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What Is A Story Goal? The Secret To A Strong Plot

What Is A Story Goal? The Secret To A Strong Plot

What is a story goal in fiction writing? Learn how a concrete story goal helps writers create stronger plots, build conflict, and structure novels that keep readers engaged.

You have to keep your characters busy if you want to write a novel. You have to give them a crisis, a reason to overcome it, and a way out.

Once you have an appropriate inciting moment created by a worthy antagonist, you have to decide what your protagonist is going to do about it.

What Is A Story Goal? The Secret To A Strong Plot

Your protagonist has to set a concrete goal that they believe will solve the crisis. The protagonist’s goal is known as the story goal. This goal is the foundation of your plot.

Your story at its most basic:

Before you start writing, complete this:

My novel is a story about  ______________________  (protagonist’s name)

who wants to ____________________________________  (ultimate physical story goal).

Characters Must Have A Physical Story Goal

For the purpose of plotting, you should not choose an abstract goal. You must choose a tangible goal.

Characters always have abstract story goals. We are always on journeys of self-discovery where we worry about our feelings. This is a given, but never let these become more important than physical goals with deadlines.

We are also always our own worst enemies. Don’t choose ‘overcoming yourself’ as a goal. If you do choose an abstract story goal, your character will spend too much time alone, thinking and boring your readers.

Remember that love is not a story goal – it is an emotion. Read: Love Is Never The Goal – Even When You Write Romance

To recap from a previous post on story goals, wanting to find ‘love’ or ‘acceptance’ or ‘justice’ is not enough. When your character is loved, accepted or vindicated after achieving a physical goal, you have a story.

Your Character Needs One (Or More) Of These

To define a physical story goal a character needs:
  1. To get something physical, or
  2. To cause something physical, or
  3. To escape something physical, or
  4. To resolve something physical, or
  5. To survive something physical.

Examples:

  1. If you want to write about a woman who wants to ‘find herself’, make her travel somewhere.
  2. If your lawyer wants justice, give them a client whose life needs to be saved.
  3. If your lonely character wants love, give them a situation to deal with where they can find the love of their life.

Suggested reading, with examples of story goals: Do Your Characters Have SMART Story Goals?

The Last Word

I’ve explained what a story goal should be in this post. A strong story goal helps give your novel focus and direction. When your protagonist has a clear goal, it becomes easier to build conflict, raise the stakes, and keep readers turning the page. But, how do you know if your story goal is good enough to support your story? Find out in our next post: 5 Essential Criteria For Creating Successful Story Goals

Additional Reading: 12 Point Checklist For Your Story Goal

Amanda Patterson

© Amanda Patterson

If you enjoyed this post, read:

  1. Do Your Characters Have SMART Story Goals?
  2. Proust’s Questionnaire – 35 Questions Every Character Should Answer
  3. 13 Ways To Start A Story

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Posted on: 10th April 2015
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