So as my title states, I'm having issues coming up with believable wants/desires for my MC in my YA Fantasy WIP. For some context: She's a 16/17-year-old girl who was kidnapped and grew up in faerie from the age of five with her adoptive Father (who bartered for her life with additional years of service to the crown, but that's a whole other thing....). I originally set out to make her main desire to find her family, but when I wrote the scene it didn't feel genuine. I'm not sure if this makes sense, but it was almost as if she was more angry about the circumstances of her kidnapping than actually being separated from them. I even threw in a kind of messed up reason as to why the kidnapping occurred. Even that didn't seem to anger her that much. I'm not adopted, but I do know some adoptees who were given up at a young age and feel a sort of disconnect from their birth parents and have no interest in contacting or knowing about them. All in all, I think she's quite happy with her life besides the fact that humans, who are usually used for service jobs and slaves, have no real place or importance in faerie. As a result, she's treated like garbage by her peers and mostly ignored by the rest of the court because of it. This led me to change her desire to gain a respected position at court, but it seems a bit farfetched (even for the genre) for someone her age to have these thoughts. At this point, I'm becoming more interested in the subplots of my other characters, which sucks because I do find the circumstances of her story exciting to write. I just don't know what direction I should take it. I apologize if this is a jumbled mess. I'm in South Korea and it's almost bedtime for me, haha.
Actually, I like that she would desire more respect. Maybe she would also desire to gain some kind of fae power as well? or be married to a fae with power? I could see that taking on a romance aspect. But that's mainly what my perspective is since I read and write paranormal romance.
If humans have no importance to the faerie why would they bother to barter for her? Also, she wasn't willingly given up by her family, she was stolen. At what age did she discover this? If it was me I wouldn't be wanting respect and acceptance from a race that enslaves my people. Has this adopted father ever tried to help her find her family? Often I find wants/desires/goals strong from a person's backstory - their life. What did she she in her life? Did she see countless human children bought and turned into slaves or treated unfairly by the faerie? Did she see children stolen, bought and their lives improved, even as slaves they had a better life? What did see see of the faerie and her own kind. What events happened to her in her life that could shape a goal and a want other than her kidnapping? I think a desire to find her family is realistic and relatable one. If you're finding other character story's more interesting, is it possible your not writing the correct main character? I hope this helped
Isn't reputation the most important thing in a teenager's life? I always thought it was. To have the right brand names, the right boyfriend, the respect of her peers. Does she want it selfishly or does she grow into a more selfless desire a kinda leading her people (the humans) to freedom movement? What's she like as a person - that should show you want she wants.
Hm. Never thought about it this way. She is pretty powerless in terms of magic, there are strict rules against humans acquiring it. I suppose that could add more high stakes to the equation? I'm trying so hard to keep her and the other main male character from falling into a romance. They keep flirting, but I'm driving a large wedge in between them as much as I can, haha.
Ha, I realized I didn't explain that. Her adopted father lost his wife and child a few years prior. The MC reminded him of that child. He pretty much took her in to cope. Ah, I left out some bits. She believes she was stolen, but she later finds out a few chapters into the book that her parents sold her (the messed-up reason I mentioned but didn't explain). Her adopted Dad never told her to spare her from more stress and heartbreak into her already complicated life (not the smartest choice, but it did what I intended it to do: cause a riff between them). This kind of puts her in between a rock and a hard place in terms of who to trust. On one hand, her adoption Father lied to her, but he's taken care of her all these years. On the other, she was sold by the people she's wondered about her entire life. If I were in her position at that age I'd be pissed off with the world. I would probably damn my bio parents and stick it out in faerie because it's all I've ever known. But this doesn't make for a compelling story. I really like the idea of using the enslavement of humans, or the children being brought to fairie, as a motive. I haven't really given her much interaction with the other humans in faerie thus far. Should I try writing from one of the other character's POVs? Your reply was VERY helpful. Thank you!
Thanks for your response. It looks like I'm going to have to delve deeper into who she is as a person.
Well, I guess look to what she's been denied, or what she's learned to think of as desirable. If she's grown up among faeries as a low-status human, it makes sense for her to want a) to live among humans so that she doesn't have to feel different for once, and b) to get an elevated position, so she gets to feel respected for once. Wanting a place at a human court makes sense in that regard, though it may be aiming unreasonably high. Aren't there any other circumstances in your setting in which a human woman may be respected among her peers? Officer in an army, master in a guild, a rich trader... or the wife of any of the above, if it's a setting with historical gender roles?
