Creating interesting characters is key.
Related Articles: Scene by Scene, Protagonist
Goals
(This is the main info about goals—all articles should link here instead of re-explaining it.)
Every character should have goals. Something they want/need. Characters with opposing/similar goals causes conflict.
Characters who have goals and actively set out to achieve them are the strongest characters.
Long-term goals
This goal lasts the duration of the story, and can change along the way.
Short-term goals
These are smaller scene by scene goals. These goals should also have conflict, either internal or external.
When they are achieved/failed it should educate/develop the character.
Short-term goals added together make up the plot.
Examples
- If a prisoner wants to rescue his daughter, the short-term goal could be "escape the prison".
Active, not Passive
(This is the main active/passive protagonist info—all articles should link to this info instead of re-explaining it.)
Your protagonist must be directly involved in causing the plot to unfold. Their decisions (based on goals) should send the plot in new directions.
A passive protagonist will kill a story. They will sit and watch the plot unfold but won't contribute to it. Characters will fall in love with them because the plot deems it so, instead of the protagonist affecting it.
Coincidence can create a passive protagonist if they don't react to it in a forward way. Lets say a house it blown down by a tornado—the protagonist should have a goal to fix it up or do something.
Attitude
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Examples
- Positive
- Negative
- No-nonsense
- Pissed at the world
Emotion
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