August 8, 2019
[This guide was copied, as is, from Wattpad. At the time, I had no intention of posting it here. Please excuse any discrepancies.]
This section discusses the general differences between plot driven and character driven fiction within the Warriors universe. It mostly exists as a reference for other parts which have mentioned this concept before. As a Base section, it has little to no examples drawn from canon Warriors.
This section seems like an odd fit for a Warriors fanfiction writing guide. And it is; we already have established what kind of fiction Warriors is and how it conveys itself to readers. But, as a concept I have referenced in other sections of this guide several times, I figured it is time I explained it better. More general definitions exist somewhere on the internet (particularly TvTropes) but, as usual for this guide, it is highly specialized. So let us explore this concept as it pertains to our source material.
HOW WARRIORS TELLS ITS STORY
Plot-driven stories rely on lore, setting, and external forces to carry a story and its characters from beginning to end.
Character-driven stories rely on individual decisions, personalities, and changes to carry a story from beginning to end.
Warriors is a plot-driven series, through and through. I have stated that a few times in this guide already. This is understandable given the content and target audience, and it is not a bad thing. There are some character-driven moments woven in, such as the romance subplots or the occasional emotional flare-up. But, for the most part, the omens, setting, and external forces carry the characters and audience through the story. Tigerclaw being kicked from ThunderClan was far more important to the story than where he was born or how he was raised. Scourge's life as Tiny took a back seat in importance to his invasion of the forest territories. The uses of these important characters in regards to the lore and setting is far more important than their motives or their backgrounds, and their actions are more or less determined by the plot rather than their previous actions (because, again, their upbringing and motives were not as important to our understanding of the story).
In canon Warriors, the world itself is more important than the characters in it in regards to driving the narrative forward. We will look into that idea a bit more.
PLOT-DRIVEN FANFICS
Plot-driven stories easily more common and popular than character-driven ones. The books that you see on best seller lists or are the popular 'flavor of the month' are likely plot-driven. Some examples include Epic of Gilgamesh, Harry Potter, Iliad, Guardians of Ga'Hoole, Assassin's Creed, The Simpsons, and of course, Warriors. All of these stories are more reliant on their lore and external forces than the characters to create a compelling story.
Here is an example from our nonexistent fanfiction to show just what I mean:
- Catkit was the runt of her litter. She was ignored by her siblings and mother after failing to grow like they thought she would. She was the last to become an apprentice due to her size alone. As Catpaw, she would often roam the forest with her mentor, Goodheart, or her best friend, Otherpaw. While Otherpaw had many friends and a loving family, she liked Catpaw the best. Catpaw became a warrior, still the last of the apprentices to do so, and Otherleaf became a medicine cat. One day, while Catclaw and Otherleaf were roaming the forest alone, they were ambushed by a ThunderClan patrol. Waking up from the lost fight alone and injured, she returned to ShadowClan to find it sacked by both RiverClan and WindClan.
Knowing the behavior was unusual, Catclaw learned from a StarClan omen that they were being manipulated by Dark Forest cats. Despite not knowing their motives or goals, Catclaw decided she will rally support for her cause among skeptical clanmates, with only Goodheart believing her in full. Then she will save Otherleaf from the corrupted ThunderClan. The other clans are still a threat, and so are the Dark Forest cats manipulating everything from the shadows...
I am basically writing book one of our fanfic trilogy or arc. The plot would work if placed in a canon setting, and is very plot-driven.
Of course, there are those of you who will say "Tyto, books like Harry Potter and Warriors manage to have compelling characters." And you would be right. Plot-driven does not have to mean the story is devoid of character development. It does mean said character development has less of an impact on our story than the actions they take or the demands of external forces like StarClan's prophecies.
Using our nonexistent fanfic as an example, we start with Catclaw. Catclaw being isolated as a runt and garnering little faith among her clanmates has little to do with the plot itself. At first glance, this appears to matter a lot. But what if Catclaw had grown as a kit to be just as strong as her littermates? What if she no longer needed Goodheart to help her confidence, or Otherleaf did not take her as a best friend? Would this stop the Dark Forest from manipulating the clans into capturing and attacking others? No. Catclaw being a runt has more to do with adding a subplot, adding character development fuel, and aiding her motivation to stop that mess. But Catclaw being a runt does not drive our plot forward.
So why would we seemingly gimp our Catclaw in such a way? It is not gimping in regards to the kind of story we want to tell. One about intrigue, hidden motives, and action. We do not want to tell a soul-searching journey or one about drastic changes in Catclaw's life. For our story we, and many other writers, rely on making characters relatable and transparent. This gives lots of room for expansion to our cast without having to give each character a development arc or large amounts of 'screen time'. That way, we can focus more on the interesting world and story we have created.
The story we are trying to tell does not have to do with years of self development or dealing with painful parts of one's past. The entertainment is in the world itself, not our characters. Catclaw's journey is our story, not Catclaw herself. Now onto the reverse.
