sanderson-character-engine

name	sanderson-character-engine
description	Use when the problem is protagonist design, reader investment, character differentiation, arc type, passivity, or customization of cast roles. Based on Brandon Sanderson's 2025 character lectures.

Sanderson Character Engine

Use this skill to build characters who generate investment and change the story through choices.

Source Protocol

• Read references/source-notes.md first.
• Use this for design and diagnosis, not for copying any existing author's character voice.

Operating Loop

1. Define the reader's intended relationship to the character.
2. Tune the attachment levers: proactivity, capability, relatability, sympathy, fascination.
3. Choose the arc type.
4. Define the early pressure point and the late proof point.
5. Differentiate cast members by job, motive, and friction source.
6. Verify that the character design serves the story's promises and scope.

Contract

Character role:
Desired reader response:
Primary levers:
Arc type:
Early inability or refusal:
Pressure source:
Late proof action:
Differentiation notes:

Arc Options

• positive growth
• flat or steadfast
• corruption
• failure
• revelation
• acceptance

Rules

• Do not optimize every character for likability.
• Do not confuse surface quirks with meaningful differentiation.
• If a character is passive, add agency before adding more backstory.
• Match the arc type to the actual story rather than defaulting to a growth arc.