A Character with No Goal is as Boring as Dry Toast

So Give Your Character a Goal (and a little bit of jelly).

We've been talking a little bit about character lately. And why not? I mean, it IS one of the four fundamentals of story. So we better know how to create a great character, right? Sometimes, that's easier said than done, though. Today, we're diving into HOW to do this.

With a couple of examples to help you, this post may be a bit longer than usual. But stick with me because it's going to really help. We're going to work backward, and then (with a completely different storyline) move forward again.

Shrek in Reverse

Okay, so let's take another look at Shrek and work backward as writer. Let's say the writer wanted to give an ogre a happy ending, a marriage to a beautiful princess. This was even hinted at in the very beginning. Shrek was using the outhouse and reading his fairytale "magazine" (as men are oft wont to do) and read the classic storybook ending. Then he laughed out loud and said, "Yeah, right, like that's ever gonna happen."

So, if the author (yes, even if it's a team of Hollywood screenwriters) wants that to be the ending, then what obstacles can get in the way? Let's say that we're able to get an ugly, stinky ogre to meet and fall in love with a beautiful princess. But we can't just let them get married even if they had to travel 100 miles to rescue her and fight a fire-breathing dragon. It's still too easy.

There has to be a low point, hence The Wall. In Shrek, The Wall is when there's a huge misunderstanding between the princess and the ogre. She decides to marry the prince since that seems to be her only option at this point. Of course, it sends Shrek into a sad funk of depression and Donkey has to step in to help out.

In order to reach The Wall, they have to actually fall in love. That's the Halfway Point. Remember, we're working backward here. In order to fall in love, they have to meet. So, how in the world is a big green ogre going to meet a princess? That is the question!

What better way to meet a princess than to have to rescue her?! I mean, it was even hinted at in the opening scene - the opening song even! So how are you going to get an ogre to rescue a princess when that's the furthest thing from his mind? He's certainly not dreaming of getting together with a princess.

Why... you make him, of course! But how? WHO is going to make an ogre do anything?! Oh my, we have a problem. We're going to have to make the ogre want to rescue the princess on his own. But why? How? He's going to have to have another problem to make him want to do something he would normally never care about.

But if he doesn't care about rescuing the princess, somebody else does. Lord Farquad wants Fiona as his princess and he simply needs someone to rescue her for him. But why would Shrek want to help somebody else? He's an ogre!

Enter the fairytale creatures infesting his swamp. SHREK WANTS HIS SWAMP BACK. But his internal need is to be loved. That's the author's goal too. When he finds out who sent them to the swamp, Shrek vows to "get his swamp back."

Thus, we have a bargaining chip. Shrek will save the princess to get his swamp back. And the character has a goal. And it's not as boring as dry toast.

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Play the "What If" Game

I know I said we would go forward after we went backward, but really going backward is the way to go forward. This time, though, I'm going to use a very unfamiliar story line. Because it's one of my very own! In order to come up with the plot, I had a character with a goal. Not a piece of dry toast with no jelly.

Once you have a goal, you can create a plot. Just keep playing "what if" and work your way backward.

The main character's name in my MG (middle grade), GLEEK, is Art Schaeffer (aka Gleek). Gleek is a video game loving, snake nerd who skates by on C's and never gets to go on any of the overnight field trips because his mom can never afford it even though she works two jobs. More than anything, he wants to go to the week-long summer camp, Snakes Alive, where he can immerse himself in all things snake-ish and generally have the time of his life.

So that's his goal. To go to Snakes Alive Camp. But clearly he knows he'll never be able to go if he relies on his mom being able to pay for it. Let's have a little Shrek moment here, "Yeah, right, like that'll ever happen."

So how could he get to go? Maybe he could win some money and pay for it himself. Maybe he could inherit a large fortune. Maybe he could start a business and earn the money to go. Maybe he could win a trip to the camp.

Okay, so if he wins a trip to Snakes Alive, how would he win it? It's a contest of some kind. Maybe he has to write an essay. Maybe he'll even get to choose which camp he goes to. What if the winner of said contest got to choose between Space Camp, Snakes Alive, Cooking School, or Race Car Heaven. What if the winner doesn't get to choose? Is it a radio contest? A community contest? A school contest?

