Character master plots

[xexes 108]

One of the sites that I am on is really focused on character plotting but I am having trouble with thinking up long, over-arching "master" plots for my characters.

 

Do you have overall plots for your characters? What about master plots? Are there any plots that you enjoyed that you would like to share? Do you have any tips to share?

[RottenEmu 4]

To get to a good character arc it's always good to start at the basis, so think of your Characters short term goals, long term ambitions, and their values.

 

So for my main character:

Short term goal - Make the freighter operation she's running profitable.

Long term ambition - To find a place she can call home and people she can call family.

Values - Nothing is more important than
1) Personal liberties and autonomy

2) Taking care of those that rely on her for their livelihood 

3) Being financially independent from others

 

With those in place you can start to think about things that are keeping your character from achieving their goals, that's what we call Conflict, and any story worth writing (and reading) is riddled with conflict. Some examples:

- Her business partner used the freighter as a method of smuggling illicit goods, and got caught, destroying the ship's reputation making it very difficult to achieve profitability

- She's never dealt with traumas from her past properly and covers it up with booze, spiralling into alcoholism, draining her personal funds and threatening the profitability of the operation

 

Once you have those sorted, there has to be a way out of the conflicts, usually this is paired with an Epiphany, the realisation of the character that they've been approaching this all wrong:

- Her record needs to be spotless to regain the trust of the people that got burned by using their service previously (and those that read about them on the different news sources)

- First she has to admit that she has a problem and stop pretending that she 'can stop at any time'. This'll probably be paired with a moment where she jeopardises the freighter's operation by taking money from the ship's coffers.

 

This are all long term things that can subtly spiral out of control (or in case of the Ship's rep back into control perhaps?) over a medium to long period of writing. That's how I usually go about it, your mileage may vary, void in Wisconsin.

[Grimscythe 181]

It's difficult for me to get into a character and it's plots unless I'm truly invested in the character. Simultaneously, I can't get invested in the character without plots, which makes the entire ordeal extremely frustrating sometimes. Typically I start small, with a few short term goals for a character and I see how those play out before I go more in depth.

 

The only characters I've written that have master plots are those I've been playing for over a decade, and that's largely because of their longevity. Think of it as like a living, breathing human. When we're kids, our goals are more instant gratification oriented. As we get older, we start coming up with the things we want in life, such as family, jobs, etc. Sometimes, a character has to mature in my head a bit before I can really figure out what their greatest accomplishment or failure might be.

[StormyWays13 91]

For my site and the characters I write for it, I always try to have short term and long term goals for the characters. Right now I have a long term danger plot but within that plot I have my character get over a lover that betrayed him and finding one that is really there for him.

 

Like @Grimscythementioned, you really have to be invested in the characters you write. One thing I try to keep in mind is what is my character going through? What is the end game, what do they achieve? How does it effect the other plot. 

[Somniac 207]

My favorites do tend to be characters with overarching plots and grand plans - and not necessarily of their own.

 

Maybe someone's having a journey of faith. Maybe they're trying to take over the world. Maybe they really just want a peaceful, uneventful life ... but live in the plot equivalent of Grand Central Station.

 

I'm a ho for thematic disaster.

[Flahme 44]

I also have short and long term goals for my characters. I usually have something they are striving towards or overarching themes that drive their progression.  For example I have a character who was a very bad person before he became an angel (long story).  Anyway, his themes are redemption and self-worth as he has to reconcile this new person he is with what he was and what he had done.  So this colours his interactions and actions. How does he forgive himself, what might he do to get there? This is his long term goal. Short term there are angelic powers he is learning to use. What conflicts might all this bring about. 

 

My site is character plotting so I get where you're coming from.  I'm looking at site wide plotting and we have an ongoing one where humans are waking up to the fact supernaturals live amongst them but not a lot of people are using it as a plotting device.

[DivineRabbit 64]

I like them - however it truly becomes who you are writing with that also sees something beyond a short term plot. All the replies above are on point.

 

When I write I know in my head there is the possiblity to arc or tie into another thread on the board- and sometimes it works out and flows into that master plot- but sometimes it can end up going in a whole nother direction. 

 

Its always challenging and unpredictable. 

[Elena 546]

I have ideas for most of my characters, both for long time and short time. The ones I didn't have specific ideas for were secondary characters meant as support for others' plots or for the sitewide plots. Actually, most characters want something, like and hate some things, and want to do something with their lives...