When we begin planning a novel, we might have the plot for an award-winning narrative in our head and an amazing cast of characters eager to leap onto the page. But until we know who the hero and the antagonist are when they are off duty, we don’t really know them. And until we know what they want, we have no story.
No matter what genre we write in, when we design the story, we build it around a need that must be fulfilled, a quest of some sort.
For the protagonist, the quest is the primary goal. But they must also have secrets, underlying motives not explicitly stated at the outset.
The supporting characters also have agendas, and their involvement in that storyline is affected by their personal ambitions and desires.
Our task is to ensure that each of our characters’ stories intersect seamlessly. Motivations must be clearly defined.
View original post 840 more words
Kim's Musings 