Ian Dawson's Blog - Posts Tagged "main-character"
Keeping Your Characters Off-Balance
Should your main characters ever feel comfortable? Should they ever feel like everything is okay and their life is going just fine? Of course, the answer to these questions – especially when dealing with fictional characters – is an emphatic NO. Over the course of the story, it is your job as a writer to keep them as off-balance as possible.
In the real world, we often have a strong desire for balance and calm in our daily lives. Too much stress or anxiety can take its toll on the human mind, body, and spirit, so we often escape to places where we can refresh and recharge. With fictional characters, this sense of calm should be a constant struggle to obtain. It not only can make them more in-depth as characters, it can also make for a better story.
The old adage is that Conflict = Drama. And drama is what drives the story forward. Like most writers, I tend to want to protect my main characters from harm. But in doing so you do a great disservice to your characters and your readers. Putting your characters in harm’s way, giving them impossible situations to get out of, and relentlessly giving them obstacles to overcome makes for a better story and can help strengthen and add dimension to your characters.
This is where the concept of the Character Arc comes into play. Your characters should evolve and change over the course of the story, and keeping them off-balance and having to find ways to try and resolve their problems helps them grow as characters. Don’t forget that your main character should go through some sort of change or metamorphosis over the course of the story.
Granted, you want to give the reader a sense of what is a normal day for your characters before the inciting incident turns their world upside down. That’s fine. It’s what Joseph Campbell refers to as The Ordinary World. But once that Ordinary World is thrown off, it’s time to take your characters on a very bumpy ride.
Your main character’s primary goal – aside from the goals your set forth for them once the story gets underway – is to return to their normal as fast as possible. Don’t let them get there. And even once the goal of the story has been achieved and their world seems to be back to normal, the journey they have taken over the course of the story has forever changed them ion some significant way.
They can never return to the Old Normal they had before the story began. And that’s a good thing. They have grown as a character. They have overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. And they have come out the other side a stronger, more realized person because of their journey.
It is often during times of great stress or trauma that real people show their true colors. It is your job as a writer to create these types of situations for your characters to keep them off-balance. It doesn’t have to be a life-threatening event, but it should be something that will forever change them for the better…or worse.
What do you think? Leave a comment and let me know.
In the real world, we often have a strong desire for balance and calm in our daily lives. Too much stress or anxiety can take its toll on the human mind, body, and spirit, so we often escape to places where we can refresh and recharge. With fictional characters, this sense of calm should be a constant struggle to obtain. It not only can make them more in-depth as characters, it can also make for a better story.
The old adage is that Conflict = Drama. And drama is what drives the story forward. Like most writers, I tend to want to protect my main characters from harm. But in doing so you do a great disservice to your characters and your readers. Putting your characters in harm’s way, giving them impossible situations to get out of, and relentlessly giving them obstacles to overcome makes for a better story and can help strengthen and add dimension to your characters.
This is where the concept of the Character Arc comes into play. Your characters should evolve and change over the course of the story, and keeping them off-balance and having to find ways to try and resolve their problems helps them grow as characters. Don’t forget that your main character should go through some sort of change or metamorphosis over the course of the story.
Granted, you want to give the reader a sense of what is a normal day for your characters before the inciting incident turns their world upside down. That’s fine. It’s what Joseph Campbell refers to as The Ordinary World. But once that Ordinary World is thrown off, it’s time to take your characters on a very bumpy ride.
Your main character’s primary goal – aside from the goals your set forth for them once the story gets underway – is to return to their normal as fast as possible. Don’t let them get there. And even once the goal of the story has been achieved and their world seems to be back to normal, the journey they have taken over the course of the story has forever changed them ion some significant way.
They can never return to the Old Normal they had before the story began. And that’s a good thing. They have grown as a character. They have overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. And they have come out the other side a stronger, more realized person because of their journey.
It is often during times of great stress or trauma that real people show their true colors. It is your job as a writer to create these types of situations for your characters to keep them off-balance. It doesn’t have to be a life-threatening event, but it should be something that will forever change them for the better…or worse.
What do you think? Leave a comment and let me know.
Writing Tip of the Week: Story Structure – The Middle, Part One
Over the past two articles, we discussed what goes into creating the opening of your story.
Today, we’ll start to look at the Middle of the story. You can call it Act Two or even as some writers call it: The Muddle. This is where your hero’s path toward their goal should become increasingly challenging, where they begin to grow and change as a character, and the story continues to create conflicts for the main character.
The Stage Is Set
The Who, What, Where, When, and Why have all been established and your main character and their helpers have been launched from their ordinary existence into a new and challenging adventure. Your main character has a stated goal, and forces prevent them from quickly achieving what they want.
Once they cross over the threshold of Turning Point One, they have no entered a new phase of their journey. They may have to reassess how they are going about achieving their goal. They may realize that they can’t do things on their own and need some help. Maybe the antagonist has taken this moment to up the stakes just a little more, which only motivates the hero to keep going despite the odds.
At this point, you as a writer should know your main character fairly well. What they are willing to do and not do. How far they will go to get what they want. What decisions they will make – good or bad – that will impact them reaching their goal.
And The Hits Keep on Comin’
Obstacles. Lots of obstacles. The Middle of the story needs to present challenges and problems that make the hero challenge who they are and make them work to reach their goal. Think of this section of the story as the main obstacle course for your characters. They have to do things that they may not want to do, may not like, and may have to go outside their comfort zone to get to the next level to get one step closer to their goal.
Reality shows like American Ninja Warrior, Wipeout, and Holey Moley are examples of individuals having to traverse seemingly impossible odds to reach the intended goal and get the prize. Essentially, you are sending your characters through a similar maze filled with hazards, hits, and dangers that they must overcome in one way or another.
It’s okay for them to fail and have setbacks. In fact, that makes your hero more human if they don’t always get what they need or want on the first try. Creating a flawed character who doesn’t give up creates empathy and relatability between the character and the audience.
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
The Middle is where the bulk of the character arc takes place, mainly since it’s also where the bulk of the story happens. Your main character started out one way when we first met them at the beginning of the story, but now as they face new odds and problems, we should begin to see them develop and grow.
A stagnant and unchanging character lacks relatability. If your character experiences some traumatic event that launches them into the story and has zero effect on them, it’s hard to relate to that character. Now, suppose they are repressing their anger, sadness, or despair, affecting their judgment and ability to problem-solve. This creates an internal conflict that will eventually manifest itself since they will have to overcome those things in order to reach their goal by the end of the story.
Think of Mando’s arc in season one of The Mandalorian. How does he change when he meets and interacts with The Child for the first time? What choices does he make that affect his character arc throughout the season? How do his choices and changes affect the story?
Think about how the events in Jurassic Park affect Alan Grant’s relationships with and views on children. How do his interactions and perspectives change from the start of the film to the finale?
Keep Things in Motion
A story should be in constant motion. Each scene or chapter leading into the next. The protagonist should always be doing something. They should always be active in what’s going on. It is their story, after all.
