him.

2. The Herald ~ Bearer of Bad News
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the Catalyst--a friend, family member, enemy, or object that reveals the deed, promise, or debt for which she is being held accountable, or the deadly danger she's being sent into.

• The Huntsman tells Snow White that her stepmother wants her heart, among other internal body parts--to eat.
• Cinderella's stepsisters brag that all the chores she's been given are specifically to keep her too busy to make a ball gown for herself.
• Beauty's father finally reveals that he has been asked to trade her life for his--and blames her request for a flower that he stole.
• In Rumpelstiltskin, the maiden's father sends her to the castle knowing full well that she cannot do as he bragged, and will die.
• A witch offers to buy Rapunzel for a sheaf of parsley.
• In the Goose Girl, the talking horse, Falada, tells the princess that her maid intends to betray them both.
• Vasilisa's stepsister brags that she won't be coming back with a live coal to light their fire because the witch, Baba Yaga, will eat her.
• A letter from her sister tells Bluebeard's future wife that the man killed her--and why.

3. Refusal of the Call ~ Obedience to the Call
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unlike her male counterpart the Hero, the fairy tale Heroine either doesn't want to refuse the call to adventure, or isn't allowed to. She may argue, fight, weep bitterly, or bolt outright, but someone's life or honour is usually if not always on the line--frequently her own. Ruled by her heart rather than her head, she has no choice but to answer it.

On a side note, when these stories were originally told back during the Dark Ages, women were taught from early childhood that to be Feminine they must be passive, faithful, and obedient. Only men were allowed a Choice. 

• Cinderella knew exactly what she wanted and went right after it--a prince and escape from her step-mother's home. However, her stepmother and stepsisters didn't have any problem refusing for her--by ripping up the gown she'd painstakingly sewed.
• Against her father's will, Beauty sneaks out of the house and takes off for the Beast's lair.
• Rapunzel's father refused quite a bit, but her mother was thoroughly addicted to the witch's parsley.  She had no problem trading her daughter for her drug of choice. (Makes one wonder if it was actually parsley, no?)
• The princess who became the Goose Girl couldn't do anything about her maid's bullying--royal etiquette wouldn't allow for it.
• Vasilisa considered refusing, but her magic doll advised her that going to see Baba Yaga was the right choice.
• In Bluebeard, the maiden deliberately sought him out because she wanted revenge for her sister's murder.
• In another version, he refused her because of her youth. She actually had to drop her clothes to prove she (had pubic hair) was old enough to marry.
• In yet another version, he sought her out specifically because she was the sister of his last wife. 

4. Mentors, Tricksters & Costly Gifts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A mentor/trickster comes offering gifts. The Mentor is one who actually cares for the Heroine and wants her happy. Tricksters however, are out for themselves. They want whatever they can get out of the Heroine. If what they grant makes her happy, that's nice, but not necessary. Occasionally, a Trickster such as Baba Yaga can become a Mentor, but that normally takes a lot of pretty impressive work on the Heroine's part.

The gift could be:

• A gown, slippers, and transportation to a ball.
• The favor such as weaving straw into gold.
• The answer to a riddle that hasn't been asked yet.
• Magically long hair.
• A curse of sleep instead of death.  
• A spell to call the breeze and make a dead animal's head talk.
• A family heirloom doll that talks.
• A glowing skull.
• A golden key to a deadly room.

In all cases, there is a life-altering price on such gifts. Sometimes the payment is a trinket such as a necklace or ring, but more often it's a promise to be delivered later, or a first kiss--meaning her virginity. Occasionally it's a body part such as her hands, her voice, her hair, her finger, or her firstborn child--the medieval euphemism for her virginity and continued sexual favors until pregnant. In other words, a common law marriage.


5. Enter the Labyrinth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She gives in to temptation and takes the offered gift, crossing the threshold to the labyrinth and committing herself to a path where there is no turning back.

