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Q&A What is the difference between character-driven stories and plot-driven stories?

There needs to be a testable theory that can predict if a story is C or P based in advance. Technically, a plot based story follows a story arc whereby the point of the story does not resolve itse...

posted 7y ago by John Fro‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Answer
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T07:23:52Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/31598
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by user avatar John Fro‭ · 2019-12-08T07:23:52Z (almost 5 years ago)
There needs to be a testable theory that can predict if a story is C or P based in advance. Technically, a plot based story follows a story arc whereby the point of the story does not resolve itself via character dynamics, but rather by impersonal forces. However, the dichotomy is more important for writers than it is for readers. For the writer the question would be "what would these characters do next?" for a C story and "How do I get from A to B to Z" for a plot based story. The Da Vinci Code is a classic example of trying to move a story mechanically, while The Bridges of Madison County works as character drama only--or try On Golden Pond. Hardly anything "happens" for example.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2017-11-21T23:25:14Z (about 7 years ago)
Original score: 4