Chris Eboch's Blog, page 37

The Secret of Strong Characters

I'm deep in revisions, so I'll share a little more about the process. I know a lot of authors wind up cutting huge chunks of material during revisions, especially in earlier drafts. One of my critique clients had an excellent story that, to me, started too slowly. She took several chapters to set up a situation, and we didn't get to the main inciting incident for about 10 chapters. I suggested she cut a lot of the background and start closer to when this particular adventure started.
Here's an excerpt of her e-mail after she got my critique:
"One of the ways I can tell how right you were is that it was NOT hard for me to begin chopping swaths out of those first ten chapters. It's still probably not pared down as far as I'll get it, but instead of the school yard scene, and showing the boys building their business, I did as you suggested.... So the action in chapter 5 has been moved up to chapter 2."
I think many writers will identify with this process of cutting or trimming your opening scenes, which are often unnecessary background and set up – sometimes referred to as "throat clearing."
I had to do this more often in my early novels. But now I seem to have a different problem. I generally wind up adding material during revisions, and cutting very little. I'm more of a plot-oriented author than a character-focused one, and over the years I've learned to write a tight, action-packed plot. My goal now is to make the most of my character, and that often means getting deeper into her head, sharing more of her thoughts, and adding material.
Typically I already have plenty of action. What I need is more reaction. I need to let the character think about the situation, worry, get excited, hope, plan – something that keeps the reader connected to the character, so they care about her and her plight and don't feel like they're just watching a bunch of stuff happen to a stranger.
Including this reaction lets us get to know the character much better. It can also increase tension, by showing what the character really wants or fears. It ups the stakes by showing us how important the situation is.
Even if your stories are more character-driven, and you think you know your character well, consider checking your work to see if you are properly showing reaction. Often I find that writers skip over this. The author knows how his character feels, and why she's reacting that way, but doesn't put it on the page, because it seems obvious – but it's only obvious to the author.
Make sure you're giving your character a chance to react, and you're more likely to have fascinating characters, a dramatic plot, and rapt readers.
I go into more detail in my article "How to Write Vivid Scenes" in Advanced Plotting . See my critique rates and recommendations in the right-hand column or e-mail me through my website.

What Can You Learn from Revisions?

I'm revising a romantic suspense novel and, in an example of "doctor heal thyself," using the Plot Outline Exercise in my Advanced Plotting book to analyze what I have so far and what I still need to do. These are final revisions, so I'm not making a lot of plot changes at this point, but I'm drawing more out of the heroine and giving her some epiphanies, which is deepening both her character arc and the theme.
After doing the Plot Outline Exercise, I started studying the essay on Plotting like a Screenwriter by my brother, Doug Eboch. He discusses the Dramatic Question and how the character should have a dilemma. Since this novel is more of a "woman in peril" story in the style of Mary Stewart and Barbara Michaels, where the main character doesn't realize at first that she's stumbling into a dangerous situation, I had to ask myself about her initial dilemma. Some creepy and mysterious things happen in the first third of the book, but she's not yet actively trying to solve a specific problem, since she doesn't know what the problem is.
Still, she does start the story with an initial dilemma, based on her back story. She's recovering from an attack and the subsequent abandonment by her boyfriend, who couldn't handle the situation. She's trying to overcome her instinctive fears, find her independence, and ease herself back into normal life, including opening up to the chance of new love.
So the Dramatic Question doesn't on the surface have anything to do with the villains who are causing trouble. Rather it's, "Will Kiley be able to face her fears and embrace life again?" The bad guys do provide obstacles, though, by tricking (betraying) her and exposing her to dangerous and frightening situations. This is the external journey that reveals her internal journey. If she can handle these troubles, she'll have proven to herself that she can face her fears and live normally again.
For this novel, at this stage of revisions, following Doug's advice about plotting structure just means noticing and emphasizing certain points. For example, he discusses the Midpoint. In a  movie with a happy ending, the Midpoint echoes that ending with a moment of seeming success (to be followed by a major setback and Moment of Apparent Failure at the Act 2 Break).
I looked over my plot outline and saw that I had good midpoints for both the action plot and the romance, conveniently in consecutive chapters close to the middle of the novel. I could emphasize these successes by having Kiley acknowledged them more. She's starting to recognize the bad guy and decides to cut ties with him. She also starts to realize the strength of her feelings for the hero. These successes will be balanced by the failures at the Act 2 Break, where the bad guy drags her back into trouble, and where she thinks the hero may have been killed. By having Kiley more aware of her feelings at the midpoint, it raises the stakes. She recognizes that she wants the hero and will lose something important if she doesn't get him.
These aren't major, obvious changes. I suspect that if I gave the new draft back to my critique group, they wouldn't even notice what I've done. But I bet it will make a difference in the emotional power of the novel.
By exploring my story through revisions, using analytical tools to help me dig deeper, I learned more about my main character, and I can help her learn more about herself – resulting in a more powerful experience for the reader.