This scene can be played out as a rescue which usually includes the demand of a reward such as a kiss--the symbol for outright seduction.
~~~~~~~~~~

• Snow White is rescued by the Huntsman when she escapes into the forest. The price for his silence is a kiss.
• Psyche is saved from a fall off the cliffs by an invisible Eros and is carried off to be his lover--but not his wife.
• Rumpelstiltskin's skills at spinning save his maiden from certain death on the sword of the greedy prince, but also put her continued survival firmly into his own hands.

This scene can also be played straight.
~~~~~~~~~~

• From her mother's grave, Cinderella gains a heavenly maiden's robes, tiny fur slippers, and a magical clay horse. (The earliest Cinderella is Chinese!)
• In another version, the gifts include a coach, and come from a fairy godmother. 
• In yet another version, a tree that grows from her mother's grave gifts her with three different gowns. 
• In still another version, she is gifted a branch with three hazel nuts from her mostly absentee father, and they yield a huntsman's garb, a ball gown plus glass slippers, and a wedding gown.
• Beauty walks boldly into Beast's castle to pay for her father's life with her own.
• Red Riding Hood takes the basket her mother offers hen trots off into the woods toward grandmother's house.
• Lonely Rapunzel happily accepts small gifts and conversation from a prince who visits her tower.
• Accompanied by her talking nesting doll, the ever obedient Vasilisa marches off into the snowy forest to find Baba Yaga's chicken-legged hut so she can ask for a few live coals to light her hearth.
• In almost all versions of Bluebeard, he gives his wife a golden object designed to betray her.  

Or in Reverse.
~~~~~~~~~~

• The princess in the Goose Girl is forced by etiquette to submit to her maid's bullying--and loses her mother's gifts.

6. Secret Allies, Secret Enemies, Deadly Gifts & Scary Promises  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Entry to the labyrinth has been gained, but there's another, even more dangerous task or temptation to deal with. Another gift is offered with an even higher price-tag, a more chilling promise. She has every intention of fulfilling her bargain, but she has secret enemies.

• Snow White has survived the forest and arrived at the home of the seven dwarves. All they ask is that she be wary of strangers.
• Cinderella arrives at the ball to seduce her prince, but has promised to leave by midnight.
• Beast finally allows Beauty a visit home, but she must return by a certain day.  
• Psyche survives the flight into the clouds, but has promised not to look at her new lover.
• In the third and final room of straw. Rumpelstiltskin's maiden promises her first born child--a common law marriage--to the dwarf that's helping her.
• Red Riding Hood has promised not to talk to strangers.
• Rapunzel promises not to let anyone, but the witch climb up her hair.
• The princess exchanges clothes with her maid and swears to never reveal the switch to another living thing. She becomes the Goose Girl.
• Vasilisa is told not to snoop in Baba Yaga's house or ask questions.
• Bluebeard makes his new wife promise that she will not open one certain door.

7. Treachery ~ Broken Vows
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Through trickery, lies, theft, temptation, ignorance, or outright wilfulness, her promise is broken.

• Even after needing to be rescued from a poisoned comb and a poisoned corset, Snow White bites into an apple offered by the same stranger.
• While the clock is striking twelve, Cinderella finally notices the time.
• Beauty's sisters jealously steal her magic ring delaying her to return to the Beast.
• Psyche's lover is revealed by candle light to be beautiful beyond compare.
• Rumpelstiltskin's maiden marries the prince--instead of leaving with the dwarf.
• Red Riding Hood talks to a wolf.
• Rapunzel lets her prince climb up into her tower--more than once.
• Her horse killed for his ability to speak, the Goose Girl offers gold to the local knacker to nail Falada's head under a certain bridge. She then proceeds to speak to him daily--right in front of the goose boy.
• Bluebeard's wife opens the forbidden door to discover hideous contents.

Or not.
~~~~~~~~~~

• Despite several dangerous tasks, one of which is cleaning the interior of Baba Yaga's house--plus make dinner, Vasilisa doesn't pry or ask questions. Because her doll does all the dangerous tasks while she cooks, she sees nothing she isn't supposed to.

8. CRASH Point ~ Center of the Labyrinth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aware that she must pay the price for her broken vow, she bravely goes forth to--find a way to dodge the consequences.

