How can you balance character development with plot advancement?

1 Know your characters

Before you start writing or rehearsing, you need to have a clear idea of who your characters are, what they want, and what they need. You can use various tools, such as character profiles, backstories, interviews, or improvisations, to explore their personalities, motivations, relationships, and conflicts. This will help you create realistic and consistent characters that have depth and dimension. It will also help you avoid stereotypes, clichés, or flat characters that lack individuality and agency.

2 Know your plot

Similarly, you need to have a clear idea of what your plot is, what it means, and what it does. You can use various tools, such as outlines, summaries, diagrams, or storyboards, to map out the main events, scenes, and beats of your play. This will help you create a coherent and compelling plot that has structure, tension, and resolution. It will also help you avoid plot holes, inconsistencies, or irrelevant scenes that distract or confuse the audience.

4 Vary character and plot

While you want to maintain a consistent and logical connection between character and plot, you also want to vary them in a way that creates interest and surprise. You can use various tools, such as twists, turns, reversals, or revelations, to change or challenge your characters and your plot. This will help you create a diverse and unpredictable relationship between character and plot that engages and entertains the audience. It will also help you avoid predictable or repetitive character and plot that bore or annoy the audience.

5 Balance character and plot

Finally, you want to balance character and plot in a way that satisfies and resonates with the audience. You can use various tools, such as pacing, rhythm, tone, or mood, to adjust the weight and emphasis of character and plot. This will help you create a harmonious and effective relationship between character and plot that supports and enhances your overall theme and message. It will also help you avoid overloading or underwhelming character and plot that confuse or disappoint the audience.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?