As you develop the Middle, think about how to map out the story so events keep moving forward. That goal is still out there. The antagonist still exists to prevent the protagonist from reaching their goal. How can you keep your hero moving toward their goal while hitting them with problems that prevent them from reaching it?
Each scene or chapter should give the audience a new piece of the puzzle. Some new information that keeps them reading or watching. The hero is handed a note and reads it. What does it say? We don’t find out until several chapters or scenes later, but our curiosity has been piqued.
Keep the audience interested, and they’ll stay to find out what happens next.
Staying Focused
During this time in the story, it can be easy to slowly go off course and get knee-deep in subplots or tangents. And while subplots are acceptable, it’s important not to lose sight of the real reason we’re in this story: to watch the hero go after their goal in the face of opposition.
Work through their story first. If you want to go back and add a subplot that ties into the main story afterward, go for it. Your main goal here is to develop the main character’s arc and their related story arc. It can be very tempting to go and take a detour with the main character’s best friend and see what shenanigans they’ll get themselves into. But unless that directly impacts the main story, hold off and see if that side trip is really necessary.
Think about movies you’ve seen where subplots pop up and then go nowhere, or they have no relation to the main story and just seem to be there to eat away screen time. Avoid these types of subplots and make sure that all roads point back to the hero.
In The Middle of Things
As I said before, the Middle is the longest part of any story. It can be almost an hour of what you see on the screen (and if it’s a long movie, even more). At the halfway point, there’s something known as the Mid-Point Sequence. The outcome affects what the hero does moving forward.
This is a big moment for the hero. After everything they’ve been through and worked through, things seem to be going their way for the most part. They still haven’t reached their goal, but now they are getting a better idea of how to get there.
This is also known as The Point of No Return. Once we get past the Mid-Point of the Middle, it’s now only a matter of time before the protagonist has to confront their antagonist head-on (literally or figuratively).
In Legally Blonde, the Mid-Point of the Middle comes when Elle gets chosen Callahan’s law internship. This is a big moment for Elle since she has been working to prove herself a viable Harvard law school student and future lawyer. Worth noting is that her antagonist, Warner, was also chosen along with his fiancée, Vivian (Selma Blair). I mention Vivian since she is an extension of the antagonist, and therefore can cause problems and issues for Elle on his behalf.
The sequence then leads to Elle, Warner, and Vivian arriving at the internship and finding out about the case they will be assisting on.
Elle is at the Point of No Return. She can’t back out now, and she can’t allow herself to fail without a fight.
Check out the clip below:
Legally Blonde Mid-Point
In two weeks, we’ll explore the second half of the Middle as we charge toward the End and the Climax of the story!
Happy writing!
Check out the articles on The Beginning, here:
Part One
Part Two
Today, we’ll start to look at the Middle of the story. You can call it Act Two or even as some writers call it: The Muddle. This is where your hero’s path toward their goal should become increasingly challenging, where they begin to grow and change as a character, and the story continues to create conflicts for the main character.
The Stage Is Set
The Who, What, Where, When, and Why have all been established and your main character and their helpers have been launched from their ordinary existence into a new and challenging adventure. Your main character has a stated goal, and forces prevent them from quickly achieving what they want.
Once they cross over the threshold of Turning Point One, they have no entered a new phase of their journey. They may have to reassess how they are going about achieving their goal. They may realize that they can’t do things on their own and need some help. Maybe the antagonist has taken this moment to up the stakes just a little more, which only motivates the hero to keep going despite the odds.
At this point, you as a writer should know your main character fairly well. What they are willing to do and not do. How far they will go to get what they want. What decisions they will make – good or bad – that will impact them reaching their goal.
And The Hits Keep on Comin’
Obstacles. Lots of obstacles. The Middle of the story needs to present challenges and problems that make the hero challenge who they are and make them work to reach their goal. Think of this section of the story as the main obstacle course for your characters. They have to do things that they may not want to do, may not like, and may have to go outside their comfort zone to get to the next level to get one step closer to their goal.
Reality shows like American Ninja Warrior, Wipeout, and Holey Moley are examples of individuals having to traverse seemingly impossible odds to reach the intended goal and get the prize. Essentially, you are sending your characters through a similar maze filled with hazards, hits, and dangers that they must overcome in one way or another.
It’s okay for them to fail and have setbacks. In fact, that makes your hero more human if they don’t always get what they need or want on the first try. Creating a flawed character who doesn’t give up creates empathy and relatability between the character and the audience.
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
The Middle is where the bulk of the character arc takes place, mainly since it’s also where the bulk of the story happens. Your main character started out one way when we first met them at the beginning of the story, but now as they face new odds and problems, we should begin to see them develop and grow.
A stagnant and unchanging character lacks relatability. If your character experiences some traumatic event that launches them into the story and has zero effect on them, it’s hard to relate to that character. Now, suppose they are repressing their anger, sadness, or despair, affecting their judgment and ability to problem-solve. This creates an internal conflict that will eventually manifest itself since they will have to overcome those things in order to reach their goal by the end of the story.
Think of Mando’s arc in season one of The Mandalorian. How does he change when he meets and interacts with The Child for the first time? What choices does he make that affect his character arc throughout the season? How do his choices and changes affect the story?
Think about how the events in Jurassic Park affect Alan Grant’s relationships with and views on children. How do his interactions and perspectives change from the start of the film to the finale?
Keep Things in Motion
A story should be in constant motion. Each scene or chapter leading into the next. The protagonist should always be doing something. They should always be active in what’s going on. It is their story, after all.
As you develop the Middle, think about how to map out the story so events keep moving forward. That goal is still out there. The antagonist still exists to prevent the protagonist from reaching their goal. How can you keep your hero moving toward their goal while hitting them with problems that prevent them from reaching it?
Each scene or chapter should give the audience a new piece of the puzzle. Some new information that keeps them reading or watching. The hero is handed a note and reads it. What does it say? We don’t find out until several chapters or scenes later, but our curiosity has been piqued.
Keep the audience interested, and they’ll stay to find out what happens next.
Staying Focused
During this time in the story, it can be easy to slowly go off course and get knee-deep in subplots or tangents. And while subplots are acceptable, it’s important not to lose sight of the real reason we’re in this story: to watch the hero go after their goal in the face of opposition.
Work through their story first. If you want to go back and add a subplot that ties into the main story afterward, go for it. Your main goal here is to develop the main character’s arc and their related story arc. It can be very tempting to go and take a detour with the main character’s best friend and see what shenanigans they’ll get themselves into. But unless that directly impacts the main story, hold off and see if that side trip is really necessary.
Think about movies you’ve seen where subplots pop up and then go nowhere, or they have no relation to the main story and just seem to be there to eat away screen time. Avoid these types of subplots and make sure that all roads point back to the hero.
In The Middle of Things
As I said before, the Middle is the longest part of any story. It can be almost an hour of what you see on the screen (and if it’s a long movie, even more). At the halfway point, there’s something known as the Mid-Point Sequence. The outcome affects what the hero does moving forward.