What are Gleek's weaknesses? Well, we know he's not super smart, so perhaps it should be a school contest where he has to exhibit mental prowess to earn his way to camp. Like the school science fair. You know, make it really hard.

So if he has to win the science fair, he might have to get tutored. Or at least a little help along the way. What if he makes a really great project and he feels confident he could win. How can we make it harder?

If Gleek never had a single desire, there would be no story. Play "what if". Give your character a goal. And work backward.

Open Your Story with a Promise

The promise will likely become your character's goal. It's a hint at what's to come.

In Shrek, the promise is when he laughs and says, "Yeah, right. Like that'll ever happen."

In GLEEK, the promise is in the opening chapter when Art comments that he never wins anything. He doesn't even seem to be able to beat his new video game.

In Wonder Woman, the promise is in a memory. Of looking back to a time where she longs to feel love again. A memory of love lost. We know we're ultimately going to get a love story, even though it's a story about war.

In The Bridge to Terabithia, Jesse wants his dad to love him. He has a bunch of annoying sisters and he'd give all of them away just to have a dog. He feels invisible and like his parents don't even see him, let alone love him. This is hinted at from the actions of his family, when the dad shows Jesse's little sister favoritism. Sweet goodnights. Hugs and Twinkies in her packed lunches. The promise is that he'll find acceptance and that his dad will love him.

So, how can you hint at your own story promise? What is your character's goal? The story goal? Explore. Play "what if". Give it a go. I promise, you'll be glad you did!

Got another example of a story promise? Or an un-boring character with a goal to not have dry toast? Share in the comments!

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Loaded Potatoes and Costume Parties

How a Loaded Word Can Make a Great Theme

The other day, I was thinking about how there are a lot of loaded words out there. Words that have so much meaning attached to them that they can cause heated arguments. I'm talking about a word or phrase that has "strong positive or negative connotations beyond its ordinary definition."

Words like: love, hate, black, white, sex, race, war, food, church, God. Notice how they all happen to be single syllables too. There are more, though. Money, religion, addiction, freedom... Pretty much any number of words that carries with it strong connotations.

Loaded Potatoes

So is a loaded potato a good thing or a bad thing? Or is it even a thing at all? I know potatoes are full of carbs, but I don't care. To me, they are delicious. I can make a meal out of loaded baked potato: butter, cheese, bacon, sour cream, green onions, maybe even some broccoli and mushrooms. Potatoes can be cooked so many different ways: baked potatoes, potato au gratin, mashed potatoes, potato salad, boiled potatoes, fried potatoes, potato wedges, stuffed potatoes, and dozens more!

Words are the same way. Take "love" for example. Why do so many people hate Valentine's Day? Because they've had their hearts broken and they don't think they'll ever find love again. Is love overrated? Maybe. But probably not. We all take something different from our experiences and attach meaning to all kinds of words.

Costume Parties

When was the last time you went to a costume party? What did you dress up as? Was there a theme? Did everyone dress up in masks for the masquerade ball? Favorite book characters like a lot of kids do at school? Scary costumes for halloween with witches, goblins, vampires, and werewolves? A lot of costume parties have a theme. Not always, though. And that's okay too.

But when the parties have a theme, it's easier to feel like you fit in. I wouldn't want to accidentally dress up like a T-Rex for a fancy masquerade ball. You don't talk about certain adult topics in children's picture books, either. There's a certain expectation set for that particular age group.

Themes of Stories

Which leads me to say that books, novels, stories all have themes that we, as readers, and humans, like to explore. Themes like love, war, race, freedom, God, etc. There are plenty more themes with multiple variations of each. I'm boiling them down here to the barest of essentials in the broadest way possible.

Again, take love for example. There's forbidden love, unrequited love, love for God, for country, even for enemies. There's the love of friends and the love between lovers. And all kinds of other statements about love for everything in between.

My point is that when you hear a loaded word, jot it down in your journal. And the next time you get invited to a costume party, you may just find a new character who can explore that theme for your next book.

What will you dress up as? (Halloween's right around the corner...) Share in the comments!

