Tag: EditingTools

EDGE COACH - TUESDAYS
Welcome to Edge Coach, my Tuesday focus on professional story development. As a Fictionary Certified StoryCoach Editor, I share techniques to strengthen your writing and engage your readers. Whether you're revising your first draft or polishing your final one, Edge Coach offers practical guidance for your story.

Today, we’ll explore how Fictionary’s Character tab helps you track and strengthen your character’s journey through their goals and motivations. This powerful set of tools ensures your characters drive your story forward with purpose and impact.

## The Foundation: Character List and POV

Before diving into goals, establish your story’s framework:

– Use Character List to track every named character

– Mark POV (Point of View) clearly for each scene

– Ensure POV choices serve your story’s purpose

## Goal Tracking: The Heart of Character Development

Fictionary provides multiple layers for tracking goals:

### POV Goal

– What does your POV character want in this scene?

– Is it clearly shown through action or dialogue?

– Does it connect to their larger story arc?

### POV Goal Internal

The emotional driver behind your character’s actions:

– What internal need motivates them?

– How does this goal reflect their wounds or desires?

– Where does internal conflict appear?

### Goal Related to Plot

Connect character desires to story movement:

– How does this scene’s goal advance the main plot?

– Are character and plot goals aligned or in conflict?

– Does each scene goal build toward the story goal?

## Stakes and Consequences

### What if Goal Fails

Fictionary prompts you to consider:

– Immediate consequences of failure

– Long-term impact on character arc

– Ripple effects through the story

### Impact Tracking

Two crucial elements:

1. Impact on POV Character

– Personal consequences

– Character growth opportunities

– Emotional fallout

2. Impact on Protagonist

– How secondary character goals affect your protagonist

– Relationship dynamics

– Story momentum

## Knowledge and Movement

### POV Knowledge Gained

Track your character’s understanding:

– What do they learn in each scene?

– How does new knowledge affect their goals?

– Does information change their motivation?

### Character in Motion

Ensure active character engagement:

– Physical movement that reveals character

– Goal-driven actions

– Dynamic scene presence

## Putting It All Together

When reviewing your manuscript, use these elements to:

1. Verify goal consistency across scenes

2. Strengthen motivation-action connections

3. Ensure satisfying character arcs

4. Track subplot impact on main story

5. Maintain tension through goal conflicts

Remember: Every scene should move your character either toward or away from their goals. Fictionary’s Character tab helps you track this movement with precision.

## StoryCoach Tips

1. Review goals scene by scene first, then look at the larger pattern

2. Check that internal and external goals create tension

3. Verify that knowledge gained affects future goals

4. Ensure character movement serves goal pursuit

5. Track impact ripples through your story

Your characters’ goals drive your story. Use these tools to make every scene count.

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