Wesz van der Heide

Creating characters with deep, complex emotional arcs is one of the most rewarding parts of storytelling. It’s what makes characters feel real, like people we know (or even parts of ourselves). A strong emotional journey draws readers in, makes them feel something, and keeps them invested. So, how do you build characters with emotional depth that sticks with readers long after they’ve finished the book? Let’s break it down.

Start with a Strong Emotional Foundation

Know Their Past:

• Characters’ emotions are shaped by their experiences. Build a backstory that informs their current struggles, desires, and fears. What’s their relationship with their parents like? How did they experience their family system? What made their time at school joyful/painful? What significant events have taken place that have changed them? If you like structure, a character template like this one might help.
• Example: In How to Understand Him, Duncan’s entire worldview is shaped by his family history. Part of the challenge in writing his character was keeping track of what was true and what he’d simply been told to believe. Duncan’s childish innocence (always believing the parent) plays a vital role in explaining how he ends up with a man like Tristan.

Understand Their Core Beliefs:

• Identify what your character believes about themselves and the world. These beliefs often dictate their emotional responses. Do they believe they’re worthy of love? That the world is dangerous? That vulnerability is weakness? If you’re into psychology, this core beliefs worksheet (often used in CBT therapy) can help.
• Example: Tristan believes he must always appear strong and therefore suppresses his vulnerability, which leads to internal conflict.

Create Emotional Stakes

What Do They Stand to Lose?

• Emotional arcs are driven by stakes. What does your character value most, and what are they afraid of losing? This is often the Thing that motivates your character to act, because they’re trying desperately to cling to something that is perhaps outdated. The more discrepancy (I’m in this comfortable place because I know it but it’s also starting to hurt now vs. Going over there looks tempting but I’m too scared to do it, so maybe I’ll just stay in this painful comfortable place instead) you can create in your character, the better (AKA, more tension).
• Example: Duncan wants to be friends with Aron because he admires his confidence, but he risks his relationship with Tristan if he engages.

What Do They Hope to Gain?

• Complex emotional arcs often involve characters striving for emotional fulfilment, like love, acceptance, or inner peace. Why does your character eventually try to change after all? What do they want?
• Example: After having caught a glimpse of healthy acceptance by being around Aron’s friends, Duncan starts to want that for himself.

Map Their Emotional Journey

Define the Starting Point:

• Begin with their emotional state at the start of the story. Are they angry, hopeful, broken, or optimistic?
• Example: Despite the adversity he’s facing (because he doesn’t know any better), Duncan feels optimistic about his life at the start of the novel.

Plan the Transformation:

• Determine how their emotions will evolve over the course of the story. What triggers these changes?
• Example: When Aron comes in and destabilises anything (AKA, pulls off his rose-tinted glasses), Duncan’s emotional state starts to shift. He gets a taste of a more satisfying life, which eventually leads him to change.

Include Setbacks:

• Growth is rarely linear. Incorporate moments where your character regresses or faces obstacles.
• Example: Duncan gets stuck halfway through his process because he feels like he’s being pulled into two directions. Tristan represents one part of his life/identity, whereas Aron represents another. This tension keeps escalating until it finally explodes into a ‘satisfying’ climax, after which Duncan changes for good.

Use External Events to Reflect Internal Change

Link Actions to Emotions:

Show how external events influence your character’s emotions. Major plot points should tie directly to their emotional arc.
Example: Duncan confronting his mother after he’s realised she’s been lying to him marks a turning point in his journey towards self-empowerment.

Symbolism and Metaphor:

• Use the environment, objects, or events to mirror or amplify your character’s emotional state.
• Example: The rain pouring down when Duncan leaves the hospital emphasises the ‘all is lost’ moment.

Make It Relatable

Tap Into Universal Emotions:

• Build emotional arcs around themes readers can connect with, like love, loss, fear, or joy. Regardless of context, we all know feelings, so if you can illustrate those in thought processes/physical behaviour, you’re well on your way to your reader feeling like your character does.
• Example: One of Duncan’s main emotional currents is a sense of guilt, and even though it’s often misplaced, we can all identify with feeling bad after we’ve hurt someone.

Balance Specificity and Universality:

While emotions should feel personal to the character, they should also reflect broader human experiences.
Example: Duncan’s struggle with identity might feel specific to his sexuality and gender identity but can also resonate with anyone searching for self-acceptance.

Show, Don’t Tell

Use Body Language and Actions:

• Convey emotions through subtle cues rather than overt explanations. The good old ‘show, don’t tell.’
• Example: A character clenching their fists or avoiding eye contact can indicate anger or discomfort.

Dialogue as a Tool:

• Use conversations to reveal emotions and inner conflicts. I love using dialogue to portray emotions. Words can hold such power.
• Example: When Aron says, “He’ll kill you, Duncan. […] That’s how these stories end. With death.”

Let Them Make Mistakes

Humanise Them:

• Flawed characters are more relatable. Allow them to make bad decisions or act out of fear or pain. As long as you showcase these thought process, readers won’t hate your characters for making the wrong choice.
• Example: Duncan lies to Tristan so he can keep seeing Aron, which makes Duncan dishonest and not trustworthy, but since we can see where he’s coming from, it becomes acceptable.

Show Consequences:

• Highlight how their mistakes impact their journey and relationships.
• Example: Duncan telling Tristan the truth propels the story into its climax.

End with Emotional Growth

Showcase Transformation:

• By the end of the story, your character should feel emotionally evolved, even if subtly.
• Example: Aron has faced the consequences of his hero complex and will need to reflect on the impact his tendency to rescue others has.

Leave Room for Ambiguity:

• Not all emotional arcs need to tie up neatly. Ambiguous endings can reflect the complexities of real life.
• Example: After the epilogue, we know Duncan’s in a better place, but he’s obviously still healing. We can only imagine how much longer it’ll take for him before he has finally healed from the trauma of having been abused.

Summary

Building characters with complex emotional arcs is an art that requires empathy, planning, and attention to detail. By crafting nuanced journeys filled with conflict, growth, and relatability, you’ll create characters that linger in readers’ minds long after they’ve turned the final page.

What are your favourite examples of emotional arcs in fiction? Share your thoughts in the comments below!