Two Questions to Ask for Stronger Character Goals and Motivations

By Janice Hardy

Strong plots start with two deceptively simple questions.

The sheer number of plotting questions I get—both in person and online—is a good indication that plotting is something a lot of writers wrestle with. And it’s not always because they don’t understand story structure or scene dynamics.

You can write gorgeous prose and still wind up with a story that meanders, stalls, or lacks punch. That’s because the characters aren’t making active, motivated choices that drive the story. They’re just… doing things.

“Because that’s what has to happen next” isn’t a goal.

I’ve had countless brainstorming sessions with stuck writers (and been one myself), and over the years, I’ve noticed something. No matter how complex the plot, how high the stakes, or how elaborate the worldbuilding, the problem almost always comes down to one missing element: goals.

The protagonist didn’t want anything in the scene, or if they did, they didn’t have a good reason for wanting it.

When I asked, “What does the protagonist want in this scene?” I often got answers like:

• “She needs to stop at the store, because that’s where she gets kidnapped.”
• “He has to go to the party, because that’s where he meets the villain.”
• “She’s driving to work, because the explosion happens on the highway.”

They’re telling me what happens—not why it happens for that character. And that’s the difference between a plot point that moves the story forward and one that just shuffles people from scene to scene.

To create a good plot, characters need to want things for plausible reasons.

And that comes down to asking two simple (yet not so simple) questions.

• What does the protagonist hope to gain?
• Why is the protagonist doing it?

That’s it. They sound easy, but if you’ve ever stared at a scene and wondered why it felt flat, odds are one—or both—of those answers were missing.

If all your characters are doing is acting out the steps from inciting event to climax, there's a good chance the novel will feel meh. Even if the plot itself is technically solid.

(Here’s more with How to Make Readers Care About Your Protagonist—and Your Plot)

1. What Does the Protagonist Hope to Gain?

Even if your protagonist is tied to a chair and dangling over a pit of poisonous snakes, she’ll still want something. Survival, escape, mercy, time—whatever it is, she has a goal. And that goal is what gives the scene its direction.

• “Escape a horrible death” is a goal, because the protagonist hopes to gain her life.
• “Talk the killer into letting me go” is a goal, because the protagonist hopes to gain her freedom.
• “Stay quiet so I’m not discovered” is a goal, because the hope is to escape detection and not get caught.

“I don’t want to die,” however, is not a goal. As Kristin Lamb jokes, “Not dying is something I do every day.” It’s a natural state of being, but not something the character actively pursues.

This is where a lot of writers get stuck. They confuse motivation with action. They write scenes that have stakes, but not goals, so nothing is really happening, even though events are plodding along as scheduled.

If your protagonist doesn’t have something to gain or a way to pursue it, then they’re just reacting to the plot instead of driving it.

(Here’s more with An Easy Way to Find Your Protagonist’s Goal)

2. Why Is the Protagonist Doing It?

Now that you’ve got a goal, dig deeper—why does your character want this?

Motivation leads to plausible and compelling action. It's what makes readers root for your character, understand their choices, and care about the consequences.

Let’s break down a simple example:

Scene premise: A man is working late at the office.

Why? He wants a promotion.

Okay. Solid goal. But... why does he want that promotion?

• Because he wants more money? Eh. Feels shallow. Not very sympathetic. Doesn’t explain why he would risk his neck later in the story.
• Because he wants to take his kids to Disney World? Better. A personal goal with some emotional weight.
• Because he wants to prove to his ex-wife that he’s not a deadbeat dad? Oh yeah, we can work with this one.

Now the promotion isn’t just about money—it’s about self-worth, fatherhood, and identity. When he’s forced into a dangerous situation later in the story, readers will understand why he fights back instead of hiding under the desk.

The stronger the motivation, the stronger the emotional stakes.

If the goal is what your protagonist wants, the motivation is what gives it meaning.

(Here’s more with Why Ask Why? Because Your Readers Will)

What Happens When You Nail Both?

When characters pursue goals for deeply personal reasons, they stop being chess pieces on a plot board. They become people. Readers care. Scenes move with purpose. The entire story feels more cohesive and emotionally grounded—even when the plot gets complicated.

These questions work on every level of your story:

• Scene level: What do they want right now?
• Act level: What’s the short-term gain?
• Story level: What’s the long-term goal, and what’s driving them to pursue it?

If your scenes or your plot feel like they ought to work—but somehow don’t—chances are you’ve lost track of the “what” and the “why.”

Don’t settle for vague or convenient answers.

Dig deep. Find the goals that matter to your characters and the motivations that matter to your readers.

Because a character who wants something for a meaningful reason is the core of a compelling plot.

EXERCISE FOR YOU: Pick a scene from your current work-in-progress and ask: “What does the protagonist hope to gain? Why is the protagonist doing it?” Write down your answers. Then rewrite the scene summary in one sentence that includes both the goal and the motivation.

Are these questions you already ask? How do they work for you? If not, do you think this will help you craft a stronger story? Why or why not?

*Originally published January 2011. Last updated June 2025.

For more help on plotting or writing a novel check out my Plotting Your Novel: Ideas and Structure.

Go step-by-step through plotting and writing a novel. Learn how to find and develop ideas, brainstorm stories from that first spark of inspiration, develop the right characters, setting, plots and subplots, as well as teach you how to identify where your novel fits in the market, and if your idea has what it takes to be a series.

With clear and easy-to-understand examples, Plotting Your Novel: Ideas and Structure offers ten self-guided workshops with more than 100 different exercises to help you craft a solid novel. Learn how to:

• Create compelling characters readers will love
• Choose the right point of view for your story
• Determine the conflicts that will drive your plot (and hook readers!)
• Find the best writing process for your writing style
• Create a solid plot from the spark of your idea

Plotting Your Novel: Ideas and Structure also helps you develop the critical elements for submitting and selling your novel once it’s finished. You’ll find exercises on how to:

• Craft your one-sentence pitch
• Create your summary hook blurb
• Develop a solid working synopsis And so much more!

Plotting Your Novel: Ideas and Structure is an easy-to-follow guide to writing your novel or fixing a novel that isn’t quite working. 

Available in paperback and ebook formats.

Janice Hardy is the award-winning author of the teen fantasy trilogy The Healing Wars, including The Shifter, Blue Fire, and Darkfall from Balzer+Bray/Harper Collins. The Shifter, was chosen for the 2014 list of "Ten Books All Young Georgians Should Read" from the Georgia Center for the Book.

She also writes the Grace Harper urban fantasy series for adults under the name, J.T. Hardy.

When she's not writing novels, she's teaching other writers how to improve their craft. She's the founder of Fiction University and has written multiple books on writing.

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