Writing Which approach to moving the plot do you prefer: world influences MC or MC influences world?

Eldoria said:

Imagine the following two plot scenarios:

(1) World influences MC. The world here is alive, has a social system, and has characters other than MC. Conflict in a location can create a chain reaction that can ultimately affect MC's life.

For example, a war between kingdoms causes the distribution of wheat to be hampered, leading to an increase in food prices, which ultimately affects the MC's daily life.

MC here is a character who lives in a living and dynamic world. To show the conflict more broadly, POVs usually also use other characters who influence the plot. MC's POV is just one perspective in viewing the world.

(2) MC influences world. The MC here is usually the center of the story. The MC's actions can influence the world.

For example, MC defeats the demon king in a hero's journey. His heroism will change the world as a whole, either for better or worse.

The world here is usually only seen from the MC's perspective. The story follows MC's POV without involving the POVs of other characters.

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Eldoria said:

Imagine the following two plot scenarios:

(1) World influences MC. The world here is alive, has a social system, and has characters other than MC. Conflict in a location can create a chain reaction that can ultimately affect MC's life.

For example, a war between kingdoms causes the distribution of wheat to be hampered, leading to an increase in food prices, which ultimately affects the MC's daily life.

MC here is a character who lives in a living and dynamic world. To show the conflict more broadly, POVs usually also use other characters who influence the plot. MC's POV is just one perspective in viewing the world.

(2) MC influences world. The MC here is usually the center of the story. The MC's actions can influence the world.

For example, MC defeats the demon king in a hero's journey. His heroism will change the world as a whole, either for better or worse.

The world here is usually only seen from the MC's perspective. The story follows MC's POV without involving the POVs of other characters.

Click to expand...

Eldoria said:

Imagine the following two plot scenarios:

(1) World influences MC. The world here is alive, has a social system, and has characters other than MC. Conflict in a location can create a chain reaction that can ultimately affect MC's life.

For example, a war between kingdoms causes the distribution of wheat to be hampered, leading to an increase in food prices, which ultimately affects the MC's daily life.

MC here is a character who lives in a living and dynamic world. To show the conflict more broadly, POVs usually also use other characters who influence the plot. MC's POV is just one perspective in viewing the world.

(2) MC influences world. The MC here is usually the center of the story. The MC's actions can influence the world.

For example, MC defeats the demon king in a hero's journey. His heroism will change the world as a whole, either for better or worse.

The world here is usually only seen from the MC's perspective. The story follows MC's POV without involving the POVs of other characters.

Click to expand...

MFontana said:

This actually falls under one of my narrative-writing rules.
Nothing exists in a vacuum. Everything is interconnected.
Everything in the story has an influence on everything else. Be it small, or large, in scope and scale.

The world is effectually just another character in the narrative. It changes, and adapts, as the narrative progresses, just as it exerts an influence on the characters; prompting them to act.

So, to answer your question, El, it is both, and neither. What I prefer as both a reader, and author, is a "Living World".

In essence, the following being implemented within the narrative.

"The world is lived in, and the characters live in it."
In this way, everything that happens within the narrative on the micro-scale (individual) is happening on the macro-scale (world) as well.

The world isn't influenced explicitly by any single character exclusively, nor does it influence any single character exclusively.

Any character, at any time, is both influencing the world and/or being influenced by it.
Their actions have consequences, and the world adapts, even to the simplest of choices, or actions, by any given character.

While at the same time, their decisions and actions come about by a cocktail of their worldview, beliefs, current circumstances, goals, and motivations blending together to inform those actions or choices; which is, in effect, them being influenced by the world.

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