Over the course of your story, the Main Character will either grow out of something or grow into something. Authors show their audiences how to view this development of a Main Character by indicating the direction of Growth by the Main Character.

If the story concerns a Main Character who Changes, it will come to believe it is the cause of its own problems (that’s why it eventually changes). If it grows out of an old attitude or approach (e.g. loses the chip on its shoulder), then it is a Stop character. If it grows into a new way of being (e.g. fills a hole in its heart), then it is a Start character.

If the story concerns a Main Character who Remains Steadfast, something in the world around it will appear to be the cause of its troubles. If it tries to hold out long enough for something to stop bothering it, then it is a Stop character. If it tries to hold out long enough for something to begin, then it is a Start character.

If you want the emphasis in your story to be on the source of the troubles which has to stop, choose “Stop.” If you want to emphasize that the remedy to the problems has to begin, choose “Start.”

Excerpted from
Dramatica Pro Story Development Software