Working out your Characters’ Goals

By georgelthomas on 16 Jan 2024 • ( 5 )

Hi everyone! I hope you’re all well. Today, I’ll examine how you can figure out your characters’ goals and how goals make your characters more believable and your story more interesting.

Working out your Characters’ Goals

Writing a compelling story is much more than just putting words on paper- it requires careful planning and the development of strong characters with meaningful goals. The characters’ goals hold the key to their motivation and drive, ultimately shaping the course of the entire story. Crafting realistic and attainable goals is crucial in creating well-rounded and relatable characters.

Pre Writing
It is a good idea to work out your character goals before you start writing because it helps you, as the writer, get to know your characters and establish who they are as individuals. What do they want? What motivates them? Knowing the answers to these questions can help tighten your narrative and make it more focused. It can also help you keep your story moving in the right direction without meandering off in an unintentional direction.

So, how do you go about deciding on your characters’ goals?

Here are several tips to bear in mind:

Start with the Basics
What does your character want? Is there something they’re trying to achieve or obtain? This can be something tangible (like a job or a relationship) or a more abstract goal (like happiness or fulfilment). Whatever it is, ensure that it’s specific and clear.

Consider your Character’s Motivations
Why does your character want what they want? What drives them to pursue this goal? Knowing this can help you create a more nuanced and well-rounded character.

Think About the Barriers your Character will Face
What challenges will your character encounter on their way to attaining their goal? This will help add conflict to your story, creating opportunities for character growth and development.

Establish a Sense of Urgency
Why does your character need to achieve their goal now rather than later? This will help build tension and create urgency, keeping readers invested in your story.

Once you have a fixed idea of your characters’ goals, weave them into your story as naturally as possible. Show your characters actively trying to attain their goals, and make sure that the barriers they encounter challenge them. This way, you’ll tell a more engaging and memorable story. If you merely list all your characters’ goals the moment we’re introduced to them, there’ll be no intrigue left, and the reader will be less likely to connect with them. It’s much better if your readers can see the characters attempt to achieve their goals and fail a couple of times. Not only is it more realistic, but it helps readers to form a connection to the character and root for them.

Well, I hope you found that helpful!

Thank you very much, as ever, for reading my post. It really means the world.

Until next time,

George