Within the pages of fiction, no one knows the characters better than the writer. 

Designing a protagonist worthy of the title ‘lead character’ isn’t always easy.  

As writers, we’re likely to spend too much time, if there is such a thing, pondering the multitude of ‘what if’ scenarios and potential dialogue before considering whether our protagonist’s quest will be successful or not.

But first, we must design a character with a unique appearance (what makes them stand out from others), underlying thoughts (self-doubts), and determination to be more than an ‘interesting’ bystander in the story. 

To keep this in perspective, let’s remember that what the protagonist wants, more than anything in their world, may sound pretty simple: 

                                    They want something or someone they don’t...

Last week, I wrote about how using a partial sentence prompt as a scene or opening for a short story can boost a writer’s creativity. However, it never ceases to amaze me how a simple, open-ended prompt can become the springboard for a life story, essay, or poem.

A prompt can even turn into a story that leads your main character, the protagonist, to any number of unexpected endings.

Isn’t that what creative writing is all about — the journey a writer takes a reader on? That journey — your story — is vastly enriched when it is populated with believable characters.

Let’s start with the protagonist. It is, after all, their story. Others play supporting roles, but this guy (or gal) takes center stage.

Their motivation — their ultimate goal of getting what they want most — is what the story is about. However, the protagonist’s success is determined by their decisions along the way. These decisions will move the story forward through...