This is a big moment for the hero. After everything they’ve been through and worked through, things seem to be going their way for the most part. They still haven’t reached their goal, but now they are getting a better idea of how to get there.
This is also known as The Point of No Return. Once we get past the Mid-Point of the Middle, it’s now only a matter of time before the protagonist has to confront their antagonist head-on (literally or figuratively).
In Legally Blonde, the Mid-Point of the Middle comes when Elle gets chosen Callahan’s law internship. This is a big moment for Elle since she has been working to prove herself a viable Harvard law school student and future lawyer. Worth noting is that her antagonist, Warner, was also chosen along with his fiancée, Vivian (Selma Blair). I mention Vivian since she is an extension of the antagonist, and therefore can cause problems and issues for Elle on his behalf.
The sequence then leads to Elle, Warner, and Vivian arriving at the internship and finding out about the case they will be assisting on.
Elle is at the Point of No Return. She can’t back out now, and she can’t allow herself to fail without a fight.
Check out the clip below:
Legally Blonde Mid-Point
In two weeks, we’ll explore the second half of the Middle as we charge toward the End and the Climax of the story!
Happy writing!
Check out the articles on The Beginning, here:
Part One
Part Two
Writing Tip of the Week: Story Structure – Final Thoughts
We’ve been on quite a journey the past several weeks. From exploring the Beginning of a story through the tumultuous Middle, and to its climactic End, we have seen how these elements combine into a narrative structure that is commonplace in most commercial stories today.
As you develop your story, think about how you can take these different areas and make them your own, creating a powerful, compelling, and intriguing narrative that will grab readers from the start and have them furiously reading until the very last page.
With that in mind, let’s look at a few things to consider as you craft a story.
Plot-Driven of Character-Driven?
What is affecting the main character that is driving them to action? Is it an external or internal force? If it’s an external force, you are dealing with a more plot-driven story. If it’s an internal force, you’re looking at a character-driven one.
Most action movies are plot-driven. There’s an external incident that pushes the main character into action. Steve Rogers doesn’t become Captain America if there’s not a war effort going on. Batman doesn’t jump into action if the Joker doesn’t inflict his criminal insanity on Gotham City. While we do see these characters change due to their external circumstances, they are not driven forward by those internal forces in terms of the story being told.
Dramas and some comedies are more character-driven. An event may spur the main character into action, but they are in control of their circumstances. There may be external forces at work against them, but the hero’s internal drive and internal obstacles are what the audience is banking on. When you watch or read these stories, we watch to see how the hero is impacted internally by what’s happening. American Beauty and Nomadland are two great examples of character-driven drama. We are watching the main character’s internal evolution and how that impacts their external circumstances.
When you sit down to flesh out your story, ask yourself what’s driving your main character forward? Is it an internal motivation or an external force?
Take the Time to Outline
There’s are two terms that writers often use to describe the two types of writers: Plotters and Pantsers. Basically, a Plotter outlines their story; a Pantser throws caution to the wind and “flies by the seat of their pants.” Now, while both are fine, I recommend that before you put pen to paper or start typing your story, you at the very least jot down a basic guide of where the story is going.
Like many writers, I have had an idea for a story and started writing only to lose steam a few pages in? Why? I didn’t take the time to work on a basic guide to see where the story would go and how it might end.
When you plan a road trip, you usually look at a map and decide where you’ll stop for food, gas, a hotel, etc. on your journey. Winging it may result in you getting lost, running out of gas with no station for miles, or turning down a road that leads to nowhere. Not planning ahead in a story can have similar consequences.
I’m not saying you have to detail every single minute detail that happens in each chapter. But you should afford yourself the courtesy of knowing the significant events that will take the story and your characters in a new direction. Are they set in stone? No. But at least you have a story event that you are working toward. If it changes, it changes. But you have a goal to write toward in the meantime.
Ask yourself the basics:
• What’s my character doing at the start of the story?
• What inciting incident moves them onto a new track and changes their goal?
• Who is their antagonist?
• What is the antagonist doing to prevent the hero from reaching their goal?
• What big turning point occurs that sends them in a new direction in pursuit of that goal?
• What event takes place that makes them realize there’s no turning back?
• What major event makes them almost give up and lose hope, but they get back up and fight anyway?
• How do they confront the antagonist? How do they move forward after achieving their goal?
Now you have a map with major landmarks to write toward.
Don’t Be Afraid to Make Changes
A work of fiction is a living document. Things can be added, cut, changed, removed, or altered in any way they need to serve the story. And that’s the key: everything exists to serve your story.
Your rough draft is “rough” for a reason. You now have a manuscript that you can edit and change to make the story and characters stronger. The drafting process takes time, and as you write more, you’ll find a process that works best for you.
Since it’s your story, instinctually, you will know when something isn’t working, if a character seems out of place and should be removed, or if the dialogue isn’t realistic. Take your time and be brave enough to make the changes that will make your story stronger.
Enjoy the Process
You have to love your story and your characters. That love will shine through on the page. Unless you are writing for an assignment, you have free reign to write whatever you want, however you want, and that means you have the power to control character, story, dialogue, and all the other elements that go into your story.
Writing a novel, a play, a screenplay, even a short story or poem can be a lengthy, time-consuming, and often lonely task. If you loathe what you’re working on, then you won’t get very far. Love your story. Love your protagonist and antagonist. Love your setting and dialogue.
Finding that passion and enjoyment in what you’re writing will go a long way to making sure you not only complete the project but you’re proud of what you wrote and want to dive back in to make it even better the next time around.
If you are having problems with what you’re writing, take a step back and ask why. Why am I now enjoying this? What can I do to make this story more enjoyable and make it less of a task and more of an engaging creative escape?
I encourage all of you the next time you sit down to write – whether it’s a new story or one you’ve been working on – to ask yourself what you love about it and what motivates you to finish it. Then let your creativity and energy go to work.
This series has been a lot of fun, and I’ve enjoyed sharing my thoughts about story structure with you over the past few months. In two weeks, I’ll be starting a new series, so make sure to stop by and have a look.
Happy writing, and I’ll see you next time!
Check out the entire Story Structure series below:
Story Structure: The Beginning - Part One
Story Structure: The Beginning - Part Two
Story Structure: The Middle - Part One
Story Structure: The Middle - Part Two
Story Structure: The End
As you develop your story, think about how you can take these different areas and make them your own, creating a powerful, compelling, and intriguing narrative that will grab readers from the start and have them furiously reading until the very last page.
With that in mind, let’s look at a few things to consider as you craft a story.
Plot-Driven of Character-Driven?
What is affecting the main character that is driving them to action? Is it an external or internal force? If it’s an external force, you are dealing with a more plot-driven story. If it’s an internal force, you’re looking at a character-driven one.
Most action movies are plot-driven. There’s an external incident that pushes the main character into action. Steve Rogers doesn’t become Captain America if there’s not a war effort going on. Batman doesn’t jump into action if the Joker doesn’t inflict his criminal insanity on Gotham City. While we do see these characters change due to their external circumstances, they are not driven forward by those internal forces in terms of the story being told.
