Writing Tips & Guidance

Character: Individual Archetypes

Much like how there are disagreements about how many plots there are, there are disagreements about how many character archetypes there are. 

Archetypes are not unique, necessarily. They hold a treasured place in all writing as the characters we know and love, the type of characters we recognize at a glance and compare to others joyously (because we're nerds). You can certainly make them unique in your own way, but, at the core, they are what they are.

Eight Archetypes

The smallest set of archetypical characters consists of eight types. Sticking to basic plots or, specifically, the monomyth (The Hero's Journey), these might be the character types to model from.

(1) Hero. This character's desire moves the story forward. They accept the call to adventure as discussed in The Hero's Journey, though their story need not follow that plotline moment by moment. They experience the most change and learns the most, compared to the other characters. We will discuss that growth at a later time. 

(2) Mentor. The hero has to learn how to survive in the new world/situation that composes the story. The mentor is the character who teaches the hero or gives him special gifts that will help him at key moments as the story unfolds.

(3) Ally. The hero will have some challenges that are too difficult for them to face alone. Allies have many functions in a story, most importantly helping the hero through challenges. They might also act as a foil. As a foil, they contrast the hero in ways that are helpful, not antagonistic.

(4) Herald. This character appears near the beginning of the story to announce the need for change in the hero's life. They are the catalyst for the whole adventure and story, but they need not be a character. Events, letters, invitations, many things can serve as heralds. 

(5) Trickster. The unpredictable wild card, the loose cannon, the prankster, and the comic relief. When the story is somber or emotionally strenuous, the trickster gives the readers a moment to chuckle and smile. They also serve another purpose: challenging the status quo. A good trickster offers an outside perspective and opens up important questions.

(6) Shapeshifter. The shapeshifter blurs the line between ally and enemy, the expected and the unexpected, male and female. The Shapeshifter introduces doubt into the story through characters who aren't what they seem, or who change constantly. Allies become villains. Medieval ladies become knights. Respected members of society are revealed to be liars and fools.

(7) Guardian. They test the hero before face great challenges. Sometimes, they appear after the hero crosses/will cross the threshold and provide a warning for when might occur the hero has done so. 

(8) Shadow. These are the villains in stories. They exist to cause conflict. In other words, the antagonist (meaning they need not necessarily be evil). This can even be an internal, conflicting fragment of self within the main character. We'll talk about villains at length later.

Twelve Archetypes

Unlike the blatant, blanket list of eight archetypes, the list of twelve is more directly inspired by classic literature. Specifically, they replicate characters in European lore like Arthurian legends. Also unlike the list of eight, no particular one of the twelve is designated as the sole possible "Shadow". They each have the ability to become shadow-like and villainous. 

Additionally, those same shadows could easily be used as flaws for a character to overcome throughout a story. Truly intriguing positive and negative traits bounce off one another.