Explanation: What can go wrong, must

- Okay, there's an old saying: - Okay, there's an old saying: "Good judgment comes from experience, "Good judgment comes from experience, "experience comes from bad judgment." "experience comes from bad judgment." But since bad judgment can be deadly, But since bad judgment can be deadly, scientists believe that the reason the brain allows us scientists believe that the reason the brain allows us to get lost in a good story is because sometimes to get lost in a good story is because sometimes because sometimes the best experience the best experience to learn from is someone else's. the best experience to learn from is someone else's. For instance, your protagonist's. For instance, your protagonist's. That's why when you're writing a story, That's why when you're writing a story, everything that can go wrong must go wrong, everything that can go wrong must go wrong, and then some. everything that can go wrong must go wrong, and then some. and then some. Your protagonist has to work hard to earn her victory, Your protagonist has to work hard to earn her victory, and the only way she can do that and the only way she can do that is if you construct a plot that forces her to face things is if you construct a plot that forces her to face things that forces her to face things she's probably sent her whole life trying to avoid. she's probably sent her whole life trying to avoid.

This means that everything she tries This means that everything she tries to do to solve the problem to solve the problem is only going to make it worse. to do to solve the problem is only going to make it worse. is only going to make it worse. That's how the stakes escalate and the story builds. That's how the stakes escalate and the story builds. Your goal, therefore, is to undermine Your goal, therefore, is to undermine your protagonist's best laid plans at every turn, your protagonist's best laid plans at every turn, forcing her to dig deep and discover forcing her to dig deep and discover what she's really made of. what she's really made of. Anyone can say they're a hero. Anyone can say they're a hero. Your story will force your protagonist to prove it. Your story will force your protagonist to prove it. With that in mind, here are six ways With that in mind, here are six ways to ensure that your story will make to ensure that your story will make your protagonist earn her hero status. your protagonist earn her hero status.

First, don't let your characters First, don't let your characters admit anything they aren't forced to, admit anything they aren't forced to, even to themselves. even to themselves. Information is currency, Information is currency, and the only way anyone ever admits to anything and the only way anyone ever admits to anything to anything is because they've been backed into a corner. is because they've been backed into a corner. is because they've been backed into a corner. Second, let your protagonist lie and have secrets, Second, let your protagonist lie and have secrets, so the story can force him so the story can force him to divulge things he really doesn't want to. to divulge things he really doesn't want to. Story often comes to life in the space between Story often comes to life in the space between what a character says out loud what a character says out loud and what they're really thinking. and what they're really thinking.

But remember, unless the reader knows But remember, unless the reader knows what those secrets and lies are, what those secrets and lies are, they won't know the real why they won't know the real why behind the character's actions. behind the character's actions. So don't keep secrets secret from the reader. So don't keep secrets secret from the reader. Third, let your character start out betting small Third, let your character start out betting small and end up betting it all. and end up betting it all. When faced with a big problem we can't avoid, When faced with a big problem we can't avoid, it's human nature to do as little as possible it's human nature to do as little as possible and hope to heck that that solves it. and hope to heck that that solves it. Fat chance. Fat chance. Almost always, that only makes it worse. Almost always, that only makes it worse.

The same is true of your protagonist, The same is true of your protagonist, which is bad for him but good for the reader. which is bad for him but good for the reader. The other quirk of human nature to keep in mind is, The other quirk of human nature to keep in mind is, as Aesop so astutely said, as Aesop so astutely said, "Men often bear little grievances "Men often bear little grievances "with less courage than they do large misfortunes." "with less courage than they do large misfortunes." Thus, by the end, when your protagonist Thus, by the end, when your protagonist has to give up everything in order to solve the problem, has to give up everything in order to solve the problem, chances are he'll do it far more willingly chances are he'll do it far more willingly than when he parted with that first measly dollar. than when he parted with that first measly dollar. Fourth, make sure there is a clear, Fourth, make sure there is a clear, present, and escalating danger. present, and escalating danger.

A story needs a force of opposition. A story needs a force of opposition. Without on, the protagonist has no reason Without on, the protagonist has no reason to get up out of his easy chair. to get up out of his easy chair. The only way he can prove his worth The only way he can prove his worth is if the force of opposition is if the force of opposition is well-defined, present, and growing. is well-defined, present, and growing. It can't be a hazy threat that never really materializes, It can't be a hazy threat that never really materializes, no matter how potentially dangerous. no matter how potentially dangerous. It's not always a person, but it's always personified. It's not always a person, but it's always personified. Think of the force of opposition as a rapidly ticking clock Think of the force of opposition as a rapidly ticking clock that not only forces the protagonist to take action, that not only forces the protagonist to take action, but that constantly ups the game but that constantly ups the game so the protagonist must do likewise. so the protagonist must do likewise.

Fifth, make your protagonist earn everything. Fifth, make your protagonist earn everything. Never give him the benefit of the doubt Never give him the benefit of the doubt or let anything come to him easily. or let anything come to him easily. Remember, there's no such thing as a free lunch Remember, there's no such thing as a free lunch unless, of course, it's poisoned. unless, of course, it's poisoned. Sixth, do expose your character's flaws, Sixth, do expose your character's flaws, demons, and insecurities. demons, and insecurities. Flaws aren't just what makes characters interesting, Flaws aren't just what makes characters interesting, they're what make them accessible. they're what make them accessible. Writers often think their characters have to be likable, Writers often think their characters have to be likable, meaning they can never do anything wrong meaning they can never do anything wrong or think a bad thought. or think a bad thought.

But often what makes a character likable But often what makes a character likable are his flaws and insecurities. are his flaws and insecurities. They're what allow us to identify with him, They're what allow us to identify with him, and so root for him. and so root for him. What's more, stories are about What's more, stories are about how the protagonist overcomes his deepest fear, how the protagonist overcomes his deepest fear, his most closely held misbelief. his most closely held misbelief. A character who has no flaws has nothing to learn, A character who has no flaws has nothing to learn, and so nothing to teach us, and so nothing to teach us, which brings us back to where we began. which brings us back to where we began. to where we began. Since the best experience to learn from Since the best experience to learn from is someone else's bad experience, is someone else's bad experience, be mean to your protagonist. be mean to your protagonist.

After all, as Emily Dickinson said, After all, as Emily Dickinson said, "A wounded dear leaps the highest." "A wounded dear leaps the highest."