Start: [[2025-08-01]] Veröffentlicht: [[2025-08-01]] Geändert: [[0 • Routines & Daily Notes/📅 1 Daily Notes/2025/08-August/2025-08-05]] > [!todo]- Prompt: > *“Now it’s your turn. Write a thumbnail sketch of who your protagonist is before the novel starts. Resist the urge to make detailed lists of the color of their hair and what’s in their closet. Keep it short and to the point—the point being, who is this person on the inside? What do they believe? What do they want? Where are they in their life, specifically? Your goal, as always, is to infuse what your protagonist has done with the internal reason why they did it. Never lose sight of this simple fact: it’s not just about what your protagonist did, it’s about why.”* > — Lisa Cron: Story Genius ([Link](https://rauchundkoenig.buchhandlung.de/shop/article/28982701/lisa_cron_story_genius.html)) > [!tldr]- **Summary:** Step 1 – Character Sketch Before the Fall > 1. [[Peter Pankratius Pek - Old Version]] has been on the run his whole life—without really knowing from what. But he’s made himself comfortable in that state and rationalizes it with his enthusiasm and learning ability. > 2. At the beginning of the story, he is full of hope that he is finally close to reaching his goal: With [[Xavier Guide]] he believes he has found a like-minded partner to bring his message to the world—that men need healing through contact with their true, vulnerable selves. > 3. His hope and excitement keep him from seeing that he’s heading straight for burnout: he works himself to the bone, takes on far too many responsibilities, and doesn’t realize how much [[Xavier Guide]] is presenting him as weak and keeping him dependent. > 4. His connection to [[Phantásien]], which was embedded in his very name from childhood, has become little more than a pose. > 5. The only real constant in his life—his love for his husband [[John Pek|John]]—is under strain and on the verge of collapse. > [!warning] Orange: Mild spoilers --- > *Autistic people frequently are stereotyped as immature, unintelligent, cold, or out of touch. And each of our masks helps to cover up the Autism stereotypes we felt we needed to resist the most. Behind each mask, there sits a deep pain, and a series of painful beliefs about who you are and what you must never allow yourself to do. Consequently, a big part of unmasking will mean facing those qualities you loathe the most in yourself, and working to see them as neutral, or even as strengths.* > — [[Devon Price - Autor]]: “[[Unmasking Autism]]. The Power of Embracing Our Hidden Neurodiversity.” ([Link](https://rauchundkoenig.buchhandlung.de/shop/article/45413378/devon_price_unmasking_autism.html)) --- # Step 1 – Character Sketch Before the Fall I already outlined Peter’s character in the [[Schritt 4 Versuch 3b Synopse - Schicht für Schicht zur Kernidee der Handlung (''What if...'')|synopsis]]: > [!example] Character sketch from the synopsis > ![[Step 4 Draft 3b - Core Premise Synopsis#Main Character]] But what do I know about his specific situation at the beginning of the story? 1. Peter is **full of hope**. Two years ago, he reconnected with his former insurance colleague [[Xavier Guide|Xavier Guide]], who had just founded [[Guide & Partners - Organisation|Guide & Partners]]—a production company for authentic TV and Streaming formats—and Peter joined him. **==He finally believes he has found the perfect partner to bring his talent into the world.==** Together they are about to close a major deal with the world’s largest streaming platform, [[DigiStream - Organisation|DigiStream]]. Peter has a team, a partner who believes in him, and the opportunity to share his message about “[[Healing Men - Projekt|Healing Men]]” in a [[DigiStream - Organisation|DigiStream]] special with a global audience. For Peter, this feels like the long-awaited breakthrough. (Scenes: [[0 - Peter besucht Guide & Partner und ist fasziniert von Xaviers Vision]], [[0 - Peter erlebt Xavier als harten Verhander gegenüber DigiStream]]) 2. Working with [[Xavier Guide|Xavier]] is **incredibly demanding**—he’s brilliant but moody, emotional, and