How to Make Your Character More Active and Less Passive

One of the most common pieces of feedback that a writer might hear is that their character is too passive. Sometimes it can be very difficult to see when a character is being pulled through the plot instead of driving it, especially if there’s a lot of action going on around the character that they are reacting to instead of driving forward.

If you’re hearing this about your manuscript, or if you’re having issues with plotting, tension or structure, try answering the list of questions below (along with the list above on character development) to see if you can find a way to turn that passive character into an active one!

1.) What does my protagonist want? Emotionally, what are they seeking? (Revenge, approval, etc.) Physically, what goal are they trying to achieve? (Finding a sacred stone, winning the science fair, etc.)

2.) What does my antagonist want? What does my antagonist lose if my protagonist wins? Remember that the antagonist sees themselves as the hero of their own story and should act accordingly, so your antagonist should be just as fully developed and active as your protagonist.

3.) Do the actions of my main character/protagonist help them reach their ultimate goal? In every scene, is the protagonist doing something that is furthering the main plot or a subplot? Are they doing these things intentionally - or does someone else (e.g. a deus ex machina or fairy godmother type figure) step in to fix a plot hole or pull the character out of a problem?

Likewise, people will naturally try the easiest, most straightforward solution first to any problem. Are there places my protagonist does not do so, because I am trying to throw in a plot twist or other element? Does it feel "too convenient" or like a cheat to my reader?

4.) What actions does the antagonist take to stop my protagonist? Do these actions align with the antagonist's overall goal?

5.) Do the emotional and physical goals of the protagonist work with each other, or against each other? How does reaching one goal, help my protagonist reach the other? Is it clear to the reader what the character’s goals are and why?

6.) When the going gets tough, what stops my protagonist from giving up? If the protagonist can walk away, then we have a major problem with sustaining tension for the reader.