While I introduced the basics of character arcs in much more detail in Character Arcs 101: Positive and Negative Arcs, let’s cover a few quick definitions to make sure you’re up to speed if you missed that post. 3 Flat Arcs and the Three Act Structure.

2 Flat Arcs: Shaping the World Around Them.If you’d like to read the first article in the series, you can find it here: Character Arcs 101: Positive and Negative Arcs. This post is the second in a larger series about character arcs and character creation in general.

But how is this possible if character arcs are all about change? While positive and negative arcs are concerned with the internal change your characters go through, flat arcs focus on characters that have already discovered their truth and overcome their inner struggle. Of course, despite these differences, flat arcs are no less important for your characters. Whereas positive and negative arcs are all about a character changing from within, flat arcs are more concerned with changing the outside world. You see, flat arcs are unique when compared to other character arcs. Character Development Flat arcs are the black sheep of character arcs…

Flat character arc