Douglas J. Eboch is a writer, screenwriter and director, best known for writing the original screenplay for Sweet Home Alabama . He contributed a fabulous essay to Advanced Plotting , and he has a great screenwriting blog called Let's Schmooze, where I find lots of helpful advice for novelists as well. He has also written creative content for a Facebook game called Nightmare Cove, an interactive horror story game. Log into your Facebook account and play it now!

Advanced Plotting is designed for the intermediate and advanced writer. If you struggle with plot or suspect your plotting needs work, this book can help. Use the Plot Outline Exercise to identify and fix plot weaknesses. Learn how to get off to a fast start, prop up a sagging middle, build to a climax, improve your pacing, and more.

Chris also writes romantic suspense as by Kris Bock. Visit www.krisbock.com to learn about her book Rattled , and to read the first three chapters.

Writing Humor with Greg Fishbone, author of the Galaxy Games series

Today my special guest is Greg Fishbone, who is launching his latest book, Galaxy Games: The Challengers , with a month-long blog tour.

CE: You write middle grade humor. Were you a funny kid?
GF: I wasn't the class clown or anything but I did enjoy making people laugh, especially my sister and my parents. At one point, I had a phonebook-sized book of jokes that I pretty much memorized, even though most of them were pretty horrible. What followed was a long process of figuring out how the jokes worked and how I could make them better. I think I was a humor scientist, more than anything else. Slap a joke onto a dissection tray, slice it open, and try not to blow up the lab.
CE: What's the value of funny books? Do you try to use humor to convey more serious information or messages, or is the humor valuable enough on its own?
GF: When I have something important for the reader to think about, it will tend to happen outside the humor or as a counterpoint to the humor. For a middle grade readership, the best thing is to use humor as the envelope that a message comes in--but only after the reader has opened a bunch of other humor envelopes with nothing inside but more humor. If there's a heavy message in every envelope, the reader will stop opening them.  
CE: Does the humor just come naturally to you, or do you have techniques for finding the funny?
GF: Humor is a lot like dancing. It's a lot of hard work to do it right but it has to seem easy and natural. After a lot of practice, I can write funny stories fairly well, but I'm still working on the macarena.

Sometimes you can actually make a story funnier by taking jokes out of it or by delaying them for a bigger payoff. It's about figuring out the rhythms and beats that work best with your own style, but it feels good when it really clicks.
CE: Do you have any other advice for writers who might want to add more humor to their work?
GF: 
Develop an ear for humor;Don't try too hard to be funny; Don't try to mimic another person's humor style when you can develop your own; Don't force humor on your readers; and Don't be afraid to sprinkle humor into a story that's not strictly a humor story. CE: Thank you, Greg! Readers, if you'd like to know more about Galaxy Games, you can read sample chapters online or check out the book trailer. If you're gathering puzzle pieces, today's is below.
The Galaxy Games series is written by Greg R. Fishbone and published by the Tu Books imprint of Lee & Low Books. In this hilarious middle-grade romp through space, eleven-year-old Tyler Sato leads a team of kids representing all of Earth in a sports tournament against alien kids from across the galaxy.

Make the Most of Your Conference: How to Follow Up

In July, I did a couple of posts about getting ready for a writing conference. I've heard conference reports from around the country in the last couple of weeks, so for those of you who've had a chance to attend one, here's the next step -- what you should do after the conference.  After the conference:            You talked to strangers, made friends, and maybe even chatted with an editor. Time to go home and relax, right? Not quite. All that hard work only pays off if you follow up. Write "nice to meet you" notes to all those people who gave you their business cards. Thank anyone who gave you advice. And of course, send your manuscript or query to anyone who expressed interest in it. If the manuscript isn't ready yet, write the editor stating that you are looking forward to sending your manuscript when it's finished in X months.            You should also type up your notes while they're fresh in your mind. A few jotted phrases that made perfect sense during an inspiring talk can read like hieroglyphics a month later.             Then set some goals based on what you learned. A good conference may provide you with dozens of pages of advice and ideas. Don't try to do everything at once, or worse, ignore it all because you feel overwhelmed. Instead, choose three things to focus on. They might involve craft, research, or marketing. For example, here's my list after attending a Book Boot Camp with Australian author Jen McVeity:Practice strong story starts.Investigate writing for easy reader series.Use Story Structure guide to edit nonfiction bio.            I might review my notes in a few months and set some new goals. But for now I have someplace to start.            Finally, critique the conference. Think about the workshops, speakers, events, other attendees, and your own behavior. Was it worth your time? How can you prepare better for next time? Make notes to review before your next conference.             I'm already looking forward to my next conference. I'll hear great speakers and learn about the craft of writing and the business of publishing. I'll see people I met last year, and I know I'll make new friends. I can hardly wait.

