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One illuminating example of this process is the creation of Mistborn. The initial concept stemmed from a humorous contemplation of tropes in traditional fantasy narratives, questioning what would happen if the dark lord triumphed instead of falling to the hero. Alongside a love for the heist genre, the combination of these disparate elements formed the foundation of another rich narrative.
The lead characters – Kelsier, driven by a burning desire for justice after personal loss, and Vin, a young woman grappling with her belief in goodness after betrayal – illustrate the power of character-driven storytelling. Their dynamic illustrates the potential for growth and conflict through interaction, demonstrating that character development can drive the plot ahead of the outline.