CHARACTER-DRIVEN FANFICS
These stories are not nearly as common as their plot-driven counterparts, but they are definitely not rare. Some of the most enduring stories in history are almost entirely character-driven, including Hamlet, Pride and Prejudice, and The Catcher in the Rye. Modern examples include Game of Thrones, Bunny Girl Senpai, and Bojack Horseman. These stories tend to garner higher reviews by critics but lower interest from consumers; these are the type of stories that are often considered the 'good' fiction. That fiction that people might read and, admittedly, get bored with but still say it is good simply because it does not rely on action or lore to propel the story.
We use another example from another non existent fanfiction to show what makes them a bit different:
- Catkit was the runt of her litter. She was ignored by her siblings and mother after failing to grow like they thought she would. She was the last to become an apprentice due to her size alone. As Catpaw, she would often roam the forest with her mentor, Goodheart, or her best friend, Otherpaw. While Otherpaw had many friends and a loving family, she liked Catpaw the best. Catpaw became a warrior, still the last of the apprentices to do so, and Otherleaf became a medicine cat. One day, while Catclaw and Otherleaf were roaming the forest alone, they were ambushed by a ThunderClan patrol. Waking up from the lost fight alone and injured, she limps back to ShadowClan camp, convinced that her weakness got Otherleaf captured. She explains to her leader what happened, but he brushes it off by saying she was too weak and Otherleaf could be retrieved later.
Catclaw began training alone at night out of self-hatred and to end the isolation and disrespect she constantly faced from her clanmates. Her aggressive training led to constant injuries that did not go unnoticed. Goodheart tried to convince her to stop, but she ultimately allowed Catclaw to continue. Catclaw took her mentor's complacency as motivation and approval. Some time later, at a gathering, ThunderClan's leader was eager to negotiate for Otherleaf's release. Furious from blaming herself and exhausted by her training, Catclaw attacked the leader, starting a brawl between the clans. It ultimately led to Catclaw's suspension and further mockery. Ashamed and still angry, she left the clan to try and free Otherleaf herself and show everyone she is not to be messed with...
I could go on with this. But the main point to be made is that our protagonist's personality is the story.
Going back to a point I made earlier, character-driven stories are not necessarily 'highbrow' for not relying on action and lore to carry their plots, nor do they have to bore their audience by going on and on about the protagonist's thoughts. But it does mean that our setting and overarching plot are less important than the characters and their development. Unsurprisingly, these types of stories tend to be one-offs and lack sequels or arcs of any kind (not that they cannot have them). They also tend to be rare in the Warriors fandom, given the source material is not like this at all.
Using our nonexistent fanfic as an example, we only are dealing with Catclaw in this case. Otherleaf's kidnapping and ThunderClan's sudden aggression are not as important as where Catclaw's actions have gotten her. Notice how we did not need to go over that aggression. In fact, the most important detail of that main character being snatched up was that ShadowClan's leader wrote off Catclaw's concern due to her size and personality. It does not mean the leader is unconcerned, nor does it mean the situation is unimportant from a literary standpoint. It simply means that Catclaw's actions and potential growth are more important than what happens in the story's world. Catclaw herself is our story, not the world she inhabits.
So why would we seemingly forgo using epic settings or grand schemes in our storytelling in favor of a single cat that might garner mixed reactions from readers? The goal is to tell a story that is strictly about Catclaw and her impact on the setting and those around her. As a result, the world becomes more or less just a place for stuff to happen. Characters, even supporting ones like Goodheart, become irreplaceable and can change the plot dramatically if developed or removed (what if Catclaw had zero positive reinforcement). Specific personality traits become major reasons for certain events happening. If Catclaw was confident despite her size, she may have trained harder when she was a kit and not been as harsh on herself. What Catclaw felt during her upbringing still matters in the context of the story, because she is the story.
Our story purposely does not have a grand plot or a massive cast of supporting characters. Each addition matters, and so do their personalities. This is a story on emotional condition and how it affects decisions and, most importantly, the consequences of those decisions.
IN CONCLUSION…
Plot-driven and character-driven stories are not polar opposites. There are plenty of books, TV shows, and movies that fall between these two baselines. And just because a story is one does not mean it cannot be the other. There are even a few works out there that neither have heavy character development nor a grand plot (a few; do not get too many ideas). On that note, Warriors is a series driven by its plot, so for more advice on what to do if you want a character-driven fanfic, see the "Plot & Plot Scope" and "The Main Character" sections. Ideally, you decide what kind of story you want to tell before you start writing it. To summarize, plot-driven stories are driven by overarching elements and lore, while character-driven stories move forward based on the actions and consequences characters endure due to their personalities and emotions. TV Tropes probably has other 'subtypes' for fictional works listed if you want even more information.
How you go about telling your story is up to you and the points you want to make, if any. The goal tends to be the same, anyway: an entertaining story.
- Tyto
