Your Next Draft How to Identify Your Protagonist's Want and Need (And Why Those Matter to Your Plot)
Two simple questions to ensure your character development drives your plot.
Every time I edit a novel, I ask two questions about the protagonist. They’re deceptively simple questions, but they reveal so much about the character.
More than that, they reveal how the story should end.
In other words, these two questions are the keys to:
. . . your character development,
. . . your climax,
. . . and your resolution.
In this episode, I’ll walk you through these essential questions:
What does your character want?
And what does your character need?
You’ll learn:
- Where to find your character’s want and need in your story (hint: one is clear at the beginning, and one is clear at the end)
- How to combine the want and need for an amazing climax
- 5 tips to find YOUR protagonist’s want and need
- Why these questions are perfect for the editing process AND when you’re writing your first draft
- And more!
Plus, I’ll show you an example of character wants and needs at play in a fantastic novel: The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik. It’s a perfect illustration of how these questions impact character development and plot.
How about your story? What does your protagonist want? And what do they need
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Get the Character Arc Worksheet: alicesudlow.com/characterworksheet
- Ep. 18: 2 Essential Questions to Craft a Compelling Character Arc
- THE LAST GRADUATE by Naomi Novik
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