I finished a new short story (25 pages) over the weekend. I think it's a good short story. I like the plot and the story in general, but... I'm not sure my main character really wants anything. And I know that's a problem. Through the story the wants of other characters are exposed. I think my MC wants the best for them, but I just don't feel like that's enough of a want. It would be good if I could come up with something simple for this MC to want because I don't want it to be too overshadowing of the story. Something like a glass of water but not that. Have you ever written something and then questioned what it is your character wants? Have you later inserted a want? Any ideas for a pretty simple want I could use? My story is in first person so I feel like it shouldn't be too hard to express what my character want if I can just figure it out. My MC is at a dinner party. There is a bit of a (mundane) crisis situation that happens at the party. My MC is not directly involved in the situation, but is there. I don't want to change the role my MC plays in the story. I just feel like I need to have them something that they really want dangling in front of them. It could be something at the party or outside of that. And, again, I'm looking for something small that won't change the story too much, but I am up for making changes as needed. I'm not sure I've had this problem or been aware of it before. I've got what I believe to be a good story here. Please help me save it if you've got any ideas. Thanks.
Maybe they just want to avoid conflict? Consistent with wanting the best for everyone else, but adds something because they somewhat selfishly want the best for everyone just so they don't have to deal with any fallout/controversy? Allows them to stay on the surface of things (where they feel safest).
It could be as simple as what your character wants from the party. Fun? Escape? Seeing a particular person? Avoiding a particular person? Coming across as clever, or talented? Are they there because they wanted to come? If so, why? If not, where would they prefer to be instead? Do they want the party to end? Do they want a particular person to leave? To shut up? Maybe play around with why your character is at the party, and what they want from it.
Funny enough, my MC is also that way, she really doesn't want anything but to live her life of adventure, it's the antagonist of the story that is driving everything and basically pulling her into undesired conflicts. She does want to kill him later though. .
To avoid her nemesis who the mc is terrified will be at the dinner party -- her friend's specular recipe for Oreo cheesecake and … there! … across the living room! under candlelight the gorgeous thing sits and calls to her. Actually everyone pointed out good suggestions. Think of the dynamic your mc holds with the other characters, does she have a past with one of them, what's she like at dinner parties? Is she more outgoing or less outgoing? Is she trying to live down some embarrassing moment at a party from three months ago and this is her first party since the event? Just toy with ideas that could create a little conflict. Doesn't have to be major or dramatic, it could be just something funny. I recall Jean Kerr once had an incident at a dinner party she wrote in one of her humor books in which she showed up wearing a dress the same pattern as the host's wallpaper and spent the rest of the night looking like a floating head!