First Page Critique: Fantasy

We have another opening page critique today. Here's The Dreams of the Common People, by Don Nelson
Prologue
For three hundred years, no one had ventured into the long forgotten and remote corner of the earth known as, The Common Land. The inhabitants of this lonely place had never given thought to cross over the rugged borders into the unknown surrounding lands. The Common People lived out their lives on a cultural island separate from all the other people groups of the known world.
In a previous enlightened time, this unimportant place functioned well and the people prospered. No one owned the land on which they lived. The land had always been owned and nurtured by nature. In the beginning of time, the order of things, both seen and unseen, had allowed both good and evil to co-exist, side by side. Neither force dominating the other because of a truce established between The Maker of Good and The Demon One.
The atmosphere of this long existent and balanced society changed the day a brutal, arrogant and evil enemy, known as The Hooded Accusers, galloped across the impassable borders into the Common World. They brought with them an oppressive force, which was soon to create a race of tormented men and women. Only the Common Children were spared from this unending season of oppression until they reached the age of accountability.
The grieving populace endured constant visions and voices of suffering in what had become a ghostly infected, malignant and decaying world.
The peace loving Common Landers had long ago given up any thoughts or hopes of escaping from these brutal thoughts and emotional captivity. The pleas and whines of mental persecution, a common sound throughout the land, subsided only when the people dreamed. It was a simple dream that gave them a daily hope of the "sacred-one", the one who would lead them out of their captivity.
The Hooded Accusers, also known as the 'spoilers of dreams' had toiled long, at their own destiny, waiting the glorious day when they would be rewarded, by their master, for their dedicated and unending service.
Chapter One
"Good thoughts can happen to anyone" 
This is the first line of the first page of, "The Journal of Good", documenting the record of the Common People's ancestral history. The journey to reach those good thoughts would require the skills and talents of the most unlikely hero, a fifteen-year-old boy named Darby, and his three footed traveling companion, a four hundred year old tortoise named, Achilles.

My comments: Usually I do a little more line editing, and I did notice some grammatical errors here, plus writing that was hard to follow sometimes. (When you are conveying a lot of information quickly, use shorter sentences with one piece of info per sentence, to give the reader time to process each piece.) But my bigger concern is that this seems to be all back story "telling." I get the impression that the author has created an interesting fantasy world, and I'm certainly intrigued by the elderly, three-footed tortoise. I'm also curious about the "spoilers of dreams." But I'd rather start with specific characters, where something is happening, and figure out the background slowly from context.
You can find extensive debates on when (if ever) and how Prologues should be used. I'll cautiously acknowledge that they may have a place at times, but generally I recommend avoiding them. Often it's an excuse for the author to "info dump" a bunch of background information he thinks readers need to know to understand the story. But plenty of novels with complex and unusual worlds drop the reader right into the story. Trust your reader to figure out the situation as we go along!
Here's an example from a fantasy novel by Joni Sensel, The Farwalker's Quest:
Zeke's tree wouldn't speak to him."Are you sure you've got the right tree?" Arial asked when he told her. "Maybe you've been hearing another nearby that got tired of the confusion and gave up."Zeke shook his head as the two twelve year olds hurried back across the meadow toward afternoon classes. At lunchtime, they'd dashed off to chase pollywogs in the creek. Their catch wiggled in the wood bucket that now dangled between them, and water splashed their legs with each step. Their free hands crammed their mouths with last-minute lunches."I think I know my own favorite tree," grumbled Zeke. "She's just stopped paying attention."Ariel calculated. Today was March 29. "But Namingfest is only three days away!""Gee, really?" Zeke rolled his eyes. "I might..." he couldn't say he might fail. "I might have to wait until next year."
This opening introduces the two main characters, suggests the setting, introduces a problem, and hints at unusual fantasy elements—all in 140 words. We don't have to know yet what Namingfest is, or why Zeke would expect a tree to speak to him. The hints are intriguing enough that many readers will want to read on.  Without knowing more about The Dreams of the Common People, I can't say for sure whether a prologue is necessary, or where the story should really start. But I would certainly recommend cutting background information at the beginning of the story, and starting with a scene that includes action and dialogue, and a specific, immediate problem. The problem needn't be the main story problem yet, just something to draw us in, so we can learn about this world in an exciting way. (Click on the "Beginnings" label in the list to the right, for more specific advice on story beginnings.)
Thanks, Don, for sharing your work!