• Snow White's dwarves dodge her death by putting her in a clear crystal casket.
• Beauty has a hair-pulling fight with her sisters to get her ring back.
• Cinderella bolts for her clay horse knowing full well that it won't make it all the way home.
• Psyche throws herself at Aphrodite's feet and swears she'll do anything to get her lover Eros back.
• Rumpelstiltskin's maiden bargains for her freedom--his name. She then sends huntsmen all over the kingdom to discover the dwarf's name--before he can get her pregnant.
• Red Riding Hood eats the meat the wolf gives her, takes off her clothes, and climbs into bed with him.
• Rather than admit that she's pregnant, Rapunzel tells the witch that she ate too much.
• Before the king, the Goose Girl reveals that she is being held by a vow of silence--which makes her look even more suspicious. A peasant wouldn't bother to keep such a vow, only a princess would.
• Because of her dead sister's warning, Bluebeard's wife saves the key from being bloodied, but not her slippers.
• Vasilisa's ability to accomplish miracles and keep her mouth shut surprises Baba Yaga. Suspicious, the old woman offers to answer a question--but warns that some answers are deadly to know. Vasilisa asks about the three horsemen she saw. The answer is harmless: Black Night, Red Sun, and White Morning Star.

9. Ordeal ~ The Darkest Hour
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She faces her greatest fear and death. Unfortunately, she doesn't have any actual weapons at her disposal but her wits. Back then, women weren't allowed to touch things like swords or knives. Fighting wasn't feminine.

• Snow White is locked in a coma--and a crystal casket.
• About the same time that the prince announces that he is looking for a woman that fits a certain sized slipper, Cinderella's growing waistline is noticed and she is locked in the attic.
• Beauty returns to the Beast, but he seems dead.
• To gain Aphrodite's approval, Psyche goes to the kingdom of the dead to fetch something from Persephone, the Queen of Death.
• Rumpelstiltskin's maiden goes through name after name with the dwarf trying to keep him too busy to impregnate her.
• Red Riding Hood starts questioning the wolf.
• To get around her oath to never speak of her situation to another living thing, the Goose Girl is encouraged by the king to speak to a fireplace--while he waits at the chimney.
• Bluebeard's wife's runs all over the castle dodging her furious husband while waiting for her brothers to arrive.
• Knowing exactly how dangerously impossible her tasks were, a puzzled Baba Yaga asks how Vasilisa accomplished them. Knowing that one cannot lie to Baba Yaga and live, yet sworn to secrecy about her doll, Vasilisa dodges with "My mother's blessing."

10. Rewards & Punishments
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If she survives the Ordeal, she is rewarded with release from the heart of the labyrinth--or punished by expulsion. Either way, she is permanently marked by her experience.

• Snow White's crystal casket is discovered and carried off by a necrophiliac prince. On the journey to his home, the apple stuck in her throat is jarred loose, allowing her to awaken.
• Cinderella finally gets the chance to reveal her other slipper--and her growing belly to her prince.
• Beast awakens and turns into a handsome young man.
• Aphrodite tells Psyche to "go home."
• Rumpelstiltskin's maiden finally hears back from one of her huntsmen.
• Red Riding hood gets eaten for being too stupid to know that she's in danger.
• Rapunzel is shorn of her hair and thrown from the tower for preferring a man. Shortly afterward, the witch catches the prince, blinds him, and throws him out of the tower too.
• The king has his wife's women clean up the Goose Girl and dress her as befitting her station.
• Vasilisa's diligent work and obedience is rewarded by a kiss of protection on her brow. She is then given permission to take one of the skulls for fire, but she must not touch it, or look directly into its eyes.
• In another version, Baba Yaga asks a question of her own: "Why go back?" Vasilisa's reply: "I want them to love me." Baba Yaga responds by grabbing her and dunking her into a vat of gold. Not only has her dress turned to gold, she comes out blonde and milky-skinned. Most remarkably, when she speaks, gold coins and jewels fall from her lips. She is then advised to face the crowing rooster at the gate.
• Bluebeard's wife's brothers finally arrive.

11. Release from the Labyrinth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She heads back to the Ordinary World with a mission to accomplish. At the last threshold, she replays her very first act of commitment, a keepsake gift, a vow, or a kiss.

