Hi, Tina. This is a great question that doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all answer (of course :)) because the epiphany moment can look different across different stories. Sometimes, there’s a big AHA moment when the light bulb comes on for the character. But in most cases, the process is gradual, with many small moments along the way where they learn bits and pieces of the truth until the pieces finally click; that final moment can still be big and dramatic, but it can also be more understated, since they’ve been learning things all along. So the intensity of the moment is up to you and will depend on what you think is best for the story.

Regarding how to show this, again, it’s likely there won’t be one moment, but many. And they can and should occur in a variety of ways. One piece may be revealed during a conversation with a friend (or antagonist). Another piece may become clear in a moment of introspection. Or the character could be watching an interaction between others and connect the dots to make an important realization. A variety is good because it keeps things interesting for readers.

Even so, we want the process to be authentic, and the way real people come to these realizations is through their internal thoughts. They may be having a conversation with someone or watching something that’s going on externally, but they’re processing it internally and putting pieces together. That part of the process is crucial if we want the character’s self-realization to be realistic, but it also helps readers tie everything together. And with introspection, you’re still showing, not telling; you’re showing their thought process and the connections they’re making as they work through things. Just be sure you break up those think-y moments so they don’t go on forever and drag the pace down with them.

I hope this answers your question. Best of luck with your writing!

As someone who enjoys character driven stories with interesting character arcs by far the most, I’m thankful for the excellent advice you so generously share with us.

What I’d love to read more about is *hands-on advice* how to write the—gradual or eureka! like—epiphany of a character right *before* s/he embarks on the transition journey.
That would complement Angela’s excellent guest post “Overcoming Emotional Wounds: How to Show Your Character Is Beginning to Heal” https://elizabethspanncraig.com/uncategorized/overcoming-emotional-wounds-how-to-show-your-character-is-beginning-to-heal/

More specifically, I’m interested in advice on how “on the nose” the realization(s) can or should be described, regardless of what triggers the epiphany (e.g. dialogues with an influence or reflection character; observation and self-reflection).

If I draw from personal observations and experiences, I’d be inclined to mostly “tell”, at best complemented with “showing” (as in illustrating the “diagnosis” with examples).
I wonder if it’s one of those “rule breaking” occasions where telling is better than showing. Or is it even possible to write a protagonist’s epiphany what her or his emotional obstacles are without explicitly stating them in one way or another?

Do you happen to cover these specifics in your “Emotional Wounds Thesaurus” or in a blog post I’ve missed?

Thank you so much,
Tina

Hi Bill,

The stakes are the negative repercussions of failure, so they will be pretty specific to your character’s goal in the story. But, some of the minor and major complications can definitely disrupt their ability to reach their goal, making it harder to achieve. 😉 There’s also a good section on stakes in the opening part of the book. Thanks for asking!