Fa Fair enough. I would say her desire to be respected and have a higher position outweighs her wanting to live amount humans simply. She's spent a handful of times in what I call "surface-side", but these trips have never made her go, "Well damn, I think I want to live here more". Not sure why, but that's the "vibe" she's been giving off this entire time. Up until now she's kind of set her sight's a bit low, though toward the end of the book she's set on aiming higher to be the newly appointed King's Hand (a position that isn't often given to women, much less a human). Her strongest argument for her being the best for the position is that she 1. is a free human that can lie when faeries can't (helpful for government and making deals with neighboring courts) 2. her Father was the old King's Hand (assuming she learned something from him during his service), and 3. she had no magic and is therefore seen as a non-threat for the most part.
It's your story but I see no harm in playing with it. It's nothing I've ever dealt with but someone I knew was having the hardest time thinking of plot lines and motivations for her main character. I said, try writing it from the POV of her father (it was also a kidnap story, but the kidnap was taking place in the book. So instead of it being about the daughter with her captures, it became about the father looking for his daughter). She switched characters and was away. No harm in writing a few "tester" scenes with others. Ah! That explains it all better, I understand now.
Hmm, fair enough. Well, then I guess it just comes down to making sure that that seems like a reasonable ambition to have in your setting. It's okay if she aims high, heroes often do. Just as long as it doesn't come out of nowhere.
Thanks so much! I tend to struggle with motivator/plot lines, but have a ton of main plots/characters/worlds rolling around in my head. I might try to write a POV from her Father. There will be a sequel, so I'll see how it goes
Right. And thanks for reassuring me. I always thought aiming too high at her age/in her situation seemed a little silly, but I guess not! Oh for sure. Now that I look at the first few chapters, she's already displaying a lot of behaviors that would naturally lead to her wanting this sort of position. You guys are really great at making me step back and look at what I'm writing from a different perspective. Thanks a bunch!
Hi Alexis, looks like you already have some great new ideas to work on. (Thumbs up!) Just a thought, since you may be looking for that little bit of "spark" inside your character to move her forward, what would it do to your story if your main character was taken by the King and not the King's Hand? Would being an odd princess put her in a position that will propel her forward to drive more change around her (help humans)? Take on greater responsiblities (to gain more respect)? Or to prove herself worthy of a meaningful purpose given that she is a princess in a land where she does not belong? Sometimes, when your character's personality alone isn't strong enough to drive the story forward, it helps to put the character in a situation that will supply that motivation instead.
I think @peachalulu is on the right track here. The scenario you've set up is very workable, but different personalities would handle it in different ways. One personality might be perfectly happy with where she is and won't want to change it. (Maybe not much of a story there, unless some event comes along to shatter the situation.) One personality might be hugely curious, and might do a variety of things with what she discovers. She can become angry at what happened/what she THINKS happened. She can be envious of those who have what she doesn't. She can chafe at restrictions. The personality of her Father/benefactor will come into it as well. Does she get along with him? Does she resent him? Do they have a loving relationship or do they rub each other the wrong way? How does she see her future? Is she happy with what she sees? If not, why not? The key to your dilemma is to get a clear picture of what your protagonist is like as a person. Forget her backstory. Forget the situation she's 'in.' Even forget the plot for a moment and just watch her interacting with other characters. What is she like as a person? Imagine a scene between her and her father figure, or the person she's flirting with, or the other characters in her life. Imagine these scenes till you get a good idea of what she is like and what kinds of things she's likely to do. I'm not asking the question because I want to know the answer. I'm asking the question because YOU need to know the answer. Once the personalities of your protagonist and the other characters emerge, you'll have a much better idea of where to take your story.
Hey there. Whoa. She would probably end up being a completely different person had she been kept by the King as a servant/slave. First of all, it would change the entire situation with her parents. Second of all, she'd have no one to really protect/lookout for her. I think with her current personality traits, it would at the very least make her a pretty 'hard' person. Considering the lives of humans in faerie, it might very well push her harder...maybe she'd wants revenge more than anything else. Ah, and she's not a princess by the way. Just a regular human girl who was at the wrong place (or both to the wrong parents) at the wrong time. Thanks for your response!
