When we read a novel, we want to go on a journey with the hero and heroine – not watch them wander through scene after scene, chapter after chapter. How do we develop a strong plot that doesn’t veer off-course by mid-book, leaving our characters lost and our readers frustrated? We need to know the protagonist’s Noble Quest. What: The Noble Quest is the protagonist’s goal – what they want to accomplish. When you see the term “Noble Quest,” think What? Think quest, as in quest for the Holy Grail. (Now doesn’t that example make you want to go watch Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade?) Why: Discovering your protagonist’s Noble Quest is a key part of your novel. The Noble Quest is more than your hero deciding “I want […]
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The Noble Quest Up Close and Personal
We’ve been talking Character creation a bit here on MBT, in the Team Member Forum, as well as on the site, and while talking with my Mentee the other day, we were trying to flesh out her heroine’s Noble Quest. What does she want? What is this story about? What journey does she embark upon? This is an essential part of the Hero/Heroine’s journey that is key to the story. My mentee’s first response was, “Well, she wants to start a clinic for children.” Great goal. Very noble. But that’s not the heroines real Noble Quest. The clinic, if she accomplishes her dream, is the end result of the Noble Quest. It is her specific, measurable and realistic goal. (and if you can add a time-sensitive element to it, it […]
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How do you build a powerful Noble Quest for your character, launching him off into his Second Act Journey with enough motivation, yet enough reward waiting at the end? This section of your story is pivotal because you must have built enough Want for your character to propel him through all the obstacles and disappointments of Act 2, all the way to the Black Moment. Often, when we don’t believe in a character, if they seem “too stupid to live,” it’s because we haven’t built enough WANT. This can be solved by using the Push-Pull Technique. I’ve heard them called MRU – Motivation, Reaction Units. This technique is more about building a solid motivation to convince us of the Reaction and can easily be added to the MRU technique. Again, […]
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