If you’re reading this post then you’re a character with a goal. Your goal may be anything from ‘learn how to write better characters’ or simply ‘pass the time’ because you can’t seem to write today, but one thing is constant … you have a goal. On a larger scope, let’s assume that because you’re reading this you probably want to write or direct or produce or act in the film business one day. Right?

It’s important to understand and articulate your own character goal before attempting to articulate