Revealing your character's story goals helps you to create more challenging obstacles against them and more powerful conflict.
1 Revealing Question You Can Ask to Find Your Character's Story Goals
By Matthew L. Hart
Writer & Humorist
Author of:
Uncle Matty's Halloween: Jokes, Bits & Anecdotes
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
- Abraham Lincoln
On my journey to becoming a Master Storyteller, I've noticed just how difficult it is for me to create challenging obstacles against my Protagonist.
You may have had this same problem. But, I think I've solved it!
Over the course of late night writing marathons and several gallons of coffee, I have found I can make it easier for myself, and make things harder for my characters, once I've clearly identified what my character's story goals are by answering this 1 revealing question.
I hope it helps you find your character's story goals, too.
Your character's outer story goal is the reason they want to read your story. Your character's inner story goal is what the reader will take away from having read your story.
You may have had this same problem. But, I think I've solved it!
Over the course of late night writing marathons and several gallons of coffee, I have found I can make it easier for myself, and make things harder for my characters, once I've clearly identified what my character's story goals are by answering this 1 revealing question.
I hope it helps you find your character's story goals, too.
Here is the 1 Revealing Question You Can Ask to Find Your Character's Story Goals
THE ONLY QUESTION YOU NEED TO ASK IS: What does my character think they need to make them happy, right now?
This question reveals the outer character's story goal and hints at the inner character's story goal.
The outer character story goal, or "A" Story, is something that the character (Protagonist) wants to have, or do, but thinks they actually need, to make them happy, right now.
The inner character's story goal, or theme, is what the Protagonist actually needs to become truely happy. It's what the story is "really" about.
The want in the "A" Story, should be disguised as a need to the Protagonist, so they will throw all their ambition towards attaining it. Even better if it is high risk and a detriment to themselves or others around them.
The Protagonist will do whatever it takes to get that car, that promotion, that super model, or rescue that kitten. Even if it means compromising their personal values.
Now, my goal as the author is to use what the Protagonist wants as a trap to give them what they actually need.
Pretty twisted, right? Kind of puts religion into perspective.
As the author, I don't want to give my Protagonist what they want because, what they want is actually going to be bad for them.
Use the seven deadly sins as a model for your outer character story goal. Envy, gluttony, greed, lust, pride, sloth, and wrath.
For Example:
There is a child. (Protagonist)
There is a parent. (Antagonist)
The child's story goal is to eat candy for breakfast. (gluttony)
The parent's story goal is to keep the child healthy.
So, the parent will do everything in their power to prevent the child from eating the candy for breakfast.
The parent will:
- hide the candy in a cabinet, up high out of the child's sight and reach.
- Put up a baby gate to block the child's entry into the kitchen.
- Even put them in a playpen and
- hire a babysitter to watch their every move.
"Try as they might, the child will never get to eat that candy for breakfast!"
But, the child will do whatever it takes to eat that candy for breakfast.
- They will see their chance to escape when the cat breaks something in another room and the babysitter is distracted.
- They'll make a rope out of their bedding and climb out of the playpen.
- Use the bouncy chair to knock down the baby gate and
- catapult themselves onto the counter.
- where they'll open the cabinet, and access the candy.
At this point, there are three endings possible.
- The babysitter catches the child right before they eat the candy. (foiled)
- The child falls off the counter, bumps their head and realizes that the candy wasn't worth it after all. (fails)
- Or, the child gets the candy, eats it for breakfast and feels sick. Only to discover that the candy wasn't what they hoped it would be. (succeeds)
Ultimately, no matter which ending the story takes, and because I'm a benevolent author, the child will be getting oatmeal for breakfast. We will all feel satisfied because eating oatmeal for breakfast will give the child the greatest, long-term, positive growth.
Think of your reader.
Hopefully this 1 revealing question you can ask to find your character's story goals will help you to write better obstacles against your Protagonist.
Which one of the seven deadly sins do you find yourself writing the most about?
SHARE YOUR BEST OBSTACLES CAUSED BY YOUR FAVORITE DEADLY SIN IN THE COMMENTS BELOW
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