Character Development
In short: Character development (the character arc) describes how a character changes over the course of a story – through what they experience, learn or lose.
Where the term comes from
In English it is called the „character arc“. E. M. Forster's distinction in „Aspects of the Novel“ (1927) remains influential: flat characters who can be summed up in a sentence, and round characters who are capable of surprising their readers.
How to develop a character
From where to where: Get clear on how the character is at the start and how they should be at the end – the distance between is the arc.
Change under pressure: Characters grow through conflict. What challenges them shapes them.
Stasis tells a story too: Some characters don't change – then the very failure to learn is the point.
Character development on Fireside
In a serial you have room to let a character grow over several parts – with readers following along. Our guide to serial fiction shows how.
Related terms: Protagonist · Characterization · Conflict · Motif
Frequently asked questions
What is character development?
The change a character undergoes across a story – their inner journey from starting state to end state.
Does every character have to develop?
No, but the main character usually should show a discernible change – or its absence must carry meaning.
How do I show development in a short story?
A single shift is often enough: an insight, a decision, a sentence at the end that the character could not have said at the beginning.