How to develop beyond "generic good guy" character type?

I'll be honest, developing characters have never been one of my strengths. This story especially is a challenge, because I'm expanding what used to be a short story into a full-fledged novel and have to put more thought into it than I had originally intended. Part of that is my MC and his personality and motivations.

My MC literally has zero personality or personal motivations. He just "wants to help" - that's all I've come up with so far, and it sucks. Granted, my story involves a major nationwide catastrophe, so help is desperately needed and there's plenty of ways he can assist, but... why? I don't know why. What, because he sees how messed up everything is and feels bad for the people affected? Yeah, that's still not an answer. Because he admires the work his older brother does (USAF) who later dies in a plane crash and my MC feels as if he needs to replace him? Getting there, but still nowhere close to an actual motivation. When you get right down to it, you can sum it all up as "Why does he want to help people after this disaster?" -- "Because that's just who he is."

It all seems too preachy, too altruistic, too perfect to be believable. Let's just face it, most people are naturally selfish, it's a survival mechanism, there's probably not a ton of people lining up to put themselves in danger just to help a bunch of random strangers they've never met and will never meet again. My MC, as he is currently, is an unbelievable Mary Sue who thinks he's better than you. It's not realistic, and it's not the type of character anyone can empathize with or even like.

I'm at a loss, I'm not sure how to develop him into a realistic human person and not just a generic cardboard cutout with a "Superman" symbol slapped across his chest (figuratively speaking of course).

 

Does he have to be a good guy? Can he be somebody selfish who thinks that he'll be better off by doing good stuff?

I'm not suggesting the selfish, necessarily. But my answers would be different in the two different cases.

And in what way do you need him to assist? The details might help with your question.

 

After the attacks he joins a FEMA volunteer corps, similar in concept and function to a community emergency response team - basically, they go through a 5-week or so basic training course and then get deployed to the affected areas in a support role to assist the professionals, who have been overwhelmed by the workload. General tasks include searching for survivors and deceased, light search and rescue, moving the injured to triage centers, recording names and info of survivors, security at refugee shelters, distributing food and water, etc. Basic low-level stuff that you don't really need career experts for, that way the career experts can do bigger things.

 

Do you know any people who are altruistic, who do good things for whatever reason? Maybe they are animal rights people, who volunteer at animal shelters. Or people who volunteer to help the aged, etc? Or help the homeless, or disabled, or suddenly financially bereft? Or sick, or helpless in any way? Or somebody who volunteers for a neighbourhood organisation? Or somebody who has worked for disaster relief?

If you know any of these kinds of people, get them into a conversation. Ask them what motivated them to do this kind of unpaid work.

Even if you don't know any of these people at the moment, you could seek them out. And again, explain what you're doing and ask them for their take on the issue. What got them to actually volunteer? There might be a spark of insight there that could help you.

 

Keep in mind, you're not looking for why the volunteers sympathise with a cause. (Lots of us sympathise with causes, and maybe even donate to them. But we sit on our arses at home and let others do the work.) What you're looking for is why this individual got off his arse.

 

Good suggestions, @jannert. I'll try to seek out some people with experience in this field

I think I could use his brother to help inspire him a little (at least until his death). His brother is serving in the Air Force and frequently calls home to tell of his latest adventures in nation rebuilding. I could use the older brother's influence as part of my MC's inspiration, but I don't really think that alone would be enough, would it?

 

I'm still curious about whether you need him to be a good guy, or you just need him to help and assume that means he has to be a good guy?

For example, if this is a very dangerous, uncertain situation, maybe working for FEMA would be one of the safer places to be.

 

Interview firefighters. On a recent flight I sat next to a firefighter who was on his way home from a short vacation after spending four straight days fighting the largest wildfire in Los Angeles history. Let that sink in a moment:Four. Straight. Days. The temperature, without the fire, was in the 100's. When we flew over the burn area (a week or so after the fire was out), it didn't even look like California.

I think of superhero types such as your character as having the same mentality as a firefighter or a member of a search and rescue team.

 

What kind of book are you writing? Action/adventure? What is the nature of the emergency? An act of god? Some sort of attack(alien, terrorist, nation)? Maybe he was a member of some fringe group that claimed that they would 'bring down the nation'. Then, the disaster occurs and he realizes his group was responsible and these guys are really serious. Now, he has to stop them. That's just one idea.

 

I see what you mean, but not in the situation as I've developed it - the area where he lives has survived fairly well, his family is still alive, and things are overall pretty safe in the area he comes from. Aside from his brother and his curiosity about post-nuclear America, I'm not sure what could really inspire him and push him to leave all that behind.

That's a good point. I have already established a sense of service in his family, with his older brother and uncle having served in the military. Perhaps a natural inclination to service runs in his family? Eh, possibly, but that still sounds a bit weak IMHO... I'm missing something here but I'm not sure what.

