2 questions about Throughline, Problem and Resolve

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Chris Huntley
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2 questions about Throughline, Problem and Resolve

Postby Chris Huntley » May 28, 2008 4:03 pm

Timshark -- 2 questions about Throughline, Problem and Resolve

1. In the context help, the software suggests that both a MC or IC Throughline of Situation should be encoded to be something about these character's physicallity. Why is this? Would a description of a IC Throughline of Situation like: "the Impact Character is poor" be right?

2. Is there any relationship between the MC problem and the MC Resolve? Or could the Resolve of the MC be encoded freely? In my story the MC Problem is Trust and she is a change MC. She doesn't trust people but is very self confident - This is not changed in my story - it is strengthened - so I can't change that. Where should I look for what to change?


Chris Huntley
1. Absolutely. Poor describes an external condition in which the character is "stuck." Theoretically, if the character were no longer poor there should no longer be a problem.

2. Change is related to the problem element directly. In your story, your MC has a problem of Trust which means her trusting (or lack of trust) in herself or others causes her personal conflict. She "changes" by the end of the story when she begins Testing (e.g. she now tests things before going forward--"Look before you Leap."). Confidence isn't necessarily tied to her personal problems. Many confident people make mistakes and learn from them without shaking their confidence (though they may be a bit more wary than before).

Since my MC is also a Start Character it makes sense that she should adapt to another way of thinking.

Thanks Chris, that clarifyed my problem.

I'd also suggest that self-confidence in your Main Character could well be an Overall Story trait, which could be constant throughout the story and has nothing to do with your main character's Resolve. On the character level, self-confidence could take many flavors, built from a combination of character-level elements, such as Motivations of Pursuit or Faith, the Evaluation of Accurate, or the Methodologies of Certainty or Proaction.
Chris Huntley
Write Brothers Inc.

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