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How to Use a Story's End to Help You Write the Beginning

Character Goals Are Evident From the Very Beginning

When you enter a race, what's the goal? To finish, to get a certain time, or to win? It could be any or all of these. But if you enter the race, you're going to have a goal.

Same thing with a novel. Your character has to have a goal. There are both needs and wants. There are character goals and story goals. Sometimes it may be one in the same, but usually not. In Wonder Woman, she wanted to end the war, but she needed to find love. Ending the war was the story goal - the want. Finding love was the character goal - the need.

The Character Goal vs. Need

Start with the end in mind! In Wonder Woman, Diana wanted to end the war. Since that was going to be the end, we know that she had to be challenged in the beginning - with her questions about who she was and who her father was. She spent her whole life training physically as a warrior. That was her status quo. Fighting. It was part of who she was and part of how she would be able to reach the end.

But ultimately, she also had to find love to truly end the war. It was what gave her the real inner strength to end the war of all wars. It was what was needed to help her grow.

Your Character Needs to Have a Goal

If your main character's goal it to feel loved, then you also need a story goal. Feeling loved is the character's need. The story goal then becomes the character's want. What is your character good at? Bad at? How could your MC be challenged? What would they succeed in?

In Moana, the story goal was to save her village and restore health to the island. That is what Moana wanted to do. When she "Gunshot" happened, she set off into the ocean to obtain her goal - her want.

But Moana also had a need. She needed to find her own identity. This need was the character goal. When she became humble enough to listen to her grandmother and her own heart, she discovered who she truly was and what she was capable of becoming - a master Wayfinder. This is what she needed to reach her goal, the story goal, of restoring the heart Te Fiti, so that her village could have fish again and thrive once more.

Your Character Dictates the Plot

The four fundamentals of a novel are character, plot, conflict, and theme. The character is what all the other elements hinge from. The characters actions and reactions dictate the plot. The wants, needs, and goals dictate the conflict, and the ending - how all the conflict is resolved - dictates the theme based on the character's needs and wants and how he or she changed in order to reach those goals.

Ask yourself the following questions.

1. What does my character want? (This is the story goal.)
2. What does my character need to do or change in order to reach the want? (This is the character goal, which they probably don't realize.)
3. How can my character be challenged to make reaching the want harder? (This is the conflict.)
4. What will my character learn as a result of fulfilling the need? (This is the theme.)

You might also like: The Only 5 Plot Points You Need to Start Writing Your Novel, Stop Researching and Start Writing, or From Idea to Novel: How to Write Your 1st Novel.  

What is YOUR MC's want (story goal)? Share in the comments!

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How to Plot Your Novel's First Plot Point

5 Popular Examples of the Signup

The Signup is also known as the catalyst or the inciting incident. It's when the main character encounters an event that begins the story. Without this particular event, the story would never have happened. If your friend never signed you up for the local 5k, you wouldn't have run in it. That's the Signup.

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

The inciting incident, catalyst, or Signup of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark is when the U.S. government informs Indiana Jones that the Nazis are seeking the Ark of the Covenant in Cairo and they ask him to go after it himself. He never would have if they didn't ask him to, but especially since the Nazis were hunting it too.

Anastasia

The first plot point (The Signup) of Anastasia is when Anya is 8 years old at the ball, and the evil Sorcerer, Rasputin, arrives interrupting the celebration. The story then cuts to 10 years later.

The Bourne Identity

The first essential plot point of The Bourne Identity is when Jason Bourne discovers his IDs at the Zurich bank and realizes he has no memory of his an entire past life.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence

The first plot point in A.I. is when a humanoid robot named David (a Mecha prototype) is given to Henry and Monica Swinton when their son, Martin, contracts a rare disease.

Hotel Transylvania

The Signup of the popular children's movie, Hotel Transylvania, is when the human, Jonathan, is on a hike and accidentally discovers the monster hotel. If he hadn't discovered it, the movie would never have started.

You might also like: The Only 5 Plot Points You Need to Outline Your Novel, How to Plot Your Novel with a Movie Soundtrack, or The Shape of a Story.

What's the Signup of a book or movie you have recently read or watched? Share in the comments!

