The word strategy comes from the ancient Greek word strategos (general or military commander),  which is a combination of stratos (multitude, camping army, or that which is spread out") and agos (to lead or leader).  In ancient Greece a strategos was an elected military general who possessed both battlefield and political authority.  In the 16th-18th century, the term entered French as stratégie and eventually made its way into the English language in the early 19th century as "the art of a general" or "the science of war".  

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the English noun "strategy" first appeared in the early 1600s, with its earliest recorded use in print tracing back to 1616.  It emerged in English as a direct transliteration of the Greek word strategia (meaning generalship or troop leadership) and was used in John Bingham's English translation of the ancient military treatise Taktika, originally written by the Byzantine Emperor Leo VI.  At this time in the early 17th century, the word referred primarily to the office of a general or the overall art of military command. It wasn't until the late 18th and early 19th centuries, notably influenced by the Napoleonic Wars and the writings of military theorists like Carl von Clausewitz, that the term evolved to take on its modern definition of a comprehensive plan of action to achieve a long-term goal.

The adjective strategic was first used in English in the late 1700s.  The OED’s earliest recorded evidence of the word in print dates back to 1799 in the British Military Library.  The verb strategize was first used in English in the 18/30s.  The earliest recorded use in the OED database is from 1832, appearing in the Monthly Magazine. 

A strategic approach to character development transforms a static cast into dynamic, memorable figures.   It ensures every backstory, flaw, and motivation directly serves the narrative arc. This alignment anchors the plot, creates organic conflict, and builds deep emotional resonance with your audience.  

Why Strategy Drives the Narrative Engine:  
Plot Synergy: Action-driven plots falter without emotional stakes. Strategic characters tie external events to internal desires, making plot developments feel inevitable rather than forced.  
Organic Conflict: When you define a character’s worldview, flaws, and triggers, the obstacles they face and the mistakes they make happen naturally, avoiding contrived scenarios.  
The Character Arc: Strategy allows you to map a clear trajectory from who they are at the start of the story, what they lack in the middle, and who they become at the conclusion. 

Essential Strategic Components to Map: 
To craft compelling development, focus on building specific intersections between the internal and external:  
The Want vs. The Need: The external, tangible goal (e.g., getting a promotion) should clash with their hidden internal necessity (e.g., learning to trust others).  
Deep Backstory: Don't just list historical facts; isolate the "lie" the character believes about the world because of past trauma, and chart how the story forces them to unlearn it.  
Concrete Motivations: Every choice a character makes should stem from a deeply held value or fear, giving dialogue and action clear purpose. 

Practical Approaches to Application:  
Show, Don't Tell: Instead of expository paragraphs detailing a trait, drop the character into a scenario where their specific strategies or flaws are tested.  
Embrace Flaws: Give characters contradictions. A hero who is brave but deeply selfish creates immediate tension when faced with a moral choice.  
Track Progression: Establish anchor points—such as the beginning, midpoint, and climax—to track how the character's perspective shifts as the stakes rise.  

6 hours ago, drpaladin said:

Sometimes I get the feeling people are learning strategy from comic books.

I am tending to agree, @drpaladin.  Others seem to have a natural understanding of strategy.

Just the facts:

STRATEGY Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

STRATEGY Synonyms: 75 Similar Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus

STRATEGIC Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

I am no longer certain what is legal to post here, so the following is just a google reference, to look at/or not.

how writers use strategy - Google Search

5 hours ago, ReaderPaul said:

I am tending to agree, @drpaladin.  Others seem to have a natural understanding of strategy.

12 hours ago, drpaladin said:

Sometimes I get the feeling people are learning strategy from comic books.

Not sure why, But seeing the above, brought the following to mind.

who is on second - Google Search

59 minutes ago, sandrewn said:

I am no longer certain what is legal to post here, so the following is just a google reference, to look at/or not.

how writers use strategy - Google Search

That was AI generated information, so I'm pretty sure that's safe.  I don't think AI will complain or sue you. 🤪