I'll Tell You What I Want, What I Really Really Want . . .

[anicalewis]

You know one piece of writing advice I see all the time? It's that one that says that your protagonist must have a clear goal that s/he desperately desires, and the conflict must come from obstacles between her/him and that goal.

To that I say: Maybe.

Honestly, I've seen this particular nugget everywhere. I saw it again today, in this article

Comments

[magic_7_words]

Excellent points. I couldn't help but notice during my writing-workshop days that the closer my classmates and I got to writing "active" protagonists of which our professor approved, the more our protagonists tended to lie, sneak, and use others for less-than-noble ends. To be interesting, a character needs to do things readers wouldn't normally do. To be active, she needs to CAUSE those things rather than reacting to an abnormal situation someone else has set up for her. But guess what: if she's in a normal situation contemplating something most people would never do, there's probably a good reason they avoid it. She therefore has to be either stupid (generally not a good writing decision) or a little immoral, to go for it anyway

[anicalewis]

Good point re: there often being reasons why a normal person wouldn't do things an active protagonist does. Makes sense to me.

[toastedcheese]

Lizzie Bennett is interesting. People of the last few generations have been socialized to have goals, improve their lives, and overcome obstacles

[toastedcheese]

Ha, I just understood your title. :)