• Snow White kisses her astonished (and possibly disappointed) prince.
• Cinderella leaves with her prince.
• Beast and his castle finally rejoin the mortal world.
• Psyche goes home to find Eros on the cliff where she first met him. Unable to live without him, she jumps off the cliff. He rescues her again.
• Rumpelstiltskin's maiden finally says thank you and uses his name.
• Free at last from the tower, though bald and saddled with twins, Rapunzel goes looking for her blinded prince.
• Awakened by her twins suckling for milk, Briar Rose, the Sleeping Beauty rises from her long sleep to go looking for the man that knocked her up while she was unconscious.  
• The Goose Girl turned Princess once more, attends the local King's wedding feast for his son--who was supposed to be her bridegroom.
• Vasilisa uses a tree branch to take one of the flaming skulls mounted on Baba Yaga's gate and goes home to face the stepmother who cast her out into the snow.
• In another version, she merely stops at the skull-lined gate to face the crowing rooster and is granted a star on her brow.
• At the gate where she arrived, Bluebeard's wife meets her brothers and leads them straight to the bloody chamber.

12. Confrontation & Rebirth ~ Parties & Payback
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She returns to face her original betrayer. She needs them to acknowledge what they have done to her. This scene is often played out as a visit to her home in her bridal finery and a huge feast. However, this is also when the wicked are punished.

• Snow White's mother dances to death in molten iron shoes.
• Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters lose their eyes to Cinderella's friends the birds.
• Beauty invites her family to the castle to meet her new and extremely handsome husband.
• Psyche's rumour-mongering sisters are transformed into birds.
• Rumpelstiltskin rips himself in half.
• In another version Rumpelstiltskin literally throws himself into her body (a poorly euphemistic rape,) right in front of the whole court. He's ripped out of her--and in half--by her angry Prince husband.
• In the Goose Girl, the false princess is set in a barrel of nails and driven around the castle walls 'til she dies.
• Under the direct gaze of the magic skull, Vasilisa's nasty stepmother and stepsister are burned to ash. She then buries the skull to keep it from harming anyone else.
• In the other version, Vasilisa's stepsister is so envious of Vasilisa's golden appearance--and the jewels she literally coughs up, she marches off to spend time with Baba Yaga herself, only she ends up in a vat of pitch. She comes out black-haired, dark-skinned, and spewing slugs and toads when she speaks. At the gate, when she looks away from the rooster she faces an ass and gains a donkey's tail on her brow.
• Bluebeard is hacked to pieces.

13. The Last Promise and Ever After
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After all her final goodbyes are said, she returns to the Labyrinth to take her place there and receives one last gift, normally a crown or wealth, and makes one final promise. Sometimes it's merely a wedding vow, sometimes it's not.

• Snow White, Cinderella, Beauty, the Goose Girl, Rapunzel, the Sleeping Beauty, and Rumpelstiltskin's maiden all become queens who vow to rule wisely.
• Psyche accompanies her husband Eros to Olympus and becomes a demi-goddess who vows to stay by his side forever.
• Vasilisa's cleverness is noticed and she becomes advisor to the Tsar. She vows to always tell the truth.
• In another version, she merely makes her family rich enough to move into town where she ends up meeting a rich merchant's son. After yet another spiteful trick from her step-family, she marries him.
• Bluebeard's widow uses his gold to give every woman in the bloody chamber a proper burial and takes over his castle, but vows never to marry again.

So how does one use something like this for Writing?

Consider this a Plot Arc, a map of the major turning points in a story. You can use it to plot the major turning points in any sort of heroine based adventure story, but it's far more effective as Relationship Journey for navigating Love, not life -- and not necessarily a purely female one.

Act One
~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Upon a time ~ Secret Betrayal
-- Their own body betrays them by wanting sex -- and love.

