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Resources · Glossaries · Character & cast · Wound
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Wound

Also called
backstory wound
IntermediateCharacter & castReference
A past hurt that still shapes reactions and defenses.

A past hurt that still shapes reactions and defenses. Character craft turns psychology into choices other characters and readers can track.

As a concept, it names a force readers feel even when they never use the word.

Why it matters

Wound sharpens cast talk. Desire, change, and relationship pressure become visible in revision notes.

Common pitfalls

  • Using wound as a label without checking whether the page actually performs the job.
  • Letting wound crowd out scene goal, conflict, or change at the end of the unit.
Example only
Readers feel wound when stakes tighten after the ally refuses to help.
See also
  • Antihero — Protagonist with morally ambiguous or selfish traits readers still follow.
  • Cast not linked — Health signal when characters lack relationship edges in planning metadata.
  • Character arc — How a character changes (or resists change) across the story because of pressure and choice.
Related constellation
  • This term (this term)
  • Antihero
  • Cast not linked
  • Character arc

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