Making Peace with Revision, by Sarah Perry

Hey folks – I'm hosting a bunch of guests on my blog this month, to offer a broader perspective on writing. If you are a first-time visitor interested in the craft of writing, please scroll down to the list of topics on the right, and browse through the archives, for lots of advice on how to be a better writer. Today my guest is Sarah Perry, an author and librarian, talking about revision. 
Sarah Perry:
Congratulations! You've completed a first draft of your manuscript. You've managed to restrain yourself from sending it off to anyone and everyone who might publish it. Now you've come to that special time in the writing process: revising. If it strikes fear and dread into your little creative heart, you're not alone. Revising can be a painful process. For one thing, you look back through your words and find glaring mistakes: grammar goofs, plot holes, dull characters, telling rather than showing, lack of description and a whole host of other embarrassing things. The perfect gem you had in your mind when you typed 'The End' is not what you're looking at now. How on earth do you mold it into the jewel you know it can be?
I'm afraid I have only one answer for you: hard work. There's no way around it, only through, but you can do it. Hard work doesn't have to mean 'no fun'. You could join a critique group with like minded individuals and have a blast with them while getting a fresh set of eyes on your work. You can attend conferences and workshops and get inspiration and great tips from industry professionals. You can put on your favorite music, eat your favorite snack and spend some quality time with those beloved characters. Enjoy playing God with them and whip their stories into shape.
The number one thing that helps me in my revising is realizing that publishing is a business. If I want to sell to a publisher, I can't think of it as my baby. I have to think of it as my manuscript. It's difficult, but you have to detach from the emotions you feel toward your book when you're revising and try to see what's really there.
Do you have a tendency to repeat the same thought in three different ways before you move on? (I do). Then pick the strongest and cut the rest. Is the best friend more fun than your main character? Scale her back and add some stronger attributes to your protagonist. Do you have 12 pages of brilliant dialog that doesn't advance the plot one bit? Mourn it appropriately and let it go.
It's hard to do, but when you look back you'll see a stronger story. If you don't, it's ok to go back and try something else. That's what makes word processors so nice. You can save endless drafts and come back to anything you might want again.
It takes time to get it right. I've been revising my own YA novel for over a year now but the progress I see from draft one to draft 7 keeps me motivated. It's getting there, slowly but surely. I know the amount of time and effort I put in before I start querying may be painful sometimes, but far better than trying to shop a manuscript that just isn't ready. Your manuscript will too.
Some great resources for the revising process:
Writing the Breakout NovelWorkbook by Donald Maass.
FictionNotes from Darcy Pattison
The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
Sarah Perry is the author of Pajama Girl, a digital picture book about a little girl who gains super powers at bedtime. It won the Grand Prize in the 2010 Meegenius New Book Contest. In addition to picture book writing, Sarah is revising a YA novel, works as a librarian, and is the mother to 2 small children. You can catch up with her on her blog, The Restless Writer, for Kidlit industry interviews, to talk about writing, and more!

Am I Famous Yet?

On this blog, I primarily talk about the craft of writing well, with occasional commentary on the publishing business. But I recently joined a monthly blog hop for The Insecure Writer's Support Group, and our task is to express doubts, concerns, lessons or guidance about the emotional side of writing, so today I'm thinking about a lesson I've learned – and sometimes have to relearn.

