My characters should have more than one goal, right? Yet the goals have to align with what is going on with the plot.
So, I’ve been thinking about the characters of Project Succession, especially the recurring ones.
I say this because everyone has different goals that matter to the plot or not that much. Then I wondered if some goals make sense. I need two goals for each of my characters, three tops.
Like for example: Aeris’s main goal is to locate her father and understand why she and her dad had to endure so much. Her second goal ties in with her duties as a Knight, which is to understand the scandals and deaths surrounding her family. Lastly, the third is to learn about being an empress and rebuild an empire as well. So, Aeris has three goals, but the other characters have only one and I am talking about recurring ones until more comes.
I am deciding to go with writing out goals that the characters might have for the plot and personal ones, as well.
What are your thoughts and feelings on characters having more than more goals? There isn’t anything wrong with having a few goals that tie into the plot, yet giving a character a goal that makes sorta no sense and lacks purpose bothers me.
Of course I must learn about characters in the process, but this is just my own personal preference.
What I am getting at is, how many characters’ goals does your character have? Do these goals tie in plot, in terms of splitting the difference? Like 50-50?
I don’t think you have to identify all the goals of all the characters, but I think you do need to make clear what the goals of some of the important secondary characters are especially if their actions and/or goals collide with Aeris’ actions and/or goals.
Pinti’s goal is to get to the moonstone before Ilvagis. Then she wants to destroy Ilvagis. Then she wants to free her family. (The first two goals drive the plot, yes.)
The goals that collide with hers are Galag’s, Daero’s and the Ilvagis’ goals, and some others, here and there.
Understood. The three goals Aeris has are all plot based in a way, though the first one is the true point of the series. I mean she does want to balance her roles as a Knight and a royal, by understanding her family. In the end she wants to find her father and know why she was always on the run with him.
The other characters have their own goals, but those goals need to tie with the plot and I am concerned with their purpose coming off as generic.
My characters have different goals at different points in their lives, but never more than one at a time. But there’s nothing wrong with having multiple goals simultaneously.
For instance, the main character’s goal in childhood is to spite his abusive father by befriending the prince since his father hates the royal family. In adolescence when he believes the prince is dead, his goal is to be a hedonist and experience all the things the prince can’t. In adulthood, his goal is to save the prince’s life.
The prince’s goal in childhood is to make friends despite the fact that there’s no one his age in the palace. In adolescence his goal is revenge for his family’s deaths. In adulthood his goal is to depose his uncle who’s usurped his throne.
Multiple goals are recommended for characters, and changing goals too. At least for the main characters. The characters may have to adapt their goals, or abandon them, as the story develops or random events occur.
No plan of action survives first contact ~ Murphy’s Laws of Combat.
I once heard in a character / anime series analysis video that characters should also have a visible life outside of the story. The reader occasionally encounters the characters discussing or working on their other (non-storyline related) hobbies or projects…past or present…
Take Scotch’s story. Paws Chase Murder Case is about Scotch wanting to find out who really murdered his father. Now, Scotch’s goal is that, but Mason, his friend, yes Mason is there to help and all because he’s the friend guy, but his personal selfish goal is to get a girlfriend (or boyfriend, he goes either way).
He wants a date.
And it’s clear throughout the story that he’s trying to flirt with one of his peers, River. Pretty generic. It does relate to the plot because at some point, some bad guys start to go after them. So, yes Mason tries to flirt with River, but there comes times when their lives are in danger.
Sometimes, Mason’s goal clashes with his friendship with Scotch. He chooses to comfort River over Scotch even though it’s not like Mason is Scotch’s protector. Scotch also never feels jealous of River or anything.
Mason wanting to date River is like, you know, nothing particularly plot-affecting exciting, but it does weave its way in and out of the story so that you never forget that is Mason’s goal.
So, I think your secondary characters can have generic goals that aren’t going to affect the plot in any major way. Yet, their goals can still appear as like little subplots if you want to do that.
Having a goal is definitely important, but it doesn’t even have to be a major one. It can be something as simple as “can i PLEASE just have ONE DAY where i DON’T have to save the world” (Amneris) or more emotionally complex like “I don’t want to be like my family. I want to be and do better” (Xix) or even something just downright ridiculous like “hell yes I love these powers let’s see how far I can go” (Hathor)