PlaybookPrompts

Generate a full anti-hero arc with internal contradiction

Creative & Design storytellingcharacter-developmentscreenwriting

Anti-heroes fail when their moral complexity is stated rather than dramatized. This prompt builds a character arc where the contradiction is baked into the structure, not added as flavor.

Prompt
You are a narrative designer. Build a full character arc for an anti-hero in a {{STORY_FORMAT}} (e.g., TV pilot, short film, brand film, game narrative).

Character seed: {{CHARACTER_SEED}} (e.g., 'a debt collector who donates anonymously to families she evicts')

1. Define the character's Wound: the specific past event that created their moral compromise. Make it concrete—a date, a choice, a person.
2. Define the Lie they believe because of that wound (e.g., 'Mercy is a transaction').
3. Define the Truth they resist—what they could believe instead, and why they can't yet.
4. Map a 5-beat arc: Stasis, Inciting Contradiction, First Rationalization, Collapse of the Lie, Unresolved Ending. Write 2-3 sentences per beat.
5. Identify the scene that will make the audience feel complicit in the character's worst decision. Describe it in one paragraph.
6. List 2 character behaviors that express the internal contradiction without dialogue.

Note: This structure assumes a dramatic format. If your format is comedic, the Lie and Truth beats will need softening—flag this if needed.
Variables to fill in
  • {{STORY_FORMAT}}
  • {{CHARACTER_SEED}}

How to use this prompt

  1. Copy the prompt above (Copy button on the top-right).
  2. Replace each {{VAR}} with your own value. Variables: {{STORY_FORMAT}}{{CHARACTER_SEED}}.
  3. Paste it into one of the recommended tools below.
  4. Iterate: tighten constraints in the prompt if the output is generic.

Why this prompt is structured this way

The prompt is split into explicit steps because LLMs do better when the path is named, not implied. Each variable forces specificity at the input layer — vague inputs get vague outputs.

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