This past weekend, I attended the Kansas SCBWI writing conference as a workshop speaker. They paid my airfare and put me up in a nice hotel, give me a gift basket with gourmet chocolate, took me out for great meals, and generally treated me like a star. I also got a chance to hang out with not one but two Newbery Medal winners, Linda Sue Park (A Single Shard, 2002) and Clare Vanderpool ( Moon over Manifest , 2011). 
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Now I think I'm a pretty good writer, but I sure don't have a Newbery. In fact, I doubt most of the conference attendees had ever heard of me.
It's easy to look at those "above" us and feel jealousy or insecurity – the sense that you're not as good and never will be. But I could also look at those "below" me, the unpublished writers, and feel vanity or arrogance because I have a dozen books and people are paying to hear me speak.
Neither is the right answer. We're in this together, and it isn't a matter of winners and losers, published and unpublished, superstars and nobodies. Learning to write well is a process, a long one, going from beginner to more experienced to "getting good rejections" to interest from an editor to publication – and maybe eventually to award winner status. I can look in one direction and see where I've been. I can look in another and see where I still have room to grow. Where you are on that path doesn't matter so much, as long as you're still moving toward your goals.

Clare and Linda Sue were warm and delightful, by the way. Clare is working on her second novel, and though she didn't say so, I imagine she's feeling some pressure to make it brilliant, after winning such a major award for her first novel. Linda Sue was enthusiastic about the good she gets to do, from pro bono school visits to sponsoring a well in Africa after releasing A Long Walk to Water , her novel based on the true story of one of the "Lost Boys" of Sudan. I didn't think to ask her where she hoped to go next, where she felt she had room to grow, but I bet she would have had an interesting answer. I bet she can still look forward, to new challenges ahead. Writing is its own long walk.
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On this blog, I primarily talk about the craft of writin...

On this blog, I primarily talk about the craft of writing well, with occasional commentary on the publishing business. But I recently joined a monthly blog hop for The Insecure Writer's Support Group, and our task is to express doubts, concerns, lessons or guidance about the emotional side of writing, so today I'm thinking about a lesson I've learned – and sometimes have to relearn.

This past weekend, I attended the Kansas SCBWI writing conference as a workshop speaker. They paid my airfare and put me up in a nice hotel, give me a gift basket with gourmet chocolate, took me out for great meals, and generally treated me like a star. I also got a chance to hang out with not one but two Newbery Medal winners, Linda Sue Park (A Single Shard, 2002) and Clare Vanderpool ( Moon over Manifest , 2011). 
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Now I think I'm a pretty good writer, but I sure don't have a Newbery. In fact, I doubt most of the conference attendees had ever heard of me.
It's easy to look at those "above" us and feel jealousy or insecurity – the sense that you're not as good and never will be. But I could also look at those "below" me, the unpublished writers, and feel vanity or arrogance because I have a dozen books and people are paying to hear me speak.
Neither is the right answer. We're in this together, and it isn't a matter of winners and losers, published and unpublished, superstars and nobodies. Learning to write well is a process, a long one, going from beginner to more experienced to "getting good rejections" to interest from an editor to publication – and maybe eventually to award winner status. I can look in one direction and see where I've been. I can look in another and see where I still have room to grow. Where you are on that path doesn't matter so much, as long as you're still moving toward your goals.

Clare and Linda Sue were warm and delightful, by the way. Clare is working on her second novel, and though she didn't say so, I imagine she's feeling some pressure to make it brilliant, after winning such a major award for her first novel. Linda Sue was enthusiastic about the good she gets to do, from pro bono school visits to sponsoring a well in Africa after releasing A Long Walk to Water , her novel based on the true story of one of the "Lost Boys" of Sudan. I didn't think to ask her where she hoped to go next, where she felt she had room to grow, but I bet she would have had an interesting answer. I bet she can still look forward, to new challenges ahead. Writing is its own long walk.
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Bloggers Connecting with Bloggers

One of the big challenges for published writers is promotion. Recently I stumbled across a few interesting... um, events? activities? maybe I'll just say "things happening on the web."


Rachael Harrie, blogging at "Rach Writes...", is running her third Writers' Platform-Building Campaign, which she says  is "a way to link writers, aspiring authors, beginner bloggers, industry people, and published authors together with the aim of helping to build our online platforms." People sign up for different groups based on genre and connect with others in their group. She also has a yahoo group and fun Challenges to help people get to know each other.

That led me to Alex J. Cavanaugh and the Insecure Writer's Support Group! This is a "blog hop" where over 100 people have signed up. On the first Wednesday of each month, we all post on the same topic (in this case, writing insecurities) and try to visit a dozen of the other blogs.

I must admit, I'm still trying to figure out how these things work. And, as with all forms of social networking, I suspect that people who join with the goal of getting others to buy their books will be disappointed. But perhaps I'll get to know some more writers. Those connections can sometimes lead to business opportunities down the road, but in the short term, it's more important to focus on enjoying the community of writers.

