Are your characters making enough of their own decisions? Make your characters capable!
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If they aren’t, there’s a good chance your plot may be pretty flat. Instead of all the side characters (the mentor, the friend, the sibling) making decisions for them, make sure your main character can hold themself up. Characters fuel our stories, so it’s important they make decisions that put their goals and others’ goals at stake. Readers see first-hand who your character really is and what their morals are.
You should think about what your characters can do to screw themselves over... and then do that! Sometimes the worst thing to happen to your character can make for the most interesting plot. Make them choose between one and two as early on as possible in your story.
Need a new plot point? Make your characters make a bad decision. This will probably open up a whole series of things your characters could do, and even point your story to a few different endings.
Try using an if/then outline. “If my character does this, then it will lead to so and so happening later in the story...”
Instead of showing your characters making this decision, get them to a place where they can work through their feelings. Don’t make them explain their plan to their friend. Make them act on a whim! Doing so will show readers that your character’s choices and actions have a line that can or won’t be crossed.
All of your characters should interact with the plot, especially your main character. They need to be the main driving force of the story. Otherwise, there’s a good chance that readers won’t feel connected to them or care about them.
Here are some ideas of decisions your characters could make:
fight or flight (fight the battle or run to keep themselves safe)
trusting a stranger to get the job done
traveling to a new destination
build relationships with others
put convictions/morals to the test
Don’t go writing a passive character. They’re super boring. Make your characters capable.