How to find your Character’s Goal?

We are looking for Progression.
Progression can only be achieved through the definition of a Goal.
Character’s Goals bring Cohesion to your Story.

How do you define them?

Summary – 5 steps to help your Character find her Goal

Define the Character’s Origins & Beliefs.
Display how these Origins caused the Character Issues.
Depict the moment your Character finds her Goal.
Display how it affects her Behavior.
And how she builds Relationships around the achievement of this Goal.

Your Character is an Individual.
It may be a difficult statement to encompass as one starts writing.
Though, the more you represent your character, the more memorable she becomes.

Characters may be seen as Ideals.
You want to make them feel real, for other Characters, for the Public & for yourself.

Speak with her

Her past Identity
The Character’s Origins will define her Early life.
Origins will grant her her 1st Beliefs.
Beliefs will define her Early Identity.
She will identify herself to Images & Ideas.
Symbols & Totems.
- They could be Animals, Artifacts, Locations…
As she grows she may change of Symbols.
Or she may choose to preserve the Symbols or to change their Meaning.

Her actual Identity
The Character has Issues & Needs.
She has & will experience Crisis.
She will experience Frustration.
She will see the world as a field of Paradoxes.
You want to understand the origins of this Frustration.
What does she want?
What does she need?
What makes her sad?
What makes her angry?
Every question allowing you to refine her Goal is useful.
Every Information allowing to canalize her Frustration into movement is welcomed.
You want to turn her Pain into a Goal.

Her final Identity
What should be the Character’s Final form?
What is, according to her, her Ideal self?
As always, start with the End in order to have a clear destination.
The Character’s Ideal self will emerge from her Deepest desires.
- Remember that Ideal doesn’t mean desirable as a general reference.
- It only needs to be desirable for the Character.
Where she would like to live?
With whom?
What would be her ideal day like?
Is there a Position she’d like to occupy?
The most mundane question can lead to a strong ideal self.

If you want to know more about dialoging with your Characters.

Own Development

Strengths align with Goals
The Character is getting stronger as the Story unfolds.
What does Stronger mean?
The Character’s Strengths should be related to her Goal.
Strengths can be 2 things : Behaviors & Skills.
Wither ways the Character will need to develop them in order to reach her goal.
The Character Behavior will change through the development of her Relationships.
Her Skills will be improved through Training.
Which form of Training?
How would the Character develop her Skills on a daily basis?

Develop Involvement through Games
Games are the most integrated way to develop Skills.
Games should fit the Skill or Behavior the Character wishes to develop.
Does she want to become more Patient?
Does she want to become more Resilient?
Depending on the kind of Initiatives she should take your Game will need to be more enjoyable.
Make the task more ludic and the Character is likely to develop the habit faster or more sustainably.
If the Character has trouble finding Solutions, create a game giving her only 3 choices.
- All these choices should be viable solutions.
- They need to have different outcomes.
- And different level of efficiency.
We need Alternatives.
Characters need Alternatives.
The Public need Alternatives.
You need Alternatives.
Alternatives purvey the 3 Core game elements :
- Customization
- Balance
- Replayability

Defining her Goal
When it comes to Goal, you’ll want strong, consistent criteria.
You need to give Characters Complete & Consistent information.
Therefore, make your Goals simple.
Limit your Character’s goal to 1 Sentence.
It’s the easiest way to be Clear & Consistent.
Define the Goal through Action.
Define the Initial Goal in the 1st Chapter.
Refine it in the 3rd & 6th Chapter.
Chapter 3 & 6 are Crisis Chapters.
They may transform the Character Goal.
A transformed Character will make for a better Story.
For it shows change.
As you display the Character transformation think about the core Word.
Think about Word Relationships & Etymology.
Try to avoid Connotations, and rather focus on the word’s Meaning.
Therefore including a Semantic field section would be a definitive strength.
- ex : ‘I want to become Faster.’
  - Why does the Character want to become Faster?
  - Is it the result of a trauma?
  - What’s the Character’s definition of Faster?
  - What’s the point of getting Faster?

If you want to know more about Character Development.

Evolution

Plan of Growth
Your Character has defined her Goal.
How does she intend to develop herself to reach it?
She needs to plan her Training.
Or have someone plan it for her.
She need a plan to develop her Skills.
She’ll need to go through different types of Trials.
Think of it as a Level Up serving the Story.
She need to be able to Level Up in combat.
As well as Level Up out of combat.
There are many ways for her to develop herself :
- Trading
- Negotiating
- Creating relationships
- Solving Issues & Puzzles

How to turn Weaknesses into Strengths?
What are the Character’s Strengths?
What are the Character’s Weaknesses?
How do they align?
How do they complement each other?
How can you help your Character dampen her Weaknesses?
Which Weaknesses should be converted into Strengths?
Which ones should be preserved?
Some Weaknesses define your Characters.
Getting rid of them would alter her Identity.
If it is the Character’s will so be it.
Otherwise, you my want to reconsider the option & temper it with a simple modification of the weakness.

Fears
Fears are construed as Weaknesses.
Fears emerge from Discomfort.
And Fears end in Relief?
What is the Character afraid of?
Can she get rid of this Fear?
Should she?
Again, Fear can define a Character.
The Character’s change should be Progressive.
Characters are motivated by Fears.
Even if it is only the fear of Death or Time.
Depending on the severity of the Fear change can be quite Slow.

If you want to know more about Character’s Evolution.

Relationships

Types & Alignments
In order to reach her Goal your Character will need Support.
Along the way she’ll meet Character which will hinder her.
Every new Character can get her Closer or Further from her Goal.
There are 4 main types of Relationships when it comes to Goal :
- Friends – The most Desirable
  - They’ll help your Character to reach your Goal in the Long Run.
- Allies – Acceptable Characters
  - They’ll assist your Character punctually.
- Opponents – Understandable Characters
  - They’re highly likely to hinder you Character.
  - They may assist her in exchange of a favor.
- Foes – The only Characters will display an Unacceptable behavior
  - Either they act in a way your Character cannot accept.
  - Or they directly oppose your Character, in a way where any kind of alliance becomes impossible.

Desires & Trust
Your Character will start isolated.
Even if she is particularly friendly, she’s unlikely to share her personal stories in the beginning.
As the Adventure unfolds, the Character Opens.
As she share a Deeper Pain with others.
As the Character get closer their reaction will become more Extreme.
Desires & Trust are developed through Relationships.
As Relationships deepen, Characters will rage more easily.
Anger is an essential emotion.
As when Anger passes, she often leaves place to Sadness.
And Sadness, depending on the Crisis, may turn into Grief.
Grief allows the Character to access Acceptance.
Of course, the Character may also continue to Deny her Grief.
It indicates that the Character hasn’t develop enough Intimacy.
Or resent to develop Intimacy.
Most Characters need to develop a sense of Belonging.

If you want to know more about Relationships & Development.