60. How to Keep Your Main Character Active when Someone Else is Calling the Shots

THE STORYTELLER’S MISSION WITH ZENA DELL LOWEEPISODE 60 – How to Keep Your Main Character Active when Someone Else is Calling the ShotsFollow along with the cheat sheet below, or DOWNLOAD FULL TRANSCRIPTS FOR FREE on the podcast page of our website. EPISODE DESCRIPTION – Today, I want to talk about an ongoing problem, which is a tendency for writers to have passive characters. Characters who are simply reacting rather than driving the action of the story. Things just keep happening to them. One of the reasons so many people struggle with this is because oftentimes in their story, another character (rather than the main character) is actually in charge. Someone else is calling the shots. So, how do you have your main character driving the action of your story when someone else is calling the shots? I’ve come up with a list of 10 techniques writers can use to help keep their main characters in the driver’s seat. Today, we’ll cover the first 5:1.     Give your character choices.2.     Number two, make them proactive.3.     Number three, have him practice diplomacy. 4.     Give him a personal side goal that he can attain. 5.     They're acquiring their resources.   UP NEXT - Next week, we will discuss the next 5 techniques that you can use to keep your character active and not passive. THE WELL CREATIVITY CONFERENCEZena Dell Lowe is honored to be a Keynote Speaker at THE WELL CREATIVITY CONFERENCE, which takes place in Grand Rapids MI on April 22-23, 2021. She’ll also be teaching an acting/improvisational workshop for actors and writers called, “Make Me Believe.”  To find out more or to register to attend, CLICK HERE, or go to https://seeyouatthewell.net OUR ONLINE PLATFORMThe Storyteller’s Mission online platform is finally up and running! Sign up for one-on-one COACHING, get a SCRIPT CRITIQUE, or register for one of our highly anticipated ADVANCED CLASSES ON WRITING today! TOPIC REQUESTS? If you have a question or a specific writing related topic that you would like Zena to consider addressing in a future podcast, LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL recording with your problem, question, or issue! SPECIAL THANKS -The Storyteller’s Mission with Zena Dell Lowe would like to thank composer CARLA PATULLO for the original music she graciously permits us to use in the intro and outro of this podcast. To find out more about this amazing talent, go to  www.carlapatullo.comSend us Fan MailSupport the show