Dramas and some comedies are more character-driven. An event may spur the main character into action, but they are in control of their circumstances. There may be external forces at work against them, but the hero’s internal drive and internal obstacles are what the audience is banking on. When you watch or read these stories, we watch to see how the hero is impacted internally by what’s happening. American Beauty and Nomadland are two great examples of character-driven drama. We are watching the main character’s internal evolution and how that impacts their external circumstances.
When you sit down to flesh out your story, ask yourself what’s driving your main character forward? Is it an internal motivation or an external force?
Take the Time to Outline
There’s are two terms that writers often use to describe the two types of writers: Plotters and Pantsers. Basically, a Plotter outlines their story; a Pantser throws caution to the wind and “flies by the seat of their pants.” Now, while both are fine, I recommend that before you put pen to paper or start typing your story, you at the very least jot down a basic guide of where the story is going.
Like many writers, I have had an idea for a story and started writing only to lose steam a few pages in? Why? I didn’t take the time to work on a basic guide to see where the story would go and how it might end.
When you plan a road trip, you usually look at a map and decide where you’ll stop for food, gas, a hotel, etc. on your journey. Winging it may result in you getting lost, running out of gas with no station for miles, or turning down a road that leads to nowhere. Not planning ahead in a story can have similar consequences.
I’m not saying you have to detail every single minute detail that happens in each chapter. But you should afford yourself the courtesy of knowing the significant events that will take the story and your characters in a new direction. Are they set in stone? No. But at least you have a story event that you are working toward. If it changes, it changes. But you have a goal to write toward in the meantime.
Ask yourself the basics:
• What’s my character doing at the start of the story?
• What inciting incident moves them onto a new track and changes their goal?
• Who is their antagonist?
• What is the antagonist doing to prevent the hero from reaching their goal?
• What big turning point occurs that sends them in a new direction in pursuit of that goal?
• What event takes place that makes them realize there’s no turning back?
• What major event makes them almost give up and lose hope, but they get back up and fight anyway?
• How do they confront the antagonist? How do they move forward after achieving their goal?
Now you have a map with major landmarks to write toward.
Don’t Be Afraid to Make Changes
A work of fiction is a living document. Things can be added, cut, changed, removed, or altered in any way they need to serve the story. And that’s the key: everything exists to serve your story.
Your rough draft is “rough” for a reason. You now have a manuscript that you can edit and change to make the story and characters stronger. The drafting process takes time, and as you write more, you’ll find a process that works best for you.
Since it’s your story, instinctually, you will know when something isn’t working, if a character seems out of place and should be removed, or if the dialogue isn’t realistic. Take your time and be brave enough to make the changes that will make your story stronger.
Enjoy the Process
You have to love your story and your characters. That love will shine through on the page. Unless you are writing for an assignment, you have free reign to write whatever you want, however you want, and that means you have the power to control character, story, dialogue, and all the other elements that go into your story.
Writing a novel, a play, a screenplay, even a short story or poem can be a lengthy, time-consuming, and often lonely task. If you loathe what you’re working on, then you won’t get very far. Love your story. Love your protagonist and antagonist. Love your setting and dialogue.
Finding that passion and enjoyment in what you’re writing will go a long way to making sure you not only complete the project but you’re proud of what you wrote and want to dive back in to make it even better the next time around.
If you are having problems with what you’re writing, take a step back and ask why. Why am I now enjoying this? What can I do to make this story more enjoyable and make it less of a task and more of an engaging creative escape?
I encourage all of you the next time you sit down to write – whether it’s a new story or one you’ve been working on – to ask yourself what you love about it and what motivates you to finish it. Then let your creativity and energy go to work.
This series has been a lot of fun, and I’ve enjoyed sharing my thoughts about story structure with you over the past few months. In two weeks, I’ll be starting a new series, so make sure to stop by and have a look.
Happy writing, and I’ll see you next time!
Check out the entire Story Structure series below:
Story Structure: The Beginning - Part One
Story Structure: The Beginning - Part Two
Story Structure: The Middle - Part One
Story Structure: The Middle - Part Two
Story Structure: The End
Writing Tip of the Week: Should Your Story Have Rules? – Part Three, Character Rules
Over the last two posts, we’ve explored the Technical and Narrative Rules to consider when crafting a story. In this final post, we’ll explore the third leg of the story rules stool.
Let’s dive in and explore the world of…
Character Rules
They are an essential element of any story, but they should come with their own set of parameters before you toss them into the narrative chaos they are about to experience.
Who’s in Charge of the Story?:
Which of your characters should shoulder the burden of carrying the reader through the story from beginning to end? Which of them has the most to lose, the most to gain, and the most incredible ability to change as the story unfolds?
Sometimes, a character we initially think would be the ideal main character gets sidelined by one that captures our attention more effectively. This attention-seeking character might be a perfect candidate for the position of story protagonist. The protagonist should be someone capable of change, who is directly impacted by the events unfolding in the story, and who will engage in a confrontation with the story’s antagonist.
Look at your cast of characters and decide if the person you’ve chosen to be the main character is the best choice, or if there’s someone else waiting in the wings for their moment in the spotlight.
How Many POVs:
Some writers throw lots of points of view at their readers. James Patterson likes to do this, giving characters a single chapter to inform the reader of things the main character doesn’t know yet, so we’re ahead of them in the narrative.
Others stick with just the protagonist’s point of view; we find out information at the same time they do.
Others alternate, such as Nelson DeMille, who will give us the POV of the main character, then intersperse a few chapters from the antagonist’s POV so we understand their mindset and perspective, usually before the final showdown.
This is worth considering, since the more POVs you have, the more story you have to craft for these characters to have something to do that adds to the story and provides additional conflict or tension for the main character.
Even if these characters are embroiled in a subplot, they still must connect to the main character and story in some significant way; otherwise, their existence in the story is pointless.
Also, too many POVs could lead to confusion for the reader, which is the last thing you want to do.
If this is your first novel, I suggest sticking to one or two POVs to maintain your sanity as you write the story. Keep things simple and easy to follow. You’ll thank me when you begin the rewrite process and don’t have to keep track of eight different POVs!
A Character’s Purpose:
Step back and examine each character that will populate your story. What function do they provide in the overall narrative structure of the story?
Each character should exist to serve the story. If they’re just there, they need to go. It’s as simple as that.
From the main character to the people in a crowd, each character you include in your novel, short story, screenplay, or play needs to have a definite purpose. It can be simple or complex, but they need to have a reason to be there.
Let’s break things down:
Main Character: They drive the story forward; without them actively pursuing a goal, the story has nowhere to go.
Antagonist: The person opposing the main character and trying to prevent them from reaching their stated goal.
Secondary Characters: These can be friends, love interests, sidekicks, pets, or anyone who is around the main character or antagonist, offering them advice, support, or assistance.
