To Save the World!
My last two posts were about the villain of your story and the antagonist(s) of your story. I wrote about how these should connect in some way to your protagonist.
Today, I'll blog about connecting your characters together through their goals...
GOAL!!
Before you introduce your character to the reader, he/she/it already has a goal. This is their short term goal that preexists before your story begins. Think of your protagonist standing on stage and the curtain opens in the middle of an action. What is your character doing and why?
I recently saw an excellent example of this in the Netflix show, "Black Mirror: Hang the DJ." In this episode, we meet the protagonist(s) and are shown that their short term goal is to find love. All this was done by showing the viewers during a first date that was set up using an online dating app.
Think of your story. What is the short-term goal of your protagonist that you will show your readers at the beginning of the story?
In my book, "The Children Under the Ice," I show my readers that my 12 year old protagonist wants to impress people with his writing because he wants to be a journalist some day. What does your hero/heroine want to do or be?
I'll give you a good example that one writer gave those of us attending his workshop: At the start of his story, we meet a 6th grade boy who longs to win the science fair that year.
See how simple it is? The short-term goal doesn't have to be that complicated. It can be as simple as earning an A on an exam, scoring a touchdown in the game, being cast as the lead in the play. But this goal must exist before we meet your protagonist. Why? Because it helps your story begin right in the middle of some action. Maybe your protagonist is explaining her goal to her best friend, who laughs her off. Or maybe he's showing his dad his essay and his dad scoffs at his writing. Or, maybe your hero just got kicked off the football team right at the beginning of chapter one.
Readers don't want long explanations anymore. In this day and age, they want immediate action to grab their attention and draw them into the story. By making the short-term goal preexisting, you lower the risk of slowing down the reader.
Save the World!
Next, you'll need to reveal the long term goal which is caused by the Inciting Incident. That's the staggering incident that forever changes your character's life and sets them on a new trajectory toward a different goal:
The 6th grade boy, who wants to win the science fair, overhears on the news broadcast that an asteroid is hurtling toward earth, threatening to destroy the earth. NASA is asking for help on how to stop the asteroid from hitting the earth. Now the 6th grade boy wants to help find a way to stop that asteroid!
As you can see, the inciting incident must be so profound and staggering, that it affects more than just the hero. The stakes are raised and changes everything. Think of your story. Does your inciting incident change your hero/heroine's goal? It should.
The long term goal must connect to the character in such a way as to reveal character attributes to your reader. Remember the boy who got kicked off the football team? When he returned home that day, his father beat him and orders him to beg the coach to let him back on the team. Now the boy's goal isn't to score a touchdown, but to escape his abusive father.
The inciting incident must raise the stakes and create a long term goal that connects to your character on a deeper level than the short term goal. This is what draws in your readers and makes them care about your hero/heroine. They want to care, so make them!
The Villain
We must revisit the villain of your story next. Why? Because the goals of your protagonist must connect in some way to the villain.
The 6th grade boy who wants to win the science fair? Well, he loses year after year to the class bully who cheats with the help of his father. The bully also wants to find a way to stop the asteroid, but only to win the $1 million reward. Who will get there first?
The football player who wants to escape his abusive father? The rival running back hates him and vows to make sure he never makes the team so he kills the abusive father, pinning the crime on the son.
Think of your villain. What is his/her/its short term goal? How is it connected to your protagonist? Now, think of the long term goal you have for your protagonist. Does it connect to your villain? It should.
In the Harry Potter books, we saw how Harry and Voldemort's goals were connected through Harry's mother. In Star Wars, we see how Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader's goals were almost the same: destroy the Emperor. In my Dragon Forest trilogy, both Prince Peter and the evil Lord Bedlam are connected through the Dragon of the forest.
By making these connections, your reader becomes invested in the story. They want to see who will reach that goal first. Which boy will come up with the idea to stop that asteroid?
The goals of your character help move the plot forward. Make sure your character's goals are attainable, yet interesting. The protagonist doesn't have to succeed in reaching those goals, that's up to you. Just make sure the ending is satisfying to the reader.
When creating long term goals, raise the stakes! That's what makes your story a page turner. Your readers want to know what happens and who wins. Who will save the world?!
