Austere

Synthesis

In this epsiode we conclude our exploration of character by looking at the glue that holds a narrative together. We dive into Synthesis  and create three-dimensional people who breathe on the page. In this episode, we discuss: * The Soldier-Healer Model: Analyzing Kaladin Stormblessed from The Stormlight Archive to see how the friction between contradictory identities creates a character that resonates with our own internal wars. * The Built-in Conflict: How synthesizing a "Vagabond" status with a "Machiavellian" mind forces a story to practically write itself through the inherent tension of those two worlds colliding. In your next draft, are you building your characters out of a single piece of stone, or are you synthesizing a "mess" of traits that will force them to fight with themselves before they ever face a villain? Subscribe for more episodes as we continue to map the "blueprints" of humanity!

Surreptitious

In this episode, we look at the labor of the secret and the burden of the mask.  In this episode, we discuss: * The Performance of Identity: Using the historical model of the Chevalier d’Eon to show how a surreptitious life can navigate the highest circles of power while hiding a truth that would ensure total ruin. * The Student in the Stacks: Analyzing Kvothe’s secret research in The Kingkiller Chronicle as a masterclass in how stealth becomes the only thing keeping a character's life purpose alive. * The Meaningful Concealment: Why every character needs a secret. In your current draft, does your protagonist have a secret they are actively guarding, or are they walking through the world with nothing to hide and nothing to lose? Subscribe for more episodes as we continue to map the "blueprints" of humanity!

Prudent

In this episode we explore the quiet, steady power of the planner and the thinker.  In this episode, we discuss: * The Careful Giant: Using the model of Perrin Aybara from The Wheel of Time to show how prudence is born from responsibility, not fear. * The Satisfying Obstacle: Why a "brutally prudent" antagonist who leaves no loose threads creates a more earned victory for the hero than a villain who is easy to overcome. In your current project, is your hero surviving on lucky breaks, or have you pitted them against a prudent antagonist who has already planned for their escape? Subscribe for more episodes as we continue to map the "blueprints" of humanity!

Arbitrary

In this episode, we look at the roll of the dice and the whim of a tyrant to explore the terrifying force of the unpredictable. In this episode, we discuss: * The Whim as Law: Using the model of the Absolute Monarch to create a conflict where merit doesn't matter and the rules change with the King’s mood. * The Terror of the Random: Analyzing the "Anton Chigurh" effect, why removing logic from a conflict through an arbitrary coin flip is the ultimate test of a protagonist’s resolve. In your current project, is every outcome earned through cause and effect, or are you brave enough to let the coin land on its edge and force your characters to survive the arbitrary? Subscribe for more episodes as we continue to map the "blueprints" of humanity!

Austere

In this episode, we look at the power of the unadorned. We explore the Austere archetype and why stripping away the noise often reveals the most unyielding truths of a character. In this episode, we discuss: * The Medieval Model: Using the "Architecture of Silence" found in Cistercian monks to create characters who cannot be bribed or tempted. * The Weight of Less: How the "Precedent" of an austere character's silence ensures that when they finally speak, every other character in the room is forced to listen. In your current draft, are you hiding a character’s weakness, or have you stripped the room bare to see what they are actually made of when the fire goes out? Subscribe for more episodes!