A paper-first reading field guide
Record a Character Relationship Change
Create a three-point record: how the relationship looked before, the scene that changed it, and the first visible consequence. Keep motive as a separate inference.
Relationship changes can feel sudden when their evidence is scattered. Three page anchors show the turn without building a full character database.
Step 1
Name the pair and prior state
Use a neutral phrase such as cautious allies or unequal friends, then add the page that supports it.
- PAIR: ____ + ____
- BEFORE: ____ / p. ____
Step 2
Mark the trigger
Choose the decision, disclosure, or omission after which the relationship behaves differently.
- TRIGGER: ____ / p. ____
Step 3
Find the consequence
Record the first later action that makes the change visible.
- AFTER: ____ / p. ____
Step 4
Keep motive provisional
If you infer why a character changed, label that line interpretation and allow later evidence to revise it.