A common mistake in a lot of rough drafts is the
problem of the inactive hero.
Your hero is being dragged through the story,
showing up when he’s supposed to but for no reason. Your hero
seems unmotivated, his goal vague, the driving force that should be
guiding him is MIA.
The hero must be proactive. It’s The Law.
If he’s not, he’s not a hero. Here’s a checklist
to see if your lead needs more oomph:
- Is
your hero’s goal clearly stated in the set-up? Is
what your hero wants obvious to you and to the audience? If not, or
if you don’t know what your hero’s goal is, figure it
out. And make sure that goal is spoken aloud and restated in action
and words throughout the story.
- Do
clues of what to do next just come to your hero or does he seek
them out? If it all happens too easily for your hero,
something’s wrong. Your hero cannot be handed his destiny, he
must work for it at every step.
- Is
your hero active or passive? If the latter, you have a problem.
Everything your hero does has to spring from his burning desire and
his deeply held need to achieve his goal. If he can’t be
bothered, or can get to that burning desire mañana,
you’ve got Hamlet — fine if you’re Shakespeare,
bad if you’re writing for Vin Diesel.
- Do
other characters tell your hero what to do or does he tell
them? Here’s a great rule of thumb: A hero never asks
questions! The hero knows and others around him look to him for
answers, not the other way around. If you see a lot of question
marks in your hero’s dialogue, there’s a problem. The
hero knows; he never asks.