Tertiary Characters: Minor characters your main character meets along their journey. They may be in only one chapter or scene, but the information they provide or the actions they take assist the main character positively or negatively and can contribute to the story’s direction.
Utility Characters: A crowd at a concert. Protesters. Campers. Patrons at a biker bar. These are usually nameless characters that help give a location atmosphere and personality. These are extras (aka background artists) that can be described to enhance the location currently inhabited by your other characters.
As you add characters to your story, ask yourself what purpose they serve. If their presence doesn’t enhance or help move the story forward, then it might be wise to remove them from the narrative.
Final Thoughts…
I know it’s a lot to consider. Still, by taking the time to think about and establish the basic Technical, Narrative, and Character Rules for your story, you will give yourself a great advantage as you begin writing. Since these rules have already been set, you can now focus on the creative side of things and get into the creative side of things: the drafting process.
Happy writing, and I’ll see you next time!
Let’s dive in and explore the world of…
Character Rules
They are an essential element of any story, but they should come with their own set of parameters before you toss them into the narrative chaos they are about to experience.
Who’s in Charge of the Story?:
Which of your characters should shoulder the burden of carrying the reader through the story from beginning to end? Which of them has the most to lose, the most to gain, and the most incredible ability to change as the story unfolds?
Sometimes, a character we initially think would be the ideal main character gets sidelined by one that captures our attention more effectively. This attention-seeking character might be a perfect candidate for the position of story protagonist. The protagonist should be someone capable of change, who is directly impacted by the events unfolding in the story, and who will engage in a confrontation with the story’s antagonist.
Look at your cast of characters and decide if the person you’ve chosen to be the main character is the best choice, or if there’s someone else waiting in the wings for their moment in the spotlight.
How Many POVs:
Some writers throw lots of points of view at their readers. James Patterson likes to do this, giving characters a single chapter to inform the reader of things the main character doesn’t know yet, so we’re ahead of them in the narrative.
Others stick with just the protagonist’s point of view; we find out information at the same time they do.
Others alternate, such as Nelson DeMille, who will give us the POV of the main character, then intersperse a few chapters from the antagonist’s POV so we understand their mindset and perspective, usually before the final showdown.
This is worth considering, since the more POVs you have, the more story you have to craft for these characters to have something to do that adds to the story and provides additional conflict or tension for the main character.
Even if these characters are embroiled in a subplot, they still must connect to the main character and story in some significant way; otherwise, their existence in the story is pointless.
Also, too many POVs could lead to confusion for the reader, which is the last thing you want to do.
If this is your first novel, I suggest sticking to one or two POVs to maintain your sanity as you write the story. Keep things simple and easy to follow. You’ll thank me when you begin the rewrite process and don’t have to keep track of eight different POVs!
A Character’s Purpose:
Step back and examine each character that will populate your story. What function do they provide in the overall narrative structure of the story?
Each character should exist to serve the story. If they’re just there, they need to go. It’s as simple as that.
From the main character to the people in a crowd, each character you include in your novel, short story, screenplay, or play needs to have a definite purpose. It can be simple or complex, but they need to have a reason to be there.
Let’s break things down:
Main Character: They drive the story forward; without them actively pursuing a goal, the story has nowhere to go.
Antagonist: The person opposing the main character and trying to prevent them from reaching their stated goal.
Secondary Characters: These can be friends, love interests, sidekicks, pets, or anyone who is around the main character or antagonist, offering them advice, support, or assistance.
Tertiary Characters: Minor characters your main character meets along their journey. They may be in only one chapter or scene, but the information they provide or the actions they take assist the main character positively or negatively and can contribute to the story’s direction.
Utility Characters: A crowd at a concert. Protesters. Campers. Patrons at a biker bar. These are usually nameless characters that help give a location atmosphere and personality. These are extras (aka background artists) that can be described to enhance the location currently inhabited by your other characters.
As you add characters to your story, ask yourself what purpose they serve. If their presence doesn’t enhance or help move the story forward, then it might be wise to remove them from the narrative.
Final Thoughts…
I know it’s a lot to consider. Still, by taking the time to think about and establish the basic Technical, Narrative, and Character Rules for your story, you will give yourself a great advantage as you begin writing. Since these rules have already been set, you can now focus on the creative side of things and get into the creative side of things: the drafting process.
Happy writing, and I’ll see you next time!
Help! My Story Isn’t Working! – Is It the Characters?
After a brief break, we’re back and talking about one of the key aspects of any story: the Characters. Think about your favorite movie, TV series, or novel, and it’s the characters populating the story that immediately pop into memory. They are the driving force of any narrative and the primary reason we keep watching.
However, it’s possible to run into challenges when creating and crafting characters for a story. Let’s look at some potential problems and their solutions.
But first…
Who Are These People?
Fictional characters come in all shapes and sizes, but they also have their own assigned roles in a story. Here’s a quick run-down of how you should look at each character that lives in your fictional world:
Main Character: They drive the story forward; without them actively pursuing a goal, the story has nowhere to go.
Antagonist: The person opposing the main character and trying to prevent them from reaching their stated goal.
Secondary Characters: These can include friends, love interests, sidekicks, pets, or anyone who is associated with the main character or antagonist, offering them advice, support, or assistance.
Tertiary Characters: Minor characters your main character meets along their journey. They may be in only one chapter or scene, but the information they provide or the actions they take assist the main character positively or negatively and can contribute to the story’s direction.
Utility Characters: A crowd at a concert. Protesters. Campers. Patrons at a biker bar. These are usually nameless characters that help give a location atmosphere and personality. These are extras (aka background artists) that can be described to enhance the location currently inhabited by your other characters.
Now, let’s dive into a few possible problems you may encounter as you work with your characters.
Problem: My Main Character is boring.
Possible Solution #1: Make sure they have a Character Arc.
Your Main Character should evolve over the course of your story. They should have problems, issues, conflicts, and relationships established at the start that they can then work on and resolve as the story unfolds, develops, and wraps up.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of being afraid to have your Main Character have problems or conflicts. You might be fearful that readers will turn against them or not like them as the Main Character. But flaws add depth to a character and make them more relatable to the audience than being the poster child for perfection.
As you develop your Main Character, focus on how they change over the course of the story. What events take place around them or to characters in their circle that help them change as a person? These are pieces of the puzzle that can give your Main Character more depth and make them less boring.
Possible Solution #2: Consider Recasting
Okay. You’ve taken the first step and admitted your Main Character is dull. What character in the story do you enjoy writing about? What is it about them that makes you excited to get to their chapters? That is who should be helming your story, and it may be time to either cut your original Main Character completely or move them to a secondary role.
No matter what type of story you’re writing, your Main Character needs to be compelling, interesting, and engaging to the reader. Often, we relegate that type of character to the role of second banana, thinking they are too zany to work as the story’s protagonist.
However, it is worth considering the idea of having them take on that role. Or, you may consider another alternative…
Possible Solution #3: Merge your Main Character with the fun one.
Blend the aspects of the Main Character with those of the fun character and see what new energy and life is injected into your story. Now you have a Main Character with some zip to them, and you can have some fun and let them not be so rigid and boring as they once were.