2. Herald ~ Bearer of Bad News
-- "That person Likes you!"

3. Refusal of the Call ~ Obedience to the Call
-- "Let's go see them!"

4. Mentors, Tricksters & Costly Gifts
-- First impressions

Act Two
~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Enter the Labyrinth
-- First personal Encounter

6. Secret Allies, Secret Enemies, Deadly Gifts & Scary Promises
-- The dating game.

7. Treachery ~ Broken Vows
-- "They haven't told you everything."

Act Three
~~~~~~~~~~~~
8. CRASH Point ~ Center of the Labyrinth
-- Spying, Prying, and Stalking--oh my!

9. Ordeal ~ The Darkest Hour
-- They know that You know that They know...

10. Rewards & Punishments
-- To Trust and go on, or Not to trust and dump them?

Act Four
~~~~~~~~~~~~
11. Release from the Labyrinth
-- Truth & Consequences

12. Confrontation & Rebirth ~ Parties & Payback
-- Showing off the new Lover (spouse); usually in front of the Old lover (spouse).

13. The Last Promise and Ever After
-- Marriage or...?

Simply fill in the blanks.

Wait, FOUR Acts, not Three?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Correct. The Fourth Act is the main character's resurrection from their Ordeal, their rebirth and exit from the labyrinth. Only Tragedies, like Red Riding Hood finish at the end of a Third Act because the main character (or the relationship) does not survive the Ordeal.

Enjoy!

Morgan Hawke
www.DarkErotica.Net

Faery Tale ~ A Visual Novel

 Faery Tale
A Romantic Fantasy Visual Novel
Story & Graphics by Morgan Hawke

The faery tale the fair maiden ends up in depends entirely on your choices!

Creative Narrative - A Description EXERCISE

Creative Narrative
A Description Exercise.

DESCRIPTION is the key to fleshing out ANY scene if you want the Reader to see in their minds the scene you envisioned when you wrote it.

Especially Sex Scenes.

Don't just call it 'juice'...

Describe HOW the moisture Looks while sliding in slender rivulets down the inside of her thigh, THEN describe how it feels physically, THEN how the character feels emotionally about the fact that they're dripping from excitement.

1. What it Looks & Feels like physically.
2. How they Feel about it emotionally.

You have FIVE senses -- USE THEM:
Texture, Flavor, Appearance, Sound, Aroma

The glistening moisture slid in slender rivulets down the inside of her thigh. The coolness of the moisture tickled in contrast to the warmth of her skin. Because her skirt was so short, her excitement was clearly visible to anyone who happened to be looking. Her cheeks filled with embarrassed warmth and she lowered her gaze, not wanting to know who might be staring at her, aware that she was aroused. 

"So how do you DO that sort of writing?"

The same way you do anything; you PRACTICE. 


Exercise in Writing DESCRIPTION

Stage 1:

Watch a Movie

 

 For this exercise, you will need the movie Sin City. If you don't have it, The Matrix or Equilibrium will do.

• WATCH the movie undisturbed from beginning to end.
• NO INTERRUPTIONS.

Watch where the Camera looks. ​

Sin City in particular is a brilliant example of how to describe using pictures. The movie is filmed in black and white with splashes of color only where the viewer's eye needs to be.

When a character is first introduced, LOOK at how the camera starts in Close Focus then pulls back to reveal the character's body; lovingly showing the viewer exactly what the character looks like, AND their distinguishing characteristics from top to bottom.

THEN the view expands wider, or pans around the character to disclose where that character is and what they are doing at that moment.

After those first few moments of sheer View, you get a narrative from the Point of View character, which may Not be the character the camera is showing you. You get the narrator's opinions, their feelings, and their delusions. THAT is how the viewer (the reader) learns about the character.

Once the movie is over, put on some music that fits the movie. (I actually have the soundtracks, to these.)

Next! Break out your remote control and Watch The Same Movie AGAIN -- but this time, with the volume OFF.

Sit on your couch and Out-Loud, Narrate what you are looking at. Do NOT Write anything.

Just talk to the TV screen Out Loud and Describe --in detail-- what you are looking at as though it was a book you were reading.

• Describe the Characters.
• Describe the Actions.
• Describe the Fight Scenes.
• Describe the Kisses.
• Describe the Backgrounds and Setting -- including the rooms and weather conditions!

Use your remote control and STOP the scene where you have difficulty describing what you are seeing. Work at it until the words come to you. They don't have to be perfect. CLOSE IS good enough for this exercise.

In a Nutshell:

• Describe Out-Loud what you SEE
• Do NOT Write anything down.
• Keep Going until the movie is Over.

