Date

11-11-2026

Department

College of Arts and Sciences

Degree

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)

Chair

Jennifer Koster

Keywords

Redemption, Character Arc, Positive Character Arc, Christian Writing

Disciplines

Creative Writing | English Language and Literature

Abstract

Christian writers have the unique opportunity to not only evoke emotion but to share the transformational love of Jesus Christ through their stories. A Redemptive Character Arc is a writing structure for fiction that transitions a character from the lie they believe to the fruit of the truth. Its writing structure goes from Beginning, Doorway, Inciting Incidents, Reckoning, Moment of Change, to Results. The Beginning is the character’s backstory and the lie they believe. The Doorway is the character’s need for change and the point of no return. Inciting Incidents reveal the truth to the character through suffering. The Reckoning is where the character wrestles to believe the lie or truth. The Moment of Change is the character’s epiphany, surrender, and divine intervention. Finally, the Results show the fruits of the character living the truth. Jesus is the way to life, so the Redemptive Character Arc’s truth is the gospel story. The gospel story can be shared directly through a salvation-conversion redemption or indirectly through imagery, metaphor, and allegory. The fantasy fiction, The Informers, uses the Redemptive Character Arc, sharing the gospel indirectly through the protagonist and antagonist. The Informers provides imagery of the transformational moment of finding Jesus and leaves room for hard questions about suffering, while still offering readers the hope of redemption.

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