G is for Goals

My theme for the A to Z challenge this year is Storytelling. I'll be writing posts on what I think you need to create a good story; the posts will vary from basics that all writers use in their stories, to themes/tropes that I love to see in stories that I read, and that I use when I write.


G is for Goals

All of your characters need at least one goal to aim towards during the course of the story. This will add depth to the character, and make them more relatable. Goals provide motivation for your characters, and obstacles that get in the way of your characters achieving that goal provide tension to the story. If your character doesn't have a goal, they have nothing to motivate them throughout the story.

The goal is likely to change throughout the course of the story, which is a good thing; your character should be a completely different person by the end of the story, so of course they will want different things. Of course, they might achieve their goal, but they also might realise that they didn't need to achieve their original goal (for example, if they originally wanted revenge, but then realise that this wouldn't bring them happiness.)

Comments

  1. Nick Wilford8 April 2017 at 07:27

    Good reminder that goals can be fluid throughout a novel. Few of us achieve one thing and then think we have our life sorted out!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown9 April 2017 at 01:57

    Your goal explanation is perfect! Yay for your "goal post"! lol

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rob Z Tobor9 April 2017 at 10:41

    Whenever I write a little story there is never a goal it just sort of happens and the End is the product of what has been written so it still makes some sense. . . . sort of. After all folk can always be eaten by aliens or huge frogs if they are surplus to the plot.

    This seems to be a quiet A to Z this year. . . . . . . Maybe the giant frog has got them . . . DAMN

    ReplyDelete
  4. SENCO Cat Herder9 April 2017 at 16:39

    I like this post for G - would be a good one to use with students when writing stories - maybe make them focus a bit more on the overall structure? Popping in from Celebrate today but as am also A to Z ing I'm sure I'll be over again soon :) Special Teaching at Pempi’s Palace

    ReplyDelete

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