During the recession of the early 90s (which looks like nothing compared to the one we’re in now) I was fresh out of college and working for very little money at a magazine. Begrudgingly, I took on a bank job as well as writing for the periodical.
I ended up (oddly, considering my lack of leadership skills) in a supervisory role. Basically, if someone sent the bank written correspondence (no one really had email then), I would get it and reply.
So I was the complaint letter girl. And, wow, did people complain.
These letters, for the most part, were poorly-written, rambling rants.
And what got me was that no one asked what they wanted. The bank had screwed up. What did these customers want in return? What kind of reparation were they looking for? It seemed like the sole purpose of their letters was just to let off steam.
If they didn’t ask for anything, I didn’t offer them anything. I just apologized on behalf of the bank.
The whole experience (besides giving me insight into writing effective complaint letters) made me realize how important it is to express…or even to know….what we want.
I’ve read plenty of books where the conflict is apparent and well-written. The character reacts to what’s thrown in his path. But what does he want during the novel? Just a return to normalcy? Or can we make his wants (and, by extension, himself) more complex ?
How do they show what they want? Dialogue with a friend? Internal monologue? Through their actions?
Knowing what our protagonist wants can also propel the plot—because then we can effectively withhold it.
Do you know what your character wants?
I swear half my job mentoring students is teaching them to identify their remedy/objective when they complain or go into a meeting. Even the really bright ones have a very hard time actually stating it. I think there is a cultural inhibition to admitting what you really want.
And there is some fun in that when writing a character, if the character can’t make it clear what he wants and needs, but you have revealed it so the audience can enjoy the joke even if the character can’t or won’t.
(Hmmm, the video I analyzed on my blog tonight has an element of that. A character armored with hostility until at the end he spontaneously reveals what it is he wants – and surprises himself too.)
Good question. I think that’s the core of the plot. Both of my characters are looking for answers and vengeance, but I’m going to check and make sure that’s clear enough!
Maybe you gave the bank customers what they really wanted without asking, just an apologize from the bank and to know someone did read what they wrote.
Mason
Thoughts in Progress
Elizabeth – That’s a really good thing to think about – what do our characters really want? Since I write murder mysteries, I’m usually pretty good at identifying what the suspects want and what the victim wants. Sometimes, though, it really is a good idea to think about what the protag wants, too. As you say, it could be something as simple as getting home in time for dinner. Or it could be more.
And Daring Novelist, I think you and I must teach similar kinds of students. I have the very same challenge with mine. You make an interesting point, too, about the effect of culture on stating what one wants. Thanks for making me think of that.
The protagonist in my WIP says she wants one thing … but is that really what she wants? She spends the book finding out. I hope I can convey that properly in the story. Great post.
There’s something for you at my blog.
I did a stint in “Guest Relations” at a major theme park once. (Nobody calls them ‘customers’ but I’ve never demanded any of MY guests pay to visit me).
People will complain about everything. And although it was never stated, the obvious ‘want’ was monetary compensation of some sort.
I think it’s also a good thing when the characters don’t know what they want, and even think they want something else.
This is a very subtle point that you point out, Elizabeth. A protagonist with an objective (antagonist for that matter too, besides the obvious one of wanting to kill someone or whatever)is far more interesting to read about than one who is just “taking what comes” and dealing with it. Good subject today.
Marvin D Wilson
Every character should want something because that want is what propels them forward. It might not be something good – but they want it. Revenge? Money? Love? A really good pair of shoes? What a character needs is a completely different ball of wax.
Elizabeth, thank you thank you thank you. I’ve thought about what a character’s intention is, but what the character wants is a whole different thing, and in my case, I think will very much drive the story.
Karen
When I begin a story, I think I know what my characters want, but often that changes as the story develops. It’s as though the character finally decides to let me in on his or her little secrets.
Very timely post since in the book I’m working on now, the protagonist doesn’t realize what she wants until near the end. By that time, she knows and goes after it. She learns it through dialogue, what happens in the book, and internal turmoil.
Helen
Straight From Hel
When I start out writing, I’m pretty sure I know what the character wants. Sometimes that changes, though! I always make sure I focus on my characters’ wants in the revision and develop it more. It’s essential to the plot that obstacles are tossed in make it challenging for the characters to achieve what they want most. It would make a boring story if the character didn’t want anything or got what they wanted too easily!
This is a great post – and I actually wrote a similar one last week; concerning Kurt Vonnegut’s 8 rules for short story writing! One of his rules says that every character must want something, even if it’s just a glass of water!
Fantastic question! I’m going to add that to my character questionaire!
Excellent thing to keep in mind when fleshing out those characters. Nice post.
One of my wife’s jobs is dealing with complaints. (No, not from me.) She always asks something like, “How can we make this right for you?” Many times it’s just an ear to talk into. Seems to work for her.
Best Wishes, Galen.