Problem: My Main Character is too passive.
Possible Solution #1: It’s all about choices.
If your Main Character is passive, this means things are happening to them; they are not making things happen. And while it’s okay for your Main Character to get into situations beyond their control, it’s how they react to those situations that determines if they are being passive or active.
And you definitely want your Main Character to be ACTIVE and MAKING CHOICES that help move the story forward.
All stories are like Choose Your Own Adventure books. As authors, we are the ones making the choices for the reader. We must choose actions that propel the story forward while also putting the Main Character in control of the action. Even if their choices are wrong and lead to tragedy, they must be at the center of those choices and actions.
As you work through your story, think about your Main Character’s choices. Their choices reveal aspects of their personality to the reader. If they are passive and allow others to make decisions for them, the reader will lose interest.
Possible Solution #2: Do they have a strong goal?
Your Main Character needs a reason to exist. That reason is a GOAL they need to achieve by the end of the story. The goal can be a person, a location, or an object. It’s whatever exists at the end of the journey that motivates the Main Character to keep going.
It also has to be on a scale where if they fail to achieve their goal, there are literal or figurative life-or-death consequences associated with it. This means the goal you pick for your Main Character should motivate them into action, which should eliminate any passive tendencies they may have.
Throw in a ticking clock, where they only have a limited amount of time to reach their goal, and it adds another layer of suspense to help drive the Main Character into being active in their pursuit of the goal.
Possible Solution #3: Who’s the opposition?
There needs to be someone in your story trying to prevent your Main Character from reaching their goal. Your Main Character must be willing to confront this person to achieve that goal, and the only way to do that is by being active.
It’s important that the opposition – also known as the Antagonist – has a direct link to the Main Character in some way, and that their defeat is crucial as part of reaching the goal at the end of the story. This defeat can be literal or figurative, but it’s crucial that it takes place as part of your Main Character’s journey.
The need to defeat the Antagonist and reach the final goal must motivate your Main Character to take action and propel their arc and the storyline forward. These elements should leave no room for your Main Character to be passive during their quest.
Problem: I keep losing track of all my characters.
Possible Solution #1: More characters = More problems
If you’re writing your first novel, I highly recommend that you limit the number of characters that populate your story. This will not only make your writing life easier, but it will also help keep the story on track and focus your attention on the main storyline and its characters.
While novels can have dozens of characters, it should be noted that each character should exist to serve the story. If they’re just there, they need to go. It’s as simple as that.
Plus, once they are introduced and named, they need a description, a link to the Main Character or the overall storyline, and are now another person you have to keep track of as you write.
Don’t stress; streamline instead. Merge characters. Cut characters who add nothing to the story. Eliminate subplots that have no value to what’s happening in the main narrative.
Possible Solution #2: Make a spreadsheet
Of course, if you must have a lot of characters, it’s time to do the technical work and create a spreadsheet. This will provide a visual breakdown of each character, their relationship to the Main Character, their purpose in the story, and a brief description.
Now you don’t have to remember if Bob is Dave’s cousin or Dale’s, and if he was the tall cousin or the short one. You have a reference guide to help you as you write.
Possible Solution #3: Outline, Outline, Outline.
Before you sit down to write a single chapter, I strongly advise you to outline your story so you know all the ins and outs of what’s going to happen, which characters are where, and how everything fits together. This will prevent headaches down the line as you are knee deep in the manuscript. It’s a lot easier to track where a character is in an outline than in a 100,000-word document.
I recommend outlining any story you want to write so you have a complete picture available before you begin writing. You can always alter the outline, but you’ll have access to how everything unfolds and evolves in your story before things become too difficult to fix.
Just the Tip of the Iceberg
There are so many aspects to character that we didn’t cover here, but I hope these tips give you a starting point to get your Main Character back on the right track. There are hundreds of books available that delve even deeper into the world of character development, so if you are interested in exploring this topic further, I highly recommend seeking those out.
Next Time…
We briefly talked about the story’s Antagonist, and with an Antagonist comes Conflict! We’ll talk about that in the next post!
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
However, it’s possible to run into challenges when creating and crafting characters for a story. Let’s look at some potential problems and their solutions.
But first…
Who Are These People?
Fictional characters come in all shapes and sizes, but they also have their own assigned roles in a story. Here’s a quick run-down of how you should look at each character that lives in your fictional world:
Main Character: They drive the story forward; without them actively pursuing a goal, the story has nowhere to go.
Antagonist: The person opposing the main character and trying to prevent them from reaching their stated goal.
Secondary Characters: These can include friends, love interests, sidekicks, pets, or anyone who is associated with the main character or antagonist, offering them advice, support, or assistance.
Tertiary Characters: Minor characters your main character meets along their journey. They may be in only one chapter or scene, but the information they provide or the actions they take assist the main character positively or negatively and can contribute to the story’s direction.
Utility Characters: A crowd at a concert. Protesters. Campers. Patrons at a biker bar. These are usually nameless characters that help give a location atmosphere and personality. These are extras (aka background artists) that can be described to enhance the location currently inhabited by your other characters.
Now, let’s dive into a few possible problems you may encounter as you work with your characters.
Problem: My Main Character is boring.
Possible Solution #1: Make sure they have a Character Arc.
Your Main Character should evolve over the course of your story. They should have problems, issues, conflicts, and relationships established at the start that they can then work on and resolve as the story unfolds, develops, and wraps up.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of being afraid to have your Main Character have problems or conflicts. You might be fearful that readers will turn against them or not like them as the Main Character. But flaws add depth to a character and make them more relatable to the audience than being the poster child for perfection.
As you develop your Main Character, focus on how they change over the course of the story. What events take place around them or to characters in their circle that help them change as a person? These are pieces of the puzzle that can give your Main Character more depth and make them less boring.
Possible Solution #2: Consider Recasting
Okay. You’ve taken the first step and admitted your Main Character is dull. What character in the story do you enjoy writing about? What is it about them that makes you excited to get to their chapters? That is who should be helming your story, and it may be time to either cut your original Main Character completely or move them to a secondary role.
No matter what type of story you’re writing, your Main Character needs to be compelling, interesting, and engaging to the reader. Often, we relegate that type of character to the role of second banana, thinking they are too zany to work as the story’s protagonist.
However, it is worth considering the idea of having them take on that role. Or, you may consider another alternative…
Possible Solution #3: Merge your Main Character with the fun one.
Blend the aspects of the Main Character with those of the fun character and see what new energy and life is injected into your story. Now you have a Main Character with some zip to them, and you can have some fun and let them not be so rigid and boring as they once were.
Problem: My Main Character is too passive.
Possible Solution #1: It’s all about choices.
If your Main Character is passive, this means things are happening to them; they are not making things happen. And while it’s okay for your Main Character to get into situations beyond their control, it’s how they react to those situations that determines if they are being passive or active.
And you definitely want your Main Character to be ACTIVE and MAKING CHOICES that help move the story forward.
