So, now that our hero has confronted his Darkest Moment, and seen the light, we’ve come to the last step of character change…the New Man.  The changed person he/she has become, complete with new skills, new beliefs, and new courage. 

 New Man usually happens before the finale – before the final storming of the castle, so we can see our New Man using his newfound skills/character change.  Sometimes they are even tested…

 For example, remember the scene in the Hunt for Red October where, after they’re on the submarine, and AFTER Sean Connery says (in his terrible Russian, I might add), to Jack Ryan “Oh, I remember you – you wrote that book, and got it all wrong” – jack has a mini black moment there. A realization that he’s not all right.  And, although he doesn’t do a lot of soul searching (because it’s a high action flick), we do see him shaken. 

 He has to confront the belief that he doesn’t know everything.  That he can be wrong….but that it will still turn out okay.  And then he TESTS this belief by giving the Russian captain (Sean) the GUN to go SHOOT HIS OWN MAN (which, militarily, makes no sense), while the AMERICAN captain is forced to keep the sub from being blown up.  (Again…making no sense). BUT, it does make sense within our character change grid.  Instead of following his logic, which Jack Ryan must do, he has to trust his future to faith.  To HOPING he got it right, and trusting that everything will work out.  

Or, how about in Independence Day – remember the black moment in the Mother Ship of the aliens, where our heroes can’t disengage and fly away after uploading the virus?  They realize that they have to sacrifice their lives, and that it’s worth it.  (Something that the scientist (Jeff Goldblum) wasn’t ready to do at the beginning of the movie).  Only THEN are they willing to shoot off the rocket, and then race for their lives out of the ship (against all odds). 

 TEST your New Man, and give him an opportunity for the change to take root, giving him a glimpse of the bright future ahead.   The Happily Ever After he’s always longed for. 

 So, to recap our journey: (I’ve added a couple things that I also learned along the way!) 

 Don’t panic if you can’t think of all these things starting out (although it helps to sit down and think of examples to jump start your story).  I usually apply this grid half-way through, or even at the end of the rough draft version of my book, ticking them off to make sure all the elements are in place. 

 Next week, we move on to: How to write high action scenes!

 Have a great weekend!