This should help loosen up a few things in your writing mind -- and give you some strong visuals to write from later.

Next!

Stage 2:

Write a 1000 word Scene that introduces a character of YOURS.

 

Make sure you picture the scene in your mind with the same dramatic camera angles and close-ups the movie and Describe it so that anyone Reading it can clearly see it.

Compare that scene with any introductory scene in a story you've already written and SEE the difference.

Just so you know, this is an exercise I created to make my own writing more Visual back when I first started writing. The movie I used was "The Lost Boys", the original 1984 version. It really helped my ability to describe in my stories.

Enjoy!

Morgan Hawke

Modern Fiction Story Structures

Office by Jenova Art

Modern Fiction Story Structures

PLOT ARC - The events that happen while the characters make other plans.
CHARACTER ARC - The emotional roller-coaster that the character suffers in dealing with the Plot. 

The PLOT ARC
If it does not forward the plot
it does not belong in the story.

When I set out to write a tale, I begin by blocking out the plot, listing what I want to happen:

Inciting Incident
Crisis
Reversal
Ordeal
Climax
Resolution

For a 100k novel that's 20 chapters at 5000 words each. I note what I want to happen in each chapter and that's the frame I work from. If I find a better way to twist the plot great! But a detailed outline or block keeps me from wandering all over the place and going over my word count.

Blocking or outlining is not the only way to build a story. It's just the easiest way.

Steven King does not Block. (Keep in mind - he is a master at his art.) He writes his opening chapter, then his closing chapter then writes almost pure stream of consciousness to get from one to the other.

What he does is write a bunch of character-based stories surrounding one event. What makes his books so huge is the size of his cast of characters. This is also why he ALWAYS goes way-way-way over his word count. *grin* But then, his publishers are not about to make him conform, there are too many other publishers dying for his work. 

Plot & Character Integration

To make a cohesive whole, every single event must happen for a reason. Every single character must have a reason to be there and EVERYTHING must tie in together. Every scene in a story should either illustrate Character (Character Arc) or be an Event (Plot Arc). 

The CHARACTER ARC
The Stages of Grief:
Denial - Anger- Bargaining - Despair -Acceptance

Why Grief?
Because STORY needs ANGST to BE Story.

Stories are all about CHANGE; about Adapting and Overcoming circumstancing that should take them down. The hero and the villain change and develop as the story progresses to allow the hero a toehold chance - and no more - to win. This is where dramatic tension is generated.

The difference between the Hero and the Villain is the Villain's failure to change. The Villain fails to face his fears, which allows the hero to take him down. The rest of the cast may or may not have personal growth, but the hero and the villain must.

Changing takes suffering. Both the hero and the villain should suffer emotionally and physically to allow for their personal changes.

Think about how hard it is for YOU to change your mind about liking or disliking anyone. What would it take to change your mind? That's the level of suffering - of Angst - you need.

Plot Arc is all about WHAT HAPPENS to the characters.
Character Arc is all about how the characters FEEL about what's happening.

The Stage of Grief that character happens to be going through dictates how that character will React the event. If you plan it just right, every event will work Against the character's Stage of Grief.

The whole Idea being:

"That which does not kill me, makes me stronger." - Nietzsche

The plot movements combine both the Plot Arc (Events/Actions) and the Character Arc (Emotions/Reactions). 

Flash Fiction / The Vignette Under 1000 words ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The climactic moment of a single event 1 Movement: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ordeal - Sacrifice ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   2 characters 2 main characters: Protagonist / Antagonist 1 POV character ~ 1st Person or 3rd Person Limited POV ~~~

The Short Story 5000 to 19,000 words ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ One Small Event in the Hero's life. 3 major movements: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1- Crisis - Anger 2- Ordeal - Sacrifice 3- Climax - Acceptance ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1 chapter per movement. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2 main characters: Protagonist / Antagonist 1 POV character ~ 1st Person or 3rd Person Limited POV ~~~

The Novelette 20,000 to 59,000 words ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A single event that changes the Hero's life 5 major movements: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Act One 1-Inciting event - Denial ~~~ Act Two 2-Crisis - Anger 3-Reversal - Despair 4-Ordeal - Sacrifice ~~~ Act Three 5-Climax - Acceptance ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2 chapters per movement. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 Main characters: Protagonist / Obstacle Character */ Antagonist 1 or 2 POV characters ~ 1st Person or 3rd Person Limited ~~~

*Note: The Obstacle Character is the Nay-sayer that possesses the opposing opinion. In a 3-character plot, the Emotionally-driven character tends to play opposition for both the Antagonist (Motive-driven character) and the Protagonist (Action-driven character).