All stories are like Choose Your Own Adventure books. As authors, we are the ones making the choices for the reader. We must choose actions that propel the story forward while also putting the Main Character in control of the action. Even if their choices are wrong and lead to tragedy, they must be at the center of those choices and actions.
As you work through your story, think about your Main Character’s choices. Their choices reveal aspects of their personality to the reader. If they are passive and allow others to make decisions for them, the reader will lose interest.
Possible Solution #2: Do they have a strong goal?
Your Main Character needs a reason to exist. That reason is a GOAL they need to achieve by the end of the story. The goal can be a person, a location, or an object. It’s whatever exists at the end of the journey that motivates the Main Character to keep going.
It also has to be on a scale where if they fail to achieve their goal, there are literal or figurative life-or-death consequences associated with it. This means the goal you pick for your Main Character should motivate them into action, which should eliminate any passive tendencies they may have.
Throw in a ticking clock, where they only have a limited amount of time to reach their goal, and it adds another layer of suspense to help drive the Main Character into being active in their pursuit of the goal.
Possible Solution #3: Who’s the opposition?
There needs to be someone in your story trying to prevent your Main Character from reaching their goal. Your Main Character must be willing to confront this person to achieve that goal, and the only way to do that is by being active.
It’s important that the opposition – also known as the Antagonist – has a direct link to the Main Character in some way, and that their defeat is crucial as part of reaching the goal at the end of the story. This defeat can be literal or figurative, but it’s crucial that it takes place as part of your Main Character’s journey.
The need to defeat the Antagonist and reach the final goal must motivate your Main Character to take action and propel their arc and the storyline forward. These elements should leave no room for your Main Character to be passive during their quest.
Problem: I keep losing track of all my characters.
Possible Solution #1: More characters = More problems
If you’re writing your first novel, I highly recommend that you limit the number of characters that populate your story. This will not only make your writing life easier, but it will also help keep the story on track and focus your attention on the main storyline and its characters.
While novels can have dozens of characters, it should be noted that each character should exist to serve the story. If they’re just there, they need to go. It’s as simple as that.
Plus, once they are introduced and named, they need a description, a link to the Main Character or the overall storyline, and are now another person you have to keep track of as you write.
Don’t stress; streamline instead. Merge characters. Cut characters who add nothing to the story. Eliminate subplots that have no value to what’s happening in the main narrative.
Possible Solution #2: Make a spreadsheet
Of course, if you must have a lot of characters, it’s time to do the technical work and create a spreadsheet. This will provide a visual breakdown of each character, their relationship to the Main Character, their purpose in the story, and a brief description.
Now you don’t have to remember if Bob is Dave’s cousin or Dale’s, and if he was the tall cousin or the short one. You have a reference guide to help you as you write.
Possible Solution #3: Outline, Outline, Outline.
Before you sit down to write a single chapter, I strongly advise you to outline your story so you know all the ins and outs of what’s going to happen, which characters are where, and how everything fits together. This will prevent headaches down the line as you are knee deep in the manuscript. It’s a lot easier to track where a character is in an outline than in a 100,000-word document.
I recommend outlining any story you want to write so you have a complete picture available before you begin writing. You can always alter the outline, but you’ll have access to how everything unfolds and evolves in your story before things become too difficult to fix.
Just the Tip of the Iceberg
There are so many aspects to character that we didn’t cover here, but I hope these tips give you a starting point to get your Main Character back on the right track. There are hundreds of books available that delve even deeper into the world of character development, so if you are interested in exploring this topic further, I highly recommend seeking those out.
Next Time…
We briefly talked about the story’s Antagonist, and with an Antagonist comes Conflict! We’ll talk about that in the next post!
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
Help! My Story Isn’t Working! – Is It the Stakes?
What will it cost your Main Character if they don’t achieve their goal? How do you keep ramping up the tension and suspense as your story unfolds, making the Main Character’s goal more difficult to attain? Both of these questions involve raising the Stakes of your story, causing the Main Character to fight elevated conflicts and problems as they get closer to their goal.
Often, it can be difficult for writers to pummel their sainted Main Character with conflicts, stakes, an Antagonist, and other factors that beat up the lead in their story. Writers choose their Main Character for a reason, so to see a speck of dirt on them can be akin to treason.
I, however, believe that you should put your Main Character through the wringer, making them fight for what they are after and not letting up throughout the story. Even small victories should have the looming reality that there’s more danger ahead, and that they aren’t out of trouble until they’ve defeated the Antagonist, achieved their goal, and can get back to some semblance of a normal life.
With that in mind, let’s explore a few problems and potential solutions related to Stakes.
Problem: Things are too easy for my Main Character
Possible Solution #1: Re-Evaluate your Main Character’s primary goal.
What does your Main Character want to achieve by the end of the story? If the goal is too easy to reach, then the stakes aren’t high enough. The primary goal should be something that they cannot simply order on Amazon or resolve by making a phone call. It needs to be something that, if they fail, their world comes crashing down.
During the brainstorming and outlining phases, take the time to ensure the goal is a formidable and seemingly insurmountable one for the Main Character.
Possible Solution #2: You may need a stronger Antagonist.
The Antagonist can’t be a pushover or someone you’re Main Character can get rid of easily. This character needs to be a constant problem for your Main Character, a person who will do whatever it takes to prevent them from reaching their goal.
Who have you chosen as your Antagonist? Why? Are they a significant enough obstacle that the only option for your Main Character is to defeat them so they can reach their goal? Are they or their minions a constant presence that reminds the Main Character at every turn that one wrong move will result in failure or worse?
Look at the goal you’ve established for your Main Character. How can the Antagonist do everything possible to prevent them from reaching their goal? How can the Antagonist’s actions raise the stakes for the Main Character as they move closer to their goal?
Possible Solution #3: Obstacles, obstacles, obstacles.
These should be developed in the early phases of the writing process. Throw as many on the table as you can think of. Brainstorm as many as you want and sort through them later.
Next, organize them in a way that causes the maximum amount of trouble for your Main Character. Ensure their primary goal appears impossible as they struggle through the story and its numerous obstacles, ensuring that each obstacle they overcome leads to more trouble and higher stakes.
Problem: I’ve painted my Main Character into a corner and don’t know how to get them out.
Possible Solution #1: Plant a setup for their escape earlier in the story or sequence.
Stories are about setups and payoffs, so it’s always acceptable to have a setup established that can help your Main Character out of a jam later on. Think about James Bond’s gadgets. Q gives them to him with a brief description, then we don’t see them again until Bond is in dire need of an escape. Luckily, the gadgets he’s been given for that particular mission help save the day.
Possible Solution #2: If they have a sidekick, mentor, or love interest, consider using them here.
If the Main Character isn’t on their journey alone, you can have one of the secondary characters come to their aid. It doesn’t make the Main Character weak or passive if they need help in a bad situation.
A good example is from Star Wars: A New Hope. When Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie are trapped in the Garbage Compactor, it’s C-3PO and R2-D2 that come to the rescue. The hero, Luke, is in a literal jam and needs assistance to escape and keep going on his quest.