Dang. You've given me SO MUCH to think about. Thanks so much for that. For getting a clearer picture of her, do you think those nifty interview/Q&A sheets are helpful in terms of this? I've written a one-page blurb on each of my characters, but they include backstory and not much in the way of personality. Thank you so much for this. Sometimes I feel a bit dim that I haven't thought of these suggestions myself. :/
Others will differ, but in my opinion, no. In fact, these kinds of character-creation games can be counterproductive and a bit of a waste of time. They are a bit too intellectual, and keep you at arm's length from your characters. I feel what is needed is for you to envision your character—and let her surprise you. Sit down in a quiet place (early in the morning, on a bus trip or a long walk, sitting on your front porch, at night in bed before you drop off to sleep, etc) and let her come to you. Sometimes it helps if you put music on ...music that won't be distracting but will create the kind of atmosphere your story might contain. Pretend you've got a movie playing in your head. Daydream her into existence. This is where you forget all about planning and plotting. Think about her, even pretend you ARE her. Picture her walking through her environment, or sitting at a table, talking to specific people. Or under attack or in bother, or in love, or figuring out some problem. Maybe she's with her father. What are they talking about? Who is doing the talking? When her father speaks to her, what does she do? Listen attentively and nod? Argue with him? Give him a big hug so he'll not ask her any more questions? If you just list characteristics or do a pretendy interview, you'll be forming your characters via your head, not your heart. What you probably need is a more visceral connection to your character. Let it happen, don't force it to happen—if that makes sense. Another thing that can work is to actually write a scene containing your character, a situation, and at least one other character. (Maybe after doing some envisioning first.) Don't worry about where this scene comes in your story. Or even IF it comes in your story. See how your character acts. What does she say and how does she say it? Do figure out beforehand what you want the scene to portray, so you're not just drifting aimlessly. Definitely have an aim for the scene, but don't pre-plan it.
Haha, not trying to change your story altogether, it’s just an example of how placing your character in a different position can give her the motivation she needs to drive a story forward. And by “princess” I simply meant, she would, in our hypothetical example, become the King’s daughter = odd princess (instead of the King’s Hand’s daughter). So her stepfather would then become the King who took her in, despite his kingdom’s traditions, to cope with his own personal inner turmoil. Again, I don’t mean this is something you should do, it’s just an example of how you can setup your characters differently so that they have stronger motivations for change. For something as important as finding the “driving force” behind your protagonist, know that you have the flexibility and freedom to stretch your imagination on who your characters are, who they can be, and how you can alter your story’s world to work for or against your character’s needs/desires. Because the goal of the protagonist pretty much drives the whole thing forward, once you have that figured out, everything else can be shaped around it.
This is what I like to do and also either have them face a small problem or some minor conflict. How they're going to respond, avoid, repress, or not, is going to show you more than a character sheet. To the OP if you've ever read Judy Blume - Are you there God it's me Margaret, Margaret's first friend is Nancy - and that's because Nancy by her outspoken, nosy attitude pushes Margaret into responding in such a way that because of Nancy we know more about Margaret. One good way of defining a character is with the contrast of another character.
Thanks! I've been working on this advice for the past few days, and it's kind of working wonders for fleshing my MC out. I'm starting to get a firmer grasp on who she is as a person, which has been helping my writing from her POV (I think). I never would have thought all the daydreaming I did about my WIP would be useful...until I started purposefully doing as a tool for character development. Very, very useful!
Oh God (no pun intended), that book. Haven't read it since I was a kid, but I understand your example, and it makes a lot of sense. Actually, there's one character, in particular, that does push her. She spends a lot of time trying to behave/appear a certain way to gain acceptance, but this character does a good job bringing out her competitive/curious side, which I (hope) will give the reader glimpses of why she does the things she does later on in the story.
If I was writing this I would combine a few desires together. I would think she'd want to find her family. Find out her history. Whatever reason for her kidnapping is, I would add something about her already possibly having a connection to fairies, or something along those lines. I personally use the family route for my main story, and especially brother/sisterhood. So I would suggest the possibility of adding a sister that she dreams of meeting or runs into without knowing she ever existed. Wanting to be a part of court is a very noble cause, and having ties to that world without personally knowing still gives the opportunity that someone else does know about who she really is. If you feel like you don't want her to have desire for her parents, I would suggest still having them pop up so she could at least prove her desire or lack there of. Age does not seem strange to me either. Because back in the olden days, that was the age you could enter courts. I was in South Korea in May, and I can't wait to go back. It's a beautiful country. Hope my rambling helped a little.
If she was sold, does she have a chip on the shoulder where she would want to rub it in her biological parents noses that she has achieved X? As a teenager, going hand in hand with wanting respect can come the desire to show those in power(her parents) how much better/smarter/more successful she is than them> Especially given the animosity caused by having been sold like a thing? Or does she have a vendetta that since they ruined her life, she's going to try to ruin theirs? Or, Thirdly, have her try to show up the fairies since they were the ones who took her in but now won't allow her to be like all the other reindeer(use magic). This could lead her to try to find people who will teach her/use outlawed techniques and end up on the really wrong side of Fairy law.