Happy writing!
Today, I'll blog about connecting your characters together through their goals...
GOAL!!
Before you introduce your character to the reader, he/she/it already has a goal. This is their short term goal that preexists before your story begins. Think of your protagonist standing on stage and the curtain opens in the middle of an action. What is your character doing and why?
I recently saw an excellent example of this in the Netflix show, "Black Mirror: Hang the DJ." In this episode, we meet the protagonist(s) and are shown that their short term goal is to find love. All this was done by showing the viewers during a first date that was set up using an online dating app.
Think of your story. What is the short-term goal of your protagonist that you will show your readers at the beginning of the story?
In my book, "The Children Under the Ice," I show my readers that my 12 year old protagonist wants to impress people with his writing because he wants to be a journalist some day. What does your hero/heroine want to do or be?
I'll give you a good example that one writer gave those of us attending his workshop: At the start of his story, we meet a 6th grade boy who longs to win the science fair that year.
See how simple it is? The short-term goal doesn't have to be that complicated. It can be as simple as earning an A on an exam, scoring a touchdown in the game, being cast as the lead in the play. But this goal must exist before we meet your protagonist. Why? Because it helps your story begin right in the middle of some action. Maybe your protagonist is explaining her goal to her best friend, who laughs her off. Or maybe he's showing his dad his essay and his dad scoffs at his writing. Or, maybe your hero just got kicked off the football team right at the beginning of chapter one.
Readers don't want long explanations anymore. In this day and age, they want immediate action to grab their attention and draw them into the story. By making the short-term goal preexisting, you lower the risk of slowing down the reader.
Save the World!
Next, you'll need to reveal the long term goal which is caused by the Inciting Incident. That's the staggering incident that forever changes your character's life and sets them on a new trajectory toward a different goal:
The 6th grade boy, who wants to win the science fair, overhears on the news broadcast that an asteroid is hurtling toward earth, threatening to destroy the earth. NASA is asking for help on how to stop the asteroid from hitting the earth. Now the 6th grade boy wants to help find a way to stop that asteroid!
As you can see, the inciting incident must be so profound and staggering, that it affects more than just the hero. The stakes are raised and changes everything. Think of your story. Does your inciting incident change your hero/heroine's goal? It should.
The long term goal must connect to the character in such a way as to reveal character attributes to your reader. Remember the boy who got kicked off the football team? When he returned home that day, his father beat him and orders him to beg the coach to let him back on the team. Now the boy's goal isn't to score a touchdown, but to escape his abusive father.
The inciting incident must raise the stakes and create a long term goal that connects to your character on a deeper level than the short term goal. This is what draws in your readers and makes them care about your hero/heroine. They want to care, so make them!
The Villain
We must revisit the villain of your story next. Why? Because the goals of your protagonist must connect in some way to the villain.
The 6th grade boy who wants to win the science fair? Well, he loses year after year to the class bully who cheats with the help of his father. The bully also wants to find a way to stop the asteroid, but only to win the $1 million reward. Who will get there first?
The football player who wants to escape his abusive father? The rival running back hates him and vows to make sure he never makes the team so he kills the abusive father, pinning the crime on the son.
Think of your villain. What is his/her/its short term goal? How is it connected to your protagonist? Now, think of the long term goal you have for your protagonist. Does it connect to your villain? It should.
In the Harry Potter books, we saw how Harry and Voldemort's goals were connected through Harry's mother. In Star Wars, we see how Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader's goals were almost the same: destroy the Emperor. In my Dragon Forest trilogy, both Prince Peter and the evil Lord Bedlam are connected through the Dragon of the forest.
By making these connections, your reader becomes invested in the story. They want to see who will reach that goal first. Which boy will come up with the idea to stop that asteroid?
The goals of your character help move the plot forward. Make sure your character's goals are attainable, yet interesting. The protagonist doesn't have to succeed in reaching those goals, that's up to you. Just make sure the ending is satisfying to the reader.
When creating long term goals, raise the stakes! That's what makes your story a page turner. Your readers want to know what happens and who wins. Who will save the world?!
Happy writing!
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