What a great question. I sat down this morning to outline a novel that has been bouncing about my head. My biggest issue is that I didn’t know what my male protagonist wanted to accomplish in life. What was he looking for? I know I still have to work on fine-tuning the outline but this is a very important question to ask.
CD (formerly ann)
I know what my supporting characters and villains want, but my MC is a bit vaguer. Well, maybe not vague, but simpler. What she gets is more than she aimed for. I really need to work out exactly what she wants. (Not that she’s going to be expecting what she gets.)
Yes I did! My main character wanted to be the best damn fighter pilot in the fleet.
I read lots of books and I am constantly let down. Seriously. The book may even be a bestseller, but when the character’s motivations, his/her basic wants are never clearly defined, I find myself wondering why I bothered to take the journey with the author. Good post, this is a crucial subject.
Great post! (both about getting what you want when you complain AND about improving a book). As usual, I think I don’t think this concretely in planning, but I think MAKING these things easier for the reader to spot help a lot (in 3/5 books, I think I’ve been clear–in two cases, it’s ‘answers’–but in two, it is more disperse, and I think I will use this thought on my rewrites!)
this is such a brilliant post, it really made me think about my own wip and whether or not my main character knows what she wants and is asking for an answer…it also makes me realize that I’ve got some thinking to do!
The Daring Novelist–Isn’t that so true? We sometimes are almost afraid to say what we want. I wrote a rambling email myself a couple of days ago, excusing myself from a Brownie troop activity the night before I fly out to DC. I finally just edited out all the excuses and said, “I’m sorry–I just actually want to go to bed early that night so I’ll be ready for my early flight.” It worked out so much better.
Jemi–And then the readers can root them on!
Mason–A lot of people seemed pleased by that. Of course, I always thought the bank should probably do MORE. :) I was never very sympathetic toward my employer.
Margot–Very true! There’s more at stake than just solving the crime usually. The protagonist frequently WANTS something out of the process…respect, recognition, etc.
Marvin–I think so too. And you’re right, the antagonist should also know what he or she wants.
Carol–And maybe she *shouldn’t* get what she wants! Sounds like a voyage of self-discovery. And thanks for the award, Carol!
Terry–Yeah, the bank wasn’t too keen on my offering monetary reparations. :) Unless the customers asked. Now, whenever I write a company to complain, I’m sure to ask for something–replacement faucets because theirs fell apart, a coupon for a free meal, etc. It’s amazing how many people don’t do that.
And you raise a good point..what if the character doesn’t really KNOW what they want? Or maybe they want something that’s not good for them.
Jane–That’s so true, isn’t it? It’s just like being in on a good secret.
Helen–I like that. So maybe, it’s all focused on her SEARCH for what she really wants.
Laura–It DOES make it boring…and so many books seem to fall into that trap. I’ll be happily reading along and then go, “Wait! What are we aiming for here?”
Elspeth–Oh, revenge is a GOOD one! I like evil wants…perfect for mysteries.
Karen–I’m so glad! Hope it helps you out.
Alexandra–He was the best, wasn’t he? It’s so true, too–it doesn’t matter if it’s basic as long as it’s important to *him*.
Thanks, Heather!
Lisa–Thanks so much!
Clarissa–And sometimes I think they might have very simple, basic goals. But the big thing is that it’s important to them and is something they can want badly.
Jaleh– Sounds like your character is in for a rough ride! That’s great, conflict-wise.
Alex–And that is something the reader can latch onto, too. Because we ALL want to be top-notch at something. That’s a good one.
Elizabeth–Absolutely! If the protagonist seems kind of all over the place and doesn’t have clearly defined wants or dreams, then I feel like I’m wasting my time with them. And we just don’t HAVE that kind of time.
Hart–You’re right–I think it helps the reader. I definitely want to know what the character wants when I’m reading and spend a lot of the book wondering if they’re going to get it!
Galen–That’s the BEST question to ask. I avoided phone conversations with the unhappy customers as much as possible (I’m not good on the phone anyway), but I’d try to redirect them with that question if I felt like they were just screaming at me.
Suzanne–I think with some genres it comes easier than others. In my Myrtle Clover mysteries, the protagonist wants to solve the crime. But she ALSO wants respect–very badly.
Yes. She wants the fairy tale. She wants the “picture” of the perfect family. In the end she’ll have to paint a new picture.
Another great post. Unless you tell the reader what the character wants, how is the reader to know, and if the reader doesn’t know, isn’t the book less rich for lacking that detail?
And probably all the the letter writers wanted was someone to read their vent and apologise. You did right.
~ Rayna
You know, this was one of the major things I remember being hammered home time and again when I was in acting classes trying to get my theatre degree – the action should be driven by what the character WANTS. That will always inform the character’s objective and drive the action of the play. It only makes sense that it also helps the writer to have an understanding of a character’s desires as the play, novel, etc is being written.