How to fix a flat protagonist before you rewrite everything
I’ve seen this issue in manuscripts so often, it has almost become routine.
The plot/situation is great. The resolution is satisfying. The protagonist is layered and interesting. But she doesn’t want anything badly enough.
The author will say: “But it’s not that kind of book. It’s character-driven. It’s about the internal journey.”
I know. That doesn’t change the problem.
Writers think “wanting something” means chasing a McGuffin. Solving a murder. Winning a competition. Saving the world.
So when I say their protagonist doesn’t want anything, they hear: “Your book needs more plot.”
That’s not what I’m saying.
I’m saying: Your character is drifting. Things happen to them. They react. They think. They feel. But they’re not driving toward anything. They’re not pulled by a need so strong they can’t stop moving toward it, even when it costs them.
That’s the problem. And it doesn’t matter if you’re writing literary fiction or a thriller. A character who doesn’t want anything is a character the reader can’t follow.
What “Wanting Something” Actually Means in Character-Driven Fiction
The ‘want’ doesn’t have to be external.
A character can want to understand why their mother never loved them. They can want to stop feeling invisible. They can want to prove to themselves they’re not a coward.
Those are internal. But they’re still wants. And they’re strong enough to drive a story if the character is willing to tear their life apart to get the answer.
The problem isn’t that your character doesn’t have external goals. The problem is they don’t have urgency. They’re thinking about their pain, but they’re not doing anything about it. They’re circling the wound without ever pressing on it hard enough to see what comes bubbling through from under it.
Sometimes, after a bit of back and forth, the writer understands. Sometimes they don’t.
But fixing it is terrifying. Because if your protagonist doesn’t want anything badly enough, you can’t just add a scene or two. You have to go back to the beginning and ask: What does this person need so desperately that the entire book is them trying to get it when the universe is making sure, they don’t?
Sometimes the answer is: I don’t know yet. Or worse: The thing they want isn’t interesting enough to sustain 300 pages.
That means reimagining the whole book. And no writer wants to hear that six months into a draft.
Here’s how to know if your protagonist wants something badly enough:
Ask yourself: If I took away the thing they want, would they stop? Would they say, “Okay, I guess that’s not happening,” and go back to their life?
If yes, they don’t want it badly enough.
A protagonist who wants something urgently can’t stop. Not because they’re stubborn. Because stopping feels like dying.
If you’re writing something right now and it feels flat, ask yourself these questions:
- What does my protagonist want?
- How far are they willing to go to get it?
- What is the emotional cost to them if they are not able to get it?
- How is the universe stopping them from getting it?
Once you answer those questions, you will ensure that the reader is gripped by the challenges they face and overcome. That will create a strong character arc, helping you deliver a satisfying resolution. Because there is no fun delivering a victory to a hero who hasn’t bled nearly to death.
What do they want badly enough that they’ll tear their life apart to get it?
If you don’t have an answer, that’s the problem. And no amount of beautiful prose or deep interiority will fix it.
These are the questions I brain-storm on with the authors I coach. If you think you’d like that too, write to me and let us talk about it.
Mother of three adult humans. An idealistic, outspoken woman of scrupulous integrity, in love with words. A storyteller who enjoys crocheting tales.
And a passionate bibliophile, of course.