(Intro)

In our last post, we explored the three pillars that make readers care: Empathy, Rooting Interest, and Progress. These are the high-level goals. But how do you actually engineer a character to achieve them? How do you tweak and adjust until your protagonist leaps off the page?

Brandon Sanderson offers a powerful, practical tool for this: The Three Sliders. Think of it as a character diagnostic dashboard. Instead of seeing a character as a vague, unknowable muse, you can break them down into three measurable axes: Likability, Proactivity, and Competence.

Understanding where your character falls on these scales—and, more importantly, how they move on them—is the key to creating dynamic, compelling arcs.

1. Likability: This slider is directly tied to establishing empathy. How much does the reader like, relate to, or sympathize with the character? A character can be high on this scale (the charming rogue), low (the bitter cynic), or anywhere in between.
2. Proactivity: This slider fuels rooting interest. Does the character drive the plot, or does the plot happen to them? A proactive character makes things happen; a reactive character has things happen to them. This is a direct reflection of their motivation.
3. Competence: This slider creates a sense of progress and immediate engagement. How good is the character at what they do? This isn’t just about sword fighting—a shy character’s competence might be social confidence, while a detective’s is their deductive skill.

The real magic of the sliders isn't in the static positions, but in the movement. A character's journey through a story is often a journey across these scales.

Let's break down the original Star Wars trio as a masterclass in using the sliders:

1. Han Solo: The Arc of Proactivity and Likability
2. Start: Medium Likability (charming but selfish), Low Proactivity (needs to be pushed and paid), Medium Competence (thinks he's high, but is actually kind of sloppy).
3. End: High Likability (he came back!), High Proactivity (he chooses to fight without payment), Stable Competence.
4. His Arc: A huge boost in Proactivity and Likability.
5. Luke Skywalker: The Arc of Competence
6. Start: High Likability (the relatable farm boy), Low Proactivity (dreams of adventure but is stuck on the farm), Low Competence in the Force (but high in piloting!).
7. End: High Likability, High Proactivity, High Competence in the Force.
8. His Arc: A classic hero's journey, skyrocketing in Competence in a specific, plot-critical area.
9. Princess Leia: The Iconic Anchor
10. Start: High Likability, High Proactivity, High Competence.
11. End: The same.
12. Her Role: Leia is an iconic hero. Her sliders don't need to move because her stability highlights the growth of the others. She is the competent, proactive standard against which we measure Luke and Han's development.

This framework explains why a character can be deeply flawed and still incredibly compelling. A villain like the Joker is often low on Likability, but so immensely Proactive and cleverly Competent that we are fascinated by him. We read to see what he'll do next, not because we like him.

1. Diagnose Your Character: Take a character who feels flat. Plot them on these three sliders. Are they low on all three? That might be your problem. Are they high on all three from the start? They might be a perfect iconic hero (like James Bond), but if you want a growth arc, you need to lower one of them to create room for progress.
2. Plan Their Motion: Decide what your story is about for this character.
3. Is it a corruption arc? Then their Likability and maybe Competence will slide downward.
4. Is it a coming-of-age story? Then Competence and Proactivity will likely climb.
5. Is it about finding purpose? Then Proactivity will see a major shift.
6. Create Contrast: Give your characters different starting positions. If your main character starts low on Competence, give them a mentor who is high on it. If your protagonist is highly Proactive, give them a sidekick who is more reactive. This contrast makes each character's traits shine more brightly.

(Conclusion)

The Three Sliders model demystifies character development. It turns the abstract art of creation into a concrete craft. You are no longer just "writing a character"; you are deliberately adjusting their Likability, Proactivity, and Competence to evoke specific emotions and drive a satisfying arc.

So, open your manuscript and ask yourself:

1. Where do my characters currently stand on the three sliders?
2. Where do I want them to be at the end?
3. What is the most interesting slider for this character to move on?

By answering these questions, you'll move beyond creating merely "likable" characters and start building dynamic forces that will truly power your plot.