Proper Protagonists

There are many parts of writing fiction that allow for individual style, and creativity. However, the proper structure and the mechanics of writing need to be in place for that style and creativity to really resonate with the reader. Sure, you could argue that the proper structure and mechanics of writing aren’t set in stone, but most would agree that there are some general rules that make the writing better when followed. The role of protagonist in fiction isn’t just another character, it’s THE  character, and that makes him or her very special relative to the story. It’s the protagonist that really dictates the plot of the story, and vice versa. You need to get your protagonist right for your story to work well.

The Protagonist’s Motivation

You want your readers to be invested in your characters, especially your main characters. How do you accomplish this? The protagonist needs a goal for the reader to root for him. Why? Because we want the reader to identify with and have sympathy (or some othe remotion) toward him. The protagonist must have a sense of direction, and the reader must know about it. It’s just that simple. Later, when you bring in the atagonist, you have brought in a character (or thing) that will try to impede the protagonist from achieving that very clearly outlined goal. In this way, the reader knows what’s going on. If that structure isn’t in place, the reader will get frustrated, and potentially stop reading.

For example, Science Fiction readers complained about space opera for the longest time. How many times can you show people flying around in space? What are they doing up there? What’s the point? These are all very good questions. Perhaps the most famous space opera, Star Wars, was so successful because it followed the proper structure.

So at what point does the protagonist’s goal(s) and the story’s plot cross paths? How do they interrelate? Some will say that plot consists of the activities that the protagonist engages in to achieve his goal, or desired outcome. Perhaps a better, and yet easier to read definition would be this; The protagonist has to do A or B, or X will happen. Notice the wording – it’s almost like a ticking bomb. That provides motivation.

One thing you cannot have is a protagonist without a goal. One sign of a goalless protagonist is that they get pushed about by events without reacting.  A true protagonist will move from reaction, often emotional, to action, deciding to do something about it. This is critical in a character arc. Does your protagonist have to be all-knowing? No, but he or she does need to have access to someone or something that can help get them the knowledge and skills to be able to move into a state of action. Why do you think the mentor character / archetype almost always surrounds the protagonist?

The protagonist’s goal is the glue that holds a story together, giving events heightened sense of purpose and interest. If a protagonist has no goal, or if you can’t surround your protagonist with the resources (people/things) that can give him or her the know how as to how to pursue the goal, they might as well not have a story at all.