31 Days of NaNoPrepMo: Day 18

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 bring to bear against the things standing in their way?
• What do they start out with, and what will they need to earn along the way in order to go the distance and achieve their conscious (or subconscious) desire?

Action Plan: Answer the above questions and consider especially the story behind each of the people/things your protagonist has at their back. As before, consider how these things will become relevant in the story, and how best to illustrate them in a scene. Which ones does the protagonist start out with, and which ones might they have to go on a quest to acquire or become worthy of? What are the limitations on the powers of each, and what makes it so that ultimately the protagonist prevails on account of their own merits as opposed to supernatural help (deus ex machina) or well-meaning relatives?

Additional Reading: “The Hero’s Journey – Meeting with the Mentor”