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Plot Arc Summary of Wonder Woman, the Amazon Princess

Plot Arc Library Movie Outline

Sometimes plot seems so very simple. And other times, it eludes us. Plot is merely the events of what has happened in a story. It goes hand-in-hand with the characters, conflict, and the theme. These four things together make up a story. But a plot structure, the story arc, can sometimes be hard to understand. That's why it helps to look at examples. Today's Plot Arc Library installment and plot structure example is Wonder Woman, the story of the Amazon princess. Below, you'll find the 5 main plot points.

The Signup

If the German war plane had never crashed into the ocean through the forcefield surrounding the Amazon warriors, Diana would never have known about the war and she would not have left her island home. Without this plot point, the story would never have started.

The Gunshot

Just like the runners in a race take off running when the gun fires, Diana embarks on her own journey to help end the war when she sets sail on the boat with the American spy soldier, Steve Trevor.

The Halfway Point

This plot point finds Diana fighting alone as she crosses No Man's Land and captures the enemy trench. Steve and Diana share a kiss.

The Wall

This is the deepest darkest moment, the abyss. Diana's "wall" is when Steve hijacks the bomber with the poison and sacrifices himself to save everyone else.

The Finish Line

Diana's memory of Steve helps her realize that people have good inside themselves and she continues fighting until the war ends.

For more plot summaries, check out Ferris Bueller's Day Off, My Girl 2, Jurassic Park, or Shrek.

What's your favorite superhero movie? Share in the comments!

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How to Get Out of a Writing Rut

...and Tap Into Your Muse

It happens. We all get into a bit of a funk from time to time. It's easy to feel blah and have no drive. Life is hard...

What is this?!?! I'm supposed to be encouraging and inspiring you! Not opening the jar of darkness and letting negativity in.

But it's true. Most of us live busy lives. Jobs. Children. Family. Chores. Community. Church. You gotta walk the dog, check homework, wash the dirty dishes from the cake you just baked, mow the yard, do the laundry, take a meal to your neighbor who just got home from the hospital, pick up the living room, vacuum the house, get your oil changed, put air in the tires, de-wrinkle the clothes in the dryer - again, organize your bookshelves, pay the bills, do your nails, give your son a haircut, go school shopping, buy a new pitch fork for your compost pile, drive your husband to the dealership, email the lawyer, email 20 other people, go for a run, and remember to drink plenty of water.

You think there's any time left for writing?

I get it. Sometimes it feels like there's not enough time in the day. Sometimes there is and sometimes there isn't.

Start Small

While this isn't exactly what I'd call Writer's Block, it's getting pretty close.

Commit to just 10 minutes. It's long enough to write a page. And if you write a page, you'll feel inspired to want to write another page the next day. And the next day and the next day. If you don't know what to write about, then just write nonsense.

Write about the mundane things of your day. Describe your living room. Explain to someone how to make your favorite meal. Write a fake letter you could never mail. Just 10 minutes. Start small and invite the Muse by actually writing. Anything at all...

Find Pleasure in the Little Things

This past Sunday, my family and I drove around the neighborhood looking for all the sunflower fields. I've lived here for 13 years and not once have I ever noticed a single field of sunflowers. And suddenly there's a dozen!!! Almost overnight fields of sunflowers popped up spontaneously. How did this happen? I allowed myself to be captured by the wonder and curiosity of a child.

We drove around trying to find as many fields as possible. Questions arose. How did this happen? Who planted them? Why? Does one single person own all this land in random lots? Is there some kind of secret gardening society I don't know about? It can't possibly be coincidence. Did a flock of birds make it happen? Did an airplane have a malfunction and drop a shipment of sunflower seeds over western North Carolina?

My pleasure in admiring this flower predestined for a sunny disposition led me to ride around the neighborhood looking for evidence of more? I smile (and wonder in amazement) when I think about it. And if anyone knows what happened... PLEASE let me know!!!

Push Through It and Do It Anyway

So you're tired. You just don't FEEL like writing today. I totally get it. But you know what? Once you get started, you'll liven up. You'll wake up. You'll feel the (pencil) lead running through your veins. The Muse will take hold and guide you to the next field of sunflowers if you let it.

