#4 Module : Characters, Stakes, and Specifics

 

🎭 Module 4: Characters, Stakes, and Specifics

🌟 Why this matters

Stories without people feel flat. When you add a character, show the stakes, and use specific details, your audience connects emotionally and remembers the message. This module teaches you to make your story relatable and concrete.

---

📝 Step‑by‑step exercise

1. Choose a character

   • Pick someone real or representative: a student, a faculty member, or a staff role.
   • Give them a name and one relatable trait.
   • Example: “Revathi, a second‑year civil student, curious but frustrated with long lab hours.”

2. List the stakes (3 items)

   • What happens if nothing changes?
   • Example: “Time wasted, low grades, and loss of confidence.”

3. Add specifics

   • Numbers, places, quotes, or vivid details make the story believable.
   • Example: “She spent 3 hours modeling culverts; now it takes just 40 minutes.”

4. Combine into a mini‑story

   • Character + Stakes + Specifics = Relatable narrative.

---

🧪 Hands‑on template

• Character: __________________________________________
• Stakes (3):

  1. ---

  2. ---

  3. ---

• Specifics (numbers, places, quotes): ___________________

---

🌍 Real‑world examples

• Student project:

  • Character: “Arun, a final‑year student.”
  • Stakes: “Without a clear workflow, he risked missing deadlines, losing marks, and stressing out.”
  • Specifics: “His project timeline shrank from 12 weeks to 8 weeks after adopting the new tool.”

• Faculty teaching:

  • Character: “Dr. Meena, faculty in design thinking.”
  • Stakes: “Students disengaged, outcomes dropped, and accreditation metrics suffered.”
  • Specifics: “Adding a 2‑minute real‑world story boosted CO attainment by 18%.”

---

🎉 Tamil slogan for Module 4

“மனித முகம் சேர்த்தால், கதை உயிர் பெறும்!”
(Add a human face, and the story comes alive!)

---

👉 This module is designed to be done in 10 minutes: 5 minutes writing, 3 minutes sharing, 2 minutes feedback.