“What does your character want?” Have you ever come up against that question and felt stumped? I have. I can have a good sense of a character, and their story, and still find it hard to articulate what it is that they ‘want’.
Do your characters need to have clearly defined desires? How can you work out what your character wants? Can a story work with an apathetic main character? Let’s chat!
How important are clear character wants in a story?
This isn’t a question with a straightforward answer. The importance of character wants in your specific story will depend on what’s driving it. However, regardless of what the driving force is for your novel, it’s worth at least considering what your characters are looking for.
In most cases, having clearly defined desires for your characters is going to be important to at least some extent. In many novels, where characters are responsible for moving the plot forwards, your readers need to have a sense of why they’re taking those actions and making those decisions. Having clear wants is a component of good character development, it helps readers to understand the characters and get invested in what they’re doing.
In theory, you could write a whole story without having a clear sense of what your character desires. But I think, in most cases at least, having a firm understanding of your characters’ desires helps you to write them better. It allows you to write them more consistently, and informs their reactions to different obstacles and events that might come up throughout the plot.
For more on character motivations, check out this post.
How can you work out what a character wants?
You might be able to work it out from getting to know your character better. This can come from putting them in different scenarios, and trying to figure out what motivates them to make the choices they do. If you have a clear sense of your character, but haven’t yet been able to put their desires into words, this might work for you.
If you know your plot well, that can also be a way to figure out what your character wants. Look at where your story ends, and what’s changed between the start and that final point. How do your character’s actions affect that outcome? Have they achieved something they were working towards, or has something happened despite their best efforts? That can help you hone in on what your character is looking for.
Can you have a story where a character doesn’t want anything?
First and foremost, any time you ask “Can I write a story where…” the answer is probably yes. A qualified yes, but ultimately a yes. Partly because it’s your story, and you don’t need permission to write whatever you like! But also because, with sufficient effort and attention, you can probably manage to make anything compelling.
Probably.
The tricky part is working out how you’re going to move your plot forwards, if it isn’t because a character is chasing something they want or need. If they’re just shunted from place to place by fate, how will you make that a compelling story? And can you find a way to help readers identify with a character who doesn’t have any particular wants?
What your character wants doesn’t have to be complicated or earth-shattering. They may want to return to a simpler life, or achieve some small success. They might want to avoid conflict, or become part of a specific community. You can spin plot out of almost any desire, but you may have a hard time constructing a story in the complete absence of character wants.
What are your thoughts on character desires in stories?
Do you find it easy to find out what your characters are after, or do you struggle to pin it down? If you have any tips, share them in the comments!
Like What You See?
Join my mailing list to receive monthly writing advice and book recommendations! You should receive a confirmation email shortly after signing up.