Archetypes

We’ve done many chapters with structures that mostly determine your plot. So let’s do another challenge that’s all about character!

As mentioned at The 4 Act Structure, there’s a list of archetypes. These are general (“stereotypical”) descriptions of personalities. Most people can be described quite well with one or two of these.

You already know where this is going.

Now write!

I provide a list of all the archetypes in my course on Character: Archetypes. Or you can look them up anywhere else, their names and descriptions have been known for a while.

Now write a story using this tool.

• Invent some characters and give each a (different) archetype.
• Let the characters lead the story. Make the plot do whatever feels logical for these “archetypes” to do.
• Make the main character change archetype. That’s their growth: they might get some properties from another archetype, or remove some of the bad properties from their own.

This might feel like “painting by the numbers”.

The archetype says this person is always kind to others? Well then, whenever there’s an option to be kind, I’ll make them do it! Predictable, right?

The archetype says this person will always be selfish? Well then, I already know exactly what they are going to do in every situation! Be selfish! Boring, right?

First of all, the line between “predictable” and “consistent” is a fine one. It can only be learned by writing (and reading) many stories. Characters are what they are because they have a personality that will always do X, and never do Y. Each character should have some elements that never change and make it easy for you, the writer, to determine what this character will do.

Secondly, you have now discovered another mark of a good story. One in which you give a character clear traits … and then challenge them. If you think it’s boring to make a character always kind, throw them into situations in which kindness is a bad thing. Make them regret being kind, make it hard to stay kind. See how the character deals with that.

There are so many archetypes that you might do this challenge twice or thrice. (Or you write a longer story and also use archetypes on minor side characters, if you think that’s more fun.)

Once I used this tool on one of my books, my intuitive understanding of character classes improved immensely. Yes, these are “stereotypes”. Don’t make a character fit this mold exactly. Add nuance and contradictions. Leave out some parts and only focus on the properties of the archetype that matter most to your story.

However, even though people won’t like hearing this, many people in real life fit such a stereotype pretty darn well.