Now that we are halfway through the workshop, please be sure to ask your questions about this lesson or the previous ones.

In this lesson we’ll look at how emotional trauma can play a part in a character’s origin.

When it comes to character development, you should look at the positives and the negatives of their origin story. However, since stories need conflict there have to be challenges or there is no story.

Here’s an example to think about.

Superman is a larger-than-life character who has been the subject of TV shows, movies, comics, etc. In fact I have a ton of his comics in a container in my garage.

If he had super powers and no challenges, he’d also be an incredibly boring character - even with his dramatic origin story. But he has two big challenges.

One, his strength can be drained by Kryptonite.

Two, he has to balance his identities as Superman and Clark Kent. He’ll always be an observer of humans but never fully one of the humans.

Using fantasy characters to tell stories about the human condition has always been popular. As authors we have the ability to add these layers to our stories so that they are about much more than they might appear.

So yes, your character will need to confront those emotional traumas and experiences in order to move through their character arc. That’s why it’s important to give them obstacles to overcome.

Origins and GMC

Inner motivations and conflicts – their emotional needs

Outer motivations and conflicts – their outer goal

Your character’s wounds can be used to trigger their response to conflict. They are also usually the reason the character has certain needs (which motivate them to reach their goals).

A definition of emotional trauma

"Emotional trauma is terrible to experience, but in a cruel twist of fate, the trauma itself is not always the worst part…it's what hides within the wound: the lie (also known as a false belief or misbelief). The lie is a conclusion reached through flawed logic. Caught in a vulnerable state, the character tries to understand or rationalize the painful experience, only to falsely conclude that fault somehow lies within."

"Born of insecurity and fear, the lie is a destructive force, and until it can be reversed, it will continue to hamper happiness, fulfillment, and inner growth."

"The lie a character believes is critical to her arc because it dictates what she must learn in order to achieve a balanced, healthy view of herself and the world."

These excerpts are from: The Emotional Wound Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Psychological Trauma by Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman

Let's break this down.

-Emotional needs - What are they hungry for? Who are they underneath their public persona?

-What lie do they tell themselves about their wound - One lie might be that they caused their own trauma to happen

-What trigger(s) bring back old memories and hurts - Use those triggers to push your character to confront obstacles

-How will those feelings cause them to make certain decisions in their current life -Do they blame others? Lash out? Defy authority? Fall in love with the "wrong" people? Become workaholics? Bury their feelings? Try to save other people in an effort to save themselves?

-How do their inner needs line up with their outer goals - They might crave success because they want validation from others. However, if they believe themselves to be unworthy, no amount of validation will heal the wound.

-What are they willing to do to be happy and fulfilled (and resolve the issues that are presented in the story) -Are they willing to "risk it all" for the thing they truly desire? What will motivate them to finally resolve their emotional wound?

Importance of Conflict

Conflict comes from these unresolved issues – for both heroes and villains. Needs, wants and desires are usually based in some issue, trauma, or experience that the character is acting from.

Past trauma doesn't have to be an earthshaking event. It could be a somewhat minor thing that grew and festered over the years. Some hurt or resentment that must be resolved. Or a loss or discomfort that they must heal before they can finally get what they desire.

If your protagonists and antagonists have similar (or opposing wounds) that would put them in constant conflict. Just as if they have similar, or opposing, goals.

For instance, if the hero is afraid of being in crowds due to some trauma and the heroine loves being surrounded by people and activity - this will be a conflict for them. How will they resolve it in a way that feels authentic for them both?

Here’s an example from my novella, Hathor Legacy: Outcast.

Nadira, the heroine has strong psychic abilities. She has the strongest abilities of her organization, the Guardians of the planet Hathor.

She believes herself to be an orphan (which relates to the trope of the “chosen one” who has been orphaned). Because of her childhood trauma of being separated from her parents, she has anxieties about forming close relationships. This anxiety comes into play when she meets Jon, the hero.

He is the opposite, having grown up with both parents (though they have a few secrets unknown to Jon in book one). When he comes to Hathor in search of his missing father, he meets Nadira. He is very self-assured, bordering on arrogance. This creates conflict with Nadira (which a few readers didn’t like) which causes a lot of friction between them.

I wanted Jon to be especially annoying because he is a wealthy young man who does think highly of himself. Their relationship has a lot of tension and that tension creates the conflict that is needed to move the story forward.

Nadira is attracted to him in spite of herself. But it’s easy for her to keep him at a distance due to her anxieties about being emotionally vulnerable. Ultimately they’re able to work together so that they can fight the antagonists.

Though Nadira has strong abilities, she has emotional trauma that makes her vulnerable. Jon also has to overcome his own tendency to act before thinking, and to learn a bit of humility. He doesn’t have the emotional wounds that Nadira does, but he does have lessons to learn in book one.

As I said, the character doesn’t have to have deep trauma. They could have traits that stop them from being the people they could be. Jon has to come to terms with his own traits so that he can mature. All of his traits don’t go away (he continues to be impulsive in book two) but he does become a much better partner for Nadira. And she opens up to him emotionally as their relationship progresses.

Summary

What does your character fear - deep down? That is a trigger for them to react or respond to obstacles (conflicts) in their path. What do they really need? Which will win out - fear or need? That is the heart of conflict, isn't it?

Past traumas have made the character who they are today. How can those be resolved for the character arc? They'll probably have to be forced to have a moment of clarity so that they can move forward.

Your character’s desire for love (and resolution of the past) is something that human beings can relate to. We have fears. We have hurts that have not been resolved. We make decisions based on those unresolved hurts and beliefs.

Your character’s origins include those traumas and experiences. What made them the person they are when your story begins? Who will they be at the end of the story?

Creating Origin Stories for Your Characters with Deb Bailey