Maybe this is a me feeling this way thing, but do characters who are narrowly FOCUSED on one single goal that nothing else matters and they lack the development as a character truly needs to be in a novel or novella format???
I can understand as a short story, but entire novel from beginning to end with the character so focused on a single goal with no character development or no good character development shown is stupid too me.
I doubt it, yet anything is possible.
Thoughts and feelings?
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Can you of any genre BESIDES slice of life and genres of that nature?
Had to correct myself.
Most of the bad fiction I’ve come across through Tik Tok reccomendations have protagonists, often female protagonists, who don’t have any clear goals or motivations.
Tell me, what do Darcy and Tori from the Zodiac Academy want?
Don’t know and probably never will because of my lack of interest. 
Yeah…
Nope, I can’t think of any books like this. In the books I read, characters usually have multiple goals, short term and long term, that change over the course of the story. I can’t think of any books where a character has a single goal and just focuses on that, because there are always obstacles that come up which force them to deal with those other things first. ÂŻ\_(ď˘)_/ÂŻ
But can you write that in an entire novel format?
Not just for the main character/protagonist, but the main cast and maybe supporting cast too.
By the way, I edit that part out.
This is semi what I’m doing with one of my characters, but I also have other protagonists to balance out her single-mindedness (with inklings of character development along the way, but nothing truly there).
The way I’m doing it is making it so her entire goal is complete within the first book, leaving her with absolutely nothing. What is her purpose now? What did she gain by reaching her goal–if anything? How does this impact other characters and their motivations towards her now?
The second book focuses on her healing and finding purpose and really fleshing her out/developing her character arc.
I think it can certainly work for some situations, but a balance effect needs to be there–hence my introduction of allowing other more well-developed characters to take a more intrinsic role in the main plot.
You edit what part out?
The question that I asked about authors doing that.
What if that wasn’t the case? Like take out the character development and characters helping out?
I think that would make for a semi empty story, no? I mean, lots of times side-characters are what keep the story moving along. The main character has a straight-forward and single-minded goal, but its the side-characters who keep the actual plot moving along.
I think if it was just her completing her goal, then it’s worth an entire novel because there’s a lot of steps to take towards achieving a goal, but it would not justify an entire series as, because of the lack of side-characters are the ones who push her to her later character-development
Then it would serve as a really short story rather than a novel or novel series, right?
Nah, there’s a lot of plot-points that lead to her reaching her goal. Despite the single-mindedness there’s a lot of build-up to it and other things she has to achieve to get there. It’s about an entire novels worth–but only a single novel, not a series.
The first book is focused on a single goal (with bigger ideas in mind, this, to them, is a stepping stone) with severe consequences (and other characters with ulterior motives) that lead into a larger series. The side-characters align themselves with the main character because they share the same goal, but it’s the side-characters who bring forth the actual main plot of the series. They share the same goal, but the side-characters are hoping for a different result and have other motivations. The entire plot puts special focus on the main-characters goals and motivations–but there’s a lot of work they have to put in to actually reach that goal. An entire novels worth.
The only reason it wouldn’t be a series is because, after this goal is complete, the main-character wouldn’t have anything to fall back on nor no motivating factors towards a larger purpose (which the side-characters do have). So, the novel would probably end with her dying.
EDIT: If the side-characters weren’t involved in the story what-so-ever, there would still be the goal, there would still be the plot-points to get the main character to her goal, and different arcs/hills she has to overcome to get there. The only difference is there is no other factor involved–it’s simply do this, do that, achieve goal, done. A standalone novel. It would be a bit shorter, but overall, the plot beats are there and would only need to be slightly readjusted.
I’m talking about in general. I’m sorry for not making things clear.
LOL!
Ahh, I see!
In general, I think it would depend on the story you have built up. I think if the story only featured a static character (someone who does not change from beginning to end) with a single-minded goal, no side-characters, and no other plot beyond reaching their goal–you could make it into a full novel (but it’d be wordy asf) and it would not be entertaining. In this case, I agree, it would work much better as a short story.
I wonder if there are self-published works like that.
Hmm???
Announcing your plans to the world is a great way to hear God laugh ~ Al Swearengen, Deadwood.
Most of my characters, and others in my favourite media, may set out with a single goal, then life happens and they end up doing something else.
Two exceptions I can think of, for now, are Roy Batty from the original Blade Runner, and Marko Ramius from The Hunt for Red October.
Those types of stories are really annoying ;-;