Giving Character to Characters

Stories need characters that bring some kind of adversity and conflict. Without such obstacles there wouldn't be much of a story. Whether the plot hinges on the protagonist (hero) searching for the truth to a crime or the antagonist (villian) trying to cover his tracks, there's needs to be difficulty along the way so as to strengthen and develop the characters' good and bad traits. Even protagonists need flaws and realistic goals that can be met only when confronted with challenges. Such obstacles can be physical, deception, wants and needs, unfamilair territory, and other barriers characters must overcome.

A good way to determine how a character might react to any situation is by spending time in considering how they think and what action they would take to resolve the conflict. The main character, whether protagonist or antagonist, doesn't have to change completely during the course of the story. They only need to understand what is required of them to carry out certain tasks that will work toward accomplishing their goals. In the midst of the plotline the story can be modified so that the main character is confronted with choices that he or she hadn't thought of at the beginning. There are also times when the character needs to remain steadfast in their thinking or actions so that the plot development and the character's motivations work together to create a great story.