Writing Craft

Character Arc Planner

A great character arc separates what a character wants (their conscious goal) from what they need (the unconscious truth they must accept to grow). Fill in these six elements and the tool maps your character's transformation across a 3-act structure.

Core Character

Character Name

The Wound

A past event that shaped their false belief

The Lie They Believe

The false belief that drives their behavior

What They WANT (external goal)

Concrete, observable objective they pursue

What They NEED (internal truth)

The emotional lesson they must learn

Transformation — Do they grow, fail, or fall?

WANT

NEED