For me, external stimuli leads to internalized conflict, and the conclusions that characters reach then determine how they react to a particular stimulus as well as their general behavior at the time.
There has to be some sort of external stimulus on the character. Not because there needs to be, but because there always is: a character doesn't just exist in a bubble. If they did, they'd never grow or develop. Instead, their environment influences them, and they in turn influence their environment.
I find that this approach works best when you've already decided on what kind of person your character already is as a baseplate/template/foundation for said growth and development. Here's an example.
Of course, this is a very reactionary way of going about it. You could also sit down and script a story for yourself, and then gradually ease your way into it while throwing out plot hooks to get other people involved, but that's never felt natural enough for me to enjoy doing so.
There has to be some sort of external stimulus on the character. Not because there needs to be, but because there always is: a character doesn't just exist in a bubble. If they did, they'd never grow or develop. Instead, their environment influences them, and they in turn influence their environment.
I find that this approach works best when you've already decided on what kind of person your character already is as a baseplate/template/foundation for said growth and development. Here's an example.
- What kind of person is my character? A tired soldier out for a drink.
- What happened? A bar fight broke out at the tavern he's at.
- What goes through my character's head? He's had a long day, and he'd just like some peace and quiet. He's also friends with the proprietor and the staff, so he doesn't like how rowdy the fighters are being, especially as how they're damaging the furniture all of a sudden.
- What does my character decide to do? He leaves his drink to go break up the fight, of course.
- What's the result? It turns out one of the fighters is a highwayman who mugged the other fighter a few days ago.
- What kind of person is my character? A once-crooked-but-now-honest man who despises bandits.
- What goes through my character's head? The mugged man ought to get his money back.
- What does my character decide to do? He drags the highwayman outside to a poorly lit alley and beats him until the man makes good on reparations.
- What's the result? The mugged man gets his money back, and shows his gratitude and appreciation by offering to hire on the soldier once the soldier retires.
Of course, this is a very reactionary way of going about it. You could also sit down and script a story for yourself, and then gradually ease your way into it while throwing out plot hooks to get other people involved, but that's never felt natural enough for me to enjoy doing so.
![[Image: 1qVSsTp.png]](http://i.imgur.com/1qVSsTp.png)
