Character-Arcs

Shane gets therapy. He stops drinking (mostly). He finds joy in chickens. He becomes, gradually, a person managing his depression instead of drowning in it. You helped. Your friendship mattered. But here’s the critical detail: You didn’t fix him. You were part of his support system. He did the work. And Emily? She’s on her own spiritual journey. Deepening her practice. Exploring crystals and meditation. Growing. Whether you befriend her or not. ...

The writing advice is nearly universal: “Make your characters three-dimensional! Give them depth! Show their complexity!” And then you look at some of the most beloved stories ever told-fairy tales, myths, adventure films, genre fiction-and realize: many of their characters are flat as paper. And it works perfectly. James Bond doesn’t have a meaningful character arc across most films. Indiana Jones is the same person at the end as at the beginning. Sherlock Holmes remains fundamentally unchanged across decades of stories. ...