Day 27: What does your protagonist regret most and why? Your Protagonist. We all go through life harboring regrets about things we’ve done or left undone. Your protagonist is no exception. What sorts of things do they regret about their life so far? What are the stories behind each regret? Do the nature of these regrets change by the midpoint of the novel or after the climax, when additional...
Day 24: What does your protagonist fear most and why? Your Protagonist. Considered a certain way, the flip side of desire is fear: it’s what we don’t want to have happen. As we get closer to Halloween, let the spookiness of the season inspire you to give your character unique but believable fears. What sort of fears does the protagonist harbor? What prompted these fears in the first place? Are...
Day 22: What kinds of people or things might get in the way of your protagonist achieving their goals? Your Protagonist. Besides the antagonist, there are many other external issues that could hinder the protagonist’s journey to realizing their desires. Who are the protagonist’s rivals, foils, or ex-lovers? What sort of institutions or factions stand in the way of the protagonist achieving...
Day 20: What character traits or flaws will get in the way of your protagonist achieving their goals? Your Protagonist. We’ve gone over your character’s strengths, but what sorts of characteristics are actively or passively sabotaging their efforts? Consider also at this stage the ratio of strengths to weaknesses at the outset of the novel vs. halfway through or at the end. Such weaknesses are...
Day 18: What kinds of people or things might help your protagonist achieve their goals? Your Protagonist. You’ve looked at the internal traits the character brings with them to the crisis at hand, but what do you they have externally to draw upon for support? Who are your protagonist’s allies, their sidekicks, their fairy godparents? What sorts of factions, resources, or magic items do they have to... 