Drama/adventure. There's been a limited nuclear exchange between the US and Russia. My MC is a teenager whose life is derailed by the attacks and must figure out what he wants to do, and ultimately decides he wants to have a role in rebuilding the nation. The "why" of it is what I'm working on.

 

Maybe pulling something from this would help. Years ago I remember reading about a philosophy that says the thought behind every action comes from either a loving thought, or a fearful thought.

So, deep in his soul, what does he fear? I don't mean surface stuff like nuclear war (not that that's not important). Go deeper. Abandonment, maybe? Being alone? Is he motivated by fear of rejection in that in his family's eyes he could never measure up to his dead brother? Ask him.

 

OH! Here's an idea - peer pressure, perhaps? Connor, my MC's best friend since childhood, has recently become an orphan - he lost his mom in a car accident caused by panic during the attacks, and he is fairly certain he lost his father in the attack on Spokane. Maybe Connor is driven to join a FEMA group in the Spokane area so he can go and search for his father, and in doing so pressures/inspires Chris (my MC) to go along with him. Maybe Chris is concerned over Connor's mental state and feels obligated to protect his lifelong friend, as part of his own personal reason for joining.
(I didn't feel particularly good about his abandoning Connor either, so this idea would solve that issue as well)

Am I getting there?

EDIT: Had half an unfinished sentence that was supposed to be deleted

 

Nope, nothing like that, unfortunately. I think the closest thing I have to what you're describing would be what I just posted above - he's worried about his friend who's insistent on joining one of these response teams, and realizes he can't stop him, and struggles with the options before ultimately deciding that he should be there for his friend since he may not be thinking clearly due to the shock of losing his parents. Meanwhile, his own family will be just fine, as they've secured a safe place in a fairly intact area (and they'll become more supportive after Chris gains more personal motivation after the death of his brother).

I think that may be my best option for actually getting Chris into one of these teams in the first place. At least it gives him more than "wanting to help" - maybe he does, but not that badly, maybe having him be somewhat forced into a scenario outside of his comfort zone will allow for further development of his character.

 

Alright, at least one personal motivation, gave it some thought and here's the first idea I came up with:

Maybe he realizes that, with SoCal and the Bay Area hit hard, California will not recover soon enough and will be destined for collapse at some point in the near future and wants to secure a way for he and his family to move to a safer, more stable area - such as Tennessee or Kentucky, which have survived intact - and sees working for FEMA as a way to make the sorts of connections that could help get him there.

 

Psychologically speaking, what you're describing would fall under either fear of abandonment or fear of being alone, which are basic human emotions that most people can relate to.

 

I like this one. Also fits in with fear of abandonment or fear of being alone. (Sorry for double post!)

 

Just who is this guy? He didn't just drop into your story. Did he grow up in an aggressive uninhibited family environment, filled with reinforced well done high fives and such? His basic personality was in place by the time of his sixth birthday. His value system; was it patterned from his parents? You want a character that's going to save the world. One who brought the lost dog or cat home. One who stood between the bully and the book worm.
Paint his foundation in your mind then write the subtle hints within your story, just enough to allow the individual reader to complete him.


KenA

 

No, I don't think that is what I want. Above all, I want a realistic character who people can actually recognize as human. To do that, I think the best option I've found so far is to have him pressured into the situation out of concern for his friend, then decide to go along with it once he realizes it could help he and his family move somewhere safer. I think I'll go with that as his motivation instead of merely wanting "to help". That, I think, has the human complexity I'm looking for while being easy enough for readers to follow and empathize with.

 

You could add some anger to his motivation (along with wanting to help his friend and then wanting to help his family move). Anger can certainly do a lot and it would make him come across as less altruistic if he was only helping because he hates the attacking forces with a passion. He could be angry about the nuclear attack, angry at his brother for dying and forcing him into the situation where HE's expected to serve, and just generally angry at his situation. Instead of sitting in his room and glaring at the wall he could be motivated to go out and do something about it.

 

Anger is a good one.

For the OP:

I saw an interesting Robert Redford interview this morning. They were asking him what makes good storytelling. He said the character's emotions create the story. The word "plot" was never used. So I think your approach in seeking the motivation is a good one.

 

Humor aside, he's much better known within the business for his writing, producing, and directing. ETA: (80 year olds aren't considered good box office.)

Actually, writing isn't the word I'm looking for. It's the aspect of producing that involves putting the elements and people together to create a good story.

ETA: Story conferencing? Ah, my brain fails me.

 

It could be as simple as that he loves the admiration of those he helps. He could feel as though he is being a part of history, helping humanity following the major disaster scenario. Some people are genuinely altruistic and gain pleasure from feeling they are advancing the human race, or their motives are hidden (not necessarily intentionally) enough as to be imperceptible. Having a purely good MC is a bit shallow, though.

You could preface the entire thing with some scenario in his childhood or teen years where his brother did something great an altruistic and was praised for it.