Mastering Character Arcs: Transform Your Sci-Fi & Fantasy Writing
Want to write characters that leap off the page and stay with your readers long after “The End”? In this episode of Writing Fiction with L.S. Franco, we’re diving deep into character arcs — the emotional backbone of great storytelling, especially in fantasy and science fiction.
You'll learn:
What a character arc really is (with clear examples)
The 3 main types: positive, negative, and flat arcs
Why arcs create emotional investment and thematic depth
How to structure a powerful internal journey from flaw to transformation
The difference between plot arcs and character arcs — and how to align them
Advanced techniques for ensemble casts, nonlinear arcs, and epic series-long transformation
Mastering Story Structure With The Hero’s Journey
In this episode, award-winning author and SFWA member L.S. Franco breaks down one of storytelling’s most enduring frameworks: The Hero’s Journey. Drawing on the work of Joseph Campbell and Christopher Vogler, you'll learn how this 12-step structure maps across three-act storytelling, links to your character’s internal arc, and enhances your narrative's emotional impact.
From Call to Adventure to Resurrection, we’ll walk through each stage with practical examples — showing how and why these beats resonate. Whether you're outlining a novel or revising your draft, this guide gives you tools to structure your story without being boxed in.
✨ Plus: Why you shouldn’t stress too much about getting it perfect.
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