Self-portrait by AlkieBiter
I've been reading The Plot Whisperer by Martha Alderson and I'm getting some great information out of it. So I thought I'd share the goal checklist with all of you. I found this checklist particularly difficult before starting my novel, but I think forcing myself to answer these questions will make my main character stronger right from the get-go.
By the way, MC = main character.
* What does the MC most desire?
* What does she care about?
* What strongly motivates her?
* What is the MC moving toward?
* What keeps her going, focus, committed when the going gets rough?
* What needs to be done, saved, protected, solved, fixed, achieved, figured out, helped that she and only she can do?
* What is her plan to accomplish that?
The question in bold I think is particularly important. It made me realize that it's not enough simply for your MC to push through, but that she has to have a reason for doing so.
Working on answering these questions helped me more clearly define my next novel before I got started. Have you ever done a checklist like this before starting to write? Do you think this one will be useful to you? Anything else you'd add?
CONTEST ~
Please stop by my blog - The Daily Harrell - to enter to win an autographed ARC of The Syndicate from Shelena Shorts. Open Internationally.