Here's the list of "blog hoppers" so far (if you are interested in joining, please visit the Insecure Writers Support Group page for full details first):

I've been getting some great reviews of Advanced Plotting...

I've been getting some great reviews of Advanced Plotting . Carmen Oliver, who hosted me on her blog, said, "This really is helping me a lot. It's written beautifully and to-the-point. The essays really help you zero in on your own problems in your manuscript. The Plot Outline Exercise is a great tool! And I love the questions you ask about each fictional story element." 
And Don posted this review on Amazon: "This book will help any intermediate or advanced writer who already has a short story, novel etc. in progress, so that they can immediately apply the author's principles of plotting to their story. If you're like me, this book will end up highlighted in your favorite colors, dog-eared and full of 3M post-it notes."
I'm so pleased, I'm sharing another excerpt, from the essay Characters in Conflict.
Characters in Conflict
by Chris Eboch
A strong story needs conflict. But conflict doesn't just come from dramatic things happening. It comes from the character — what he or she needs and wants, and why he or she can't get it easily.
Let's start with a premise for a short story for children: a kid has a math test on Monday. Exciting? Not really. But ask two simple questions, and you can add conflict.
Why is it important to the character? The stakes should be high. The longer the story or novel, the higher stakes you need to sustain it. A short story character might want to win a contest; a novel character might need to save the world.Why is it difficult for the character? Difficulties can be divided into three general categories, traditionally called man versus man, man versus nature, and man versus himself. You can even have a combination of these. For example, someone may be trying to spy on some bank robbers (man versus man) during a dangerous storm (man versus nature) when he is afraid of lightning (man versus himself). For our kid with the math test, here's one example: It's important because if he doesn't pass, he'll fail the class, have to go to summer school, and not get to go to football camp, when football is what he loves most. Assuming we create a character readers like, they'll care about the outcome of this test and root for him to succeed.
Our football lover could have lots of challenges — he forgot his study book, he's expected to baby-sit, a storm knocked out the power, he has ADHD, or he suffers test anxiety. But ideally we'll relate the difficulty to the reason it's important. So let's say he has a game Sunday afternoon and is getting pressure from his coach and teammates to practice rather than study. Plus, he'd rather play football anyway.
We now have a situation full of potential tension. Let the character struggle enough before he succeeds (or fails and learns a lesson), and you'll have a story. And if these two questions can pump up a dull premise, just think what they can do with an exciting one!
Fears and Desires
As this exercise shows, conflict doesn't just come from the plot. It comes from the interaction between character and plot. You can create conflict by setting up situations which force a person to confront their fears. If someone is afraid of heights, make them go someplace high. If they're afraid of taking responsibility, force them to be in charge.
You can also create conflict by setting up situations that oppose a person's desires. Sometimes these desires are for practical things. In my middle grade mystery set in ancient Egypt, The Eyes of Pharaoh , the main character is a young temple dancer whose one goal is to win an upcoming contest. When her friend disappears, she has to decide if winning the contest is really more important than helping a friend.
A character's desires can also be more general, related to the way they want to live. In my adult romantic suspense novel, Rattled (written as Kris Bock), Erin likes her adventures safely in books. But when she finds a clue to a century-old lost treasure, she's thrust into a wilderness expedition full of dangers from wild animals, nasty humans, and nature itself. If you have a character who craves safety, put her in danger. But if she craves danger, keep her out of it.
Perhaps your character simply wants an ordinary life. In my Mayan historical novel The Well of Sacrifice , Eveningstar never dreams of being a leader or a rebel. But when her family, the government, and even the gods fail to stop the evil high priest who is trying to take over the city, she's forced to act. The reluctant hero is a staple of books and movies because it's fun to watch someone forced into a heroic role when they don't want it. (Think of Han Solo in Star Wars.)
Even with nonfiction, you can create tension by focusing on the challenges that make a person's accomplishments more impressive. In JesseOwens: Young Record Breaker (written as M. M. Eboch), I made this incredible athlete's story more powerful by focusing on all the things he had to overcome — not just racism, but also childhood health problems, poverty, and a poor education. I showed his successes and his troubles, to help the reader understand what he achieved.
Some writers start with plot ideas and then develop the character who'll face those challenges, while others start with a great character and then figure out what he or she does. Regardless, remember to work back and forth between plot and character, tying them together with conflict.