domineering. It’s exhausting for the team, but Peter has special access to Xavier as a friend and acts as a silent caretaker to make sure **everyone is okay**. That means Peter effectively holds **three roles at once**: he’s the main creative and face of [[Guide & Partners - Organisation|Guide & Partners']] flagship project [[Healing Men - Projekt|Healing Men]], the mastermind behind five smaller projects, Xavier’s closest advisor and confidant—and, as co-CEO and COO, the “mother of the company” for a team of 28. Peter takes this on because he never wants to be accused of not doing **everything humanly possible** to make this vision come true. (Scenes: [[0 - Eine Mitarbeiterin verlässt weinend Xaviers Büro und wird von Peter wieder aufgebaut]], [[0 - Xavier bekommt auf einem Firmen Retreat einen aggressiven, verachtenden Wutanfall und wird von Peter beruhigt]], [[0 - Peter steht nachts alleine, hungrig und ohne Bett am Bahnhof, nachdem er auf allen Kanälen die Projekte und Guide & Partner gerettet hat]], [[0 - Peter zweifelt in einem coaching an seiner Rolle, aber findet einen emotionalen Zugang zum Durchhalten]]) 3. He is neglecting his private life, **constantly on the road in trains and hotels**, barely seeing his husband [[John Pek|John]], sleeping little, and numbing his stress with alcohol and casual sex. His marriage is suffering. Peter feels torn, sad—he sees [[John Pek|John]] suffering, the most important constant in his life. But he believes there’s no alternative, and his experience tells him John always stays, no matter how turbulent life gets. (Scenes: [[0 - Peter teilt John mit, dass er sich Guide & Partners anschließen wird und überhört jegliche Skepsis des völlig perplexen John]], [[0 - John kümmert sich liebevoll um Peter, der ihn die ganze Zeit zutextet bis John explodiert]]) 4. In short: ==Peter is nearing burnout, but believes it’s all part of a positive evolution.== 5. [[Peter Pankratius Pek - Old Version]] knows this isn’t good for him, but sees no way out—partly because [[Xavier Guide|Xavier]] made him promise never to leave him. Peter, in his **naive loyalty**, takes that promise **literally**. He clings to the feeling of **no longer being alone in the fight**, believing that **Xavier** is a **kindred spirit** who shares both his **critical view of the world** and his **radical optimism** to change it. Together, they embrace a **philosophy of absoluteness**, born from deep analysis and moral responsibility to use their **insight and talent** for the greater good. They see themselves as **pioneers of a connected world** and **true friends**. (Scenes: [[0 - An einem guten Abend nimmt Xavier Peter das Versprechen ab, ihn und die Firma nie zu verlassen]], [[IIa - Tiefes Gespräch zwischen Xavier und Peter, das ihre gemeinsame Philosophie deutlich macht]], [[0 - Xavier 'bestellt' eine Einladung zum Essen bei Peter mit Bezug auf ihre Freundschaft, Peter ist das unangenehm weil er weiß dass John Xavier nicht in der Wohnung haben möchte]]) 6. He also believes—and Xavier reinforces this—that he couldn’t succeed without him. Xavier constantly sends the message: **“You are brilliant but weak. Your charisma and intelligence are rare gifts—but your softness, emotionality, and inability to handle tough business make you fragile. You need me—as teacher, advocate, agent, and rainmaker.”** (Scenes: [[0 - Xavier würdigt Peter auf einer Firmenfeier - doch es ist vergiftetes Lob]], [[0 - Peter bitte Xavier in Stresssituation um Hilfe, und Xavier streut viele kleine Peter abwertende Botschaften ein]]) 7. Peter is ==deeply connected to [[Die unendliche Geschichte|The Neverending Story]]==—his parents gave him a triple-P name in its honor, and he still loves the book. That connection has faded somewhat, but he always travels with his childhood copy in his suitcase. (Scenes: [[0 - Peter bekommt die unendliche Geschichte geschenkt und ist enttäuscht, dass er nicht auch nach Phantásien fliehen kann]], [[0 - Peter muss sich gegenüber Klassenkameraden verteidigen wegen seines Namens mit 3 P und erklärt die Philosophie seines Vaters]]) ![[Links & License#^c7e67d]]