But you have to be willing. You have to decide to write. Even if you don't want to. Start small. Find something to make you smile. And then start writing. The Muse will come. I promise. It did for me and it will for you.

Got a solution for my sunflower quandary? I'm all ears!

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Plot Synopsis of Shrek

Shrek, Donkey, and Princess Fiona on a Whirlwind Adventure

The very beginning of Shrek introduces the fairytale: a princess is locked in the highest tower of the tallest castle, far far away. She must stay there and wait for her prince charming to rescue her with a true love's first kiss. Shrek laughs. "Yeah right, like that's ever gonna happen." But yet it does. Read on...

The Signup

The point that begins the story is when Shrek inadvertently helps Donkey out by scaring off the soldiers who are chasing Donkey. Donkey then becomes a loyal friend and follows Shrek... everywhere! If Donkey didn't follow Shrek home, Shrek wouldn't have had anyone to take him to Duloc to find Lord Farquad.

The Gunshot

The second plot point of Shrek is when he and Donkey set off to find Lord Farquad in Duloc to get his land back and send all the fairy tale creatures back to where they came from. The adventure begins.

The Halfway Point

The Halfway Point aka midpoint, is when Shrek and Princess Fiona begin to like each other. It's a high point in the story.

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The Wall

And now we get the low point. When Princess Fiona accepts Lord Farquad's proposal to marry him, after which everyone is sad and lonely. Donkey is all alone. Shrek is sad. Fiona is lonely. Even the Dragon is sad. It seems as though there is no way to find happiness.

The Finish Line

But yet, happiness finds a way! Donkey and Dragon plot up a scheme -- so long as Donkey can convince Shrek to get on board with the plan -- to get the Princess back into Shrek's life, since they were "obviously" meant to be together. The Finish Line is when Shrek and Fiona marry each other and kiss to get their "happily ever after."

You might also like: Wonder Woman, My Girl 2, or Jurassic Park.

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO PLOT YOUR NOVEL

What's your favorite Shrek scene? Share in the comments!

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You Know You're a Writer Who Runs [6 of 10]

When You Plan Your Vacations

You know you're a runner when you plan your vacations around an upcoming race.

You know you're a writer when you plan your vacations around a writing conference or retreat.

You know you're a writer who runs when you do both!

The Story Behind Writers Who Run

In 2014, this was me. I was listening to an interview on a podcast about portable businesses and how much she loved traveling the world in her wanderlust nature. It was then that I realized the only time I ever traveled was to go to a race or to attend a writing event.

That's when the idea for a retreat for writers and runners was born. The Writers Who Run Retreat.

Racing for Runners is Like a Social Event for Introverts

Some people run for the sheer joy of it. Some people run even though they hate it. Some people prefer the companionship of others when they run. No matter your poison, it's your choice to partake. You can't not run. It's in your blood, part of your DNA, for whatever reason. Love it or hate it, you're a runner.

I for one, love it. I would love to incorporate more "running for the sheer joy of it" into my life. But there are only so many hours in the day, two of which are spent driving. If there was a way I could run and drive at the same time, I would do it. Anyone want to become a millionaire? Bottle that idea up!

I tend to run just to train for races. I love racing. I'm slow and I rarely place (it's happened twice - they were very small races), but I love the adrenaline rush a race offers me. If you love to run and you've never entered a race, do it once. The bigger the better - unless you have a fear of crowds.

Writers Need Other Writers

Writers are just as odd as runners. What's even more unique is when you find the two inside the same human being. A writer who runs. There's a Facebook group for that.

When writers go to writing events such as workshops, conferences, and retreats, they are being brave. What if they have never shown their work to anyone else before? What if they have never admitted to anyone that they even like to write?

Writers going to a conference for FUN are also bold. They are saying that they are serious about their writing. That they have something to say to the world and they want help to make their writing the best that it can possibly be.

We need other writers. To read their words. To hear their advice. To talk to and brainstorm with. To network and encourage and inspire one another.
If you're proud to be a writer, give me a "HOO-RA!"
Leave a comment and shout it out to the world! HOO-RA!

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