Possible Solution #3: Just delete the problem.
If all else fails, cut the scene and write something new and less difficult for the Main Character to get through. It should still be a challenge, but one that you can come up with a plausible escape from.
Possible Solution #4: Work backwards.
What do you see as the scene or chapter right after the one where your Main Character is trapped? The beauty of being a writer is that you can move about in time and plan out all aspects of the sequence backwards, forwards, or from the middle.
Brainstorm ways they can get out of their predicament and see which one works best for your story. You may have to alter elements to get to the chosen outcome, but you’ll be able to unstick them and move to the next part of the story.
Problem: I’ve thrown too many obstacles at my Main Character.
Possible Solution #1: Analyze all stakes and obstacles on a scale of 1 (simple) to 10 (could cause death).
Write all your stakes and obstacles on notecards, then rank them from easiest to overcome to impossible. Organize them in a way that presents your Main Character with a genuine challenge to achieve their goal. You can have some easier-to-beat obstacles here and there, but the 8s, 9s, and 10s should outweigh the 1s, 2s, and 3s.
Possible Solution #2: Go through and cut obstacles or stakes that seem cliché or easy to defeat.
You’ve seen enough movies, TV shows, and read enough books to see clichéd stakes and ways to overcome them. Do your best to ferret these types of obstacles and stakes out of your story. Obviously, specific genres lend themselves to particular kinds of stakes, so you may find a few clichéd elements that you can give a unique spin to.
Also, as you work through your list of possible stakes and obstacles, toss out ones that are ridiculously easy to overcome. The more challenging the better.
Brainstorming & Outlines
Some dread these elements of the writing process, but they are MANDATORY pieces of the creative writing puzzle. Both of these aspects give you the freedom to play around and experiment with your story before you commit to drafting your manuscript.
You’ll be in a much better position when you go into your initial draft with a plan than if you go in blindly with no direction.
Next Time…
We’ll wrap up the series with some parting thoughts!
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
Often, it can be difficult for writers to pummel their sainted Main Character with conflicts, stakes, an Antagonist, and other factors that beat up the lead in their story. Writers choose their Main Character for a reason, so to see a speck of dirt on them can be akin to treason.
I, however, believe that you should put your Main Character through the wringer, making them fight for what they are after and not letting up throughout the story. Even small victories should have the looming reality that there’s more danger ahead, and that they aren’t out of trouble until they’ve defeated the Antagonist, achieved their goal, and can get back to some semblance of a normal life.
With that in mind, let’s explore a few problems and potential solutions related to Stakes.
Problem: Things are too easy for my Main Character
Possible Solution #1: Re-Evaluate your Main Character’s primary goal.
What does your Main Character want to achieve by the end of the story? If the goal is too easy to reach, then the stakes aren’t high enough. The primary goal should be something that they cannot simply order on Amazon or resolve by making a phone call. It needs to be something that, if they fail, their world comes crashing down.
During the brainstorming and outlining phases, take the time to ensure the goal is a formidable and seemingly insurmountable one for the Main Character.
Possible Solution #2: You may need a stronger Antagonist.
The Antagonist can’t be a pushover or someone you’re Main Character can get rid of easily. This character needs to be a constant problem for your Main Character, a person who will do whatever it takes to prevent them from reaching their goal.
Who have you chosen as your Antagonist? Why? Are they a significant enough obstacle that the only option for your Main Character is to defeat them so they can reach their goal? Are they or their minions a constant presence that reminds the Main Character at every turn that one wrong move will result in failure or worse?
Look at the goal you’ve established for your Main Character. How can the Antagonist do everything possible to prevent them from reaching their goal? How can the Antagonist’s actions raise the stakes for the Main Character as they move closer to their goal?
Possible Solution #3: Obstacles, obstacles, obstacles.
These should be developed in the early phases of the writing process. Throw as many on the table as you can think of. Brainstorm as many as you want and sort through them later.
Next, organize them in a way that causes the maximum amount of trouble for your Main Character. Ensure their primary goal appears impossible as they struggle through the story and its numerous obstacles, ensuring that each obstacle they overcome leads to more trouble and higher stakes.
Problem: I’ve painted my Main Character into a corner and don’t know how to get them out.
Possible Solution #1: Plant a setup for their escape earlier in the story or sequence.
Stories are about setups and payoffs, so it’s always acceptable to have a setup established that can help your Main Character out of a jam later on. Think about James Bond’s gadgets. Q gives them to him with a brief description, then we don’t see them again until Bond is in dire need of an escape. Luckily, the gadgets he’s been given for that particular mission help save the day.
Possible Solution #2: If they have a sidekick, mentor, or love interest, consider using them here.
If the Main Character isn’t on their journey alone, you can have one of the secondary characters come to their aid. It doesn’t make the Main Character weak or passive if they need help in a bad situation.
A good example is from Star Wars: A New Hope. When Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie are trapped in the Garbage Compactor, it’s C-3PO and R2-D2 that come to the rescue. The hero, Luke, is in a literal jam and needs assistance to escape and keep going on his quest.
Possible Solution #3: Just delete the problem.
If all else fails, cut the scene and write something new and less difficult for the Main Character to get through. It should still be a challenge, but one that you can come up with a plausible escape from.
Possible Solution #4: Work backwards.
What do you see as the scene or chapter right after the one where your Main Character is trapped? The beauty of being a writer is that you can move about in time and plan out all aspects of the sequence backwards, forwards, or from the middle.
Brainstorm ways they can get out of their predicament and see which one works best for your story. You may have to alter elements to get to the chosen outcome, but you’ll be able to unstick them and move to the next part of the story.
Problem: I’ve thrown too many obstacles at my Main Character.
Possible Solution #1: Analyze all stakes and obstacles on a scale of 1 (simple) to 10 (could cause death).
Write all your stakes and obstacles on notecards, then rank them from easiest to overcome to impossible. Organize them in a way that presents your Main Character with a genuine challenge to achieve their goal. You can have some easier-to-beat obstacles here and there, but the 8s, 9s, and 10s should outweigh the 1s, 2s, and 3s.
Possible Solution #2: Go through and cut obstacles or stakes that seem cliché or easy to defeat.
You’ve seen enough movies, TV shows, and read enough books to see clichéd stakes and ways to overcome them. Do your best to ferret these types of obstacles and stakes out of your story. Obviously, specific genres lend themselves to particular kinds of stakes, so you may find a few clichéd elements that you can give a unique spin to.
Also, as you work through your list of possible stakes and obstacles, toss out ones that are ridiculously easy to overcome. The more challenging the better.
Brainstorming & Outlines
Some dread these elements of the writing process, but they are MANDATORY pieces of the creative writing puzzle. Both of these aspects give you the freedom to play around and experiment with your story before you commit to drafting your manuscript.
You’ll be in a much better position when you go into your initial draft with a plan than if you go in blindly with no direction.
Next Time…
We’ll wrap up the series with some parting thoughts!
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
