Putting Fire in Your Fiction Part II

The Writer’s PenCase

We’re looking at Donald Maass’ The Fire in Fiction. @DonaldMaass #FireinFiction

I’m on a quest to learn more about writing and share it with you, Today, we’ll talk about Chapter 1, Protagonists vs. Heroes.

“…think about the people whom you deeply admire. Who are the individuals for whom you would cancel other plans? Who stirs in your awe, respect, humility, and high esteem? Are these regular people, no different than anyone else? They may not be famous but they are in some way exceptional, right? Click to Tweet

“Whether they are public figures or just ordinary in profile, our heroes and heroines are people whose actions inspire us. We would not mind spending ten straight hours or even ten days with them. That is important because then hours is about how long it takes to read a novel and tend days is not an uncommon period of time for readers to commit to a single book. When it is your book, what sort of protagonist do you want you readers to meet? One whom they will regard more or less as they do a fellow grocery shopper?

“To create an immediate bond between reader and protagonist, it is necessary to show your reader a reason to care. Pushing a shopping cart is not a reason to care. Demonstrating a character quality that is inspiring does cause readers to open their hearts.” Pg. 10

It’s important to remember that our characters must be human, believable, interesting, yet with the capability to being larger than life, or “great.” Here’s a wonderful definition of who or what these kind of people are like. “…we might agree on one effect of greatness: impact. Great people do not leave the world unchanged. Great characters similarly stir readers and stay with them.” Pg. 27

The practical tools section at the end of the chapter gives you step-by-step instructions about finding a protagonist’s strength, finding a hero’s flaws, and the impact of greatness. Each topic has discussion with it. For example, “Finding a Protagonist’s Strength” as three steps:

1. Is your protagonist an ordinary person? Find in him any kind of strength.
2. Work out a way for that strength to be demonstrated within your protagonist’s first five pages.
3. Revise your character’s introduction to your readers.

“Discussion: Without a quality of strength on display, your readers will not bond with your protagonist. Why should they? No one wants to spend four minutes, let alone four hundred pages with a miserable excuse for a human being or even a plain old average Joe. So, what is strength? It can be as simple as caring about someone, self-awareness, a longing for change, or hope. Any small positive quality will signal to you readers that your ordinary protagonist is worth their time.” Pg. 33 Click to Tweet

What about you? What do you look for in a hero or heroine? What puts fire in your fiction? @Donald Maass #FireinFiction Leave a comment and let me know.