The Novella ~ Category Novel 60,000 to 89,000 words (Many publishers consider anything over 60k a novel. However, most ePubs will not print a book under 80k.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A single that changes all the Main Character's lives 7 major movements: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Act One: Set up - Something Bad has Happened 2- Inciting Incident -Denial 3-Crisis - Anger ~~~ Act Two: 4-Reversal - Despair 5-Ordeal - Sacrifice ~~~ Act Three: 6-Climax - Acceptance 7-Resolution - Acknowledgment ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2-4 chapters per movement. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 Main characters: Protagonist / Main Viewpoint Character */ Antagonist 2 Support characters: Hero's Obstacle Character / Villain's Obstacle Character 1 to 3 POV characters - 1st Person or 3rd Person Limited ~~~

*Note: The Main Viewpoint Character is rarely the Protagonist or the Antagonist. In most stories, the Viewpoint Character is the one caught in the middle, if not completely lost, in the battle between the Protagonist and the Antagonist. (Neo, in The Matrix was the Viewpoint Character caught between Morpheus and the Agents of the Matrix.) 

 

The Novel 90,000 to 125, 000 words (Publishers rarely take manuscripts higher than 125k.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A collection of events that lead to a single Major Event that brings change in all the (main) character's lives. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9 major movements: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Act One: 1-Set up - Something Bad has Happened 2- Introduction - Innocence 3- Inciting Incident -Denial ~~~ Act Two: 4-Challenge - Anger 5-Crisis - Betrayal 6-Reversal - Despair 7-Ordeal - Sacrifice ~~~ Act Three: 8-Climax - Acceptance 9-Resolution - Acknowledgment ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2-5 chapters per movement. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 Main characters*: Protagonist / Main Viewpoint Character / Antagonist 3 Major Support characters: Protagonist's Obstacle Character Antagonist's Obstacle Character Viewpoint Character's Obstacle Character 1 to 3 POV characters** 1st Person or 3rd Person Limited, or Omniscient ~~~

*Note: With casts of Characters - Less is more - ALL major character arcs must conclude to fulfill resolution. The larger the cast, the longer the story.

**Note: With Viewpoint Characters - LESS is definitely more. Hopping from Viewpoint to Viewpoint can get very frustrating to the reader who has to keep track of each of those different story threads. And then there's the Fatal Flaw of: Head Hopping.  

Keep in Mind: Each POV character chosen, automatically becomes a Main Character. Woe betide the author that does not conclude all the issues raised with EACH Viewpoint Character - in addition to the Main Characters. Any more than 4 POVs and you're looking at a Massive undertaking to conclude them all, or make plot-holes you can drive trucks through.

Tragedy vs. Happily Ever After

The difference between a Tragedy and a Happily Ever After seems to be that in a Tragedy, the Protagonist FAILS at their Crisis Point in Act Two. Act Three is merely the death scene that fullfils their failure to change.

To make a Happily Ever After, the Protagonist still Fails their Crisis Point in Act Two, but then replays their Crises Point in Act Three and finally Wins at the end of the Act. The story then goes on to a whole new FOURTH act. 

Additional Reading:

The Internal Journey - Premise Building

Developing the Dark Moment

Who Cares? Character Values and Conflict

Being, Doing, Becoming:
The Heroic Strength, the Heroic Flaw, the Heroic Journey

Starting Small and Building Plot

External Conflict Worksheet 

Enjoy!

Periodic Table of Storytelling

Created by ComputeSherpa at DeviantArt.com

If you are any kind of fan of fiction writing, whether it books, TV scripting, movie scripting, or even fan-fiction, THIS is the ultimate cheat sheet for story crafting -- especially if you are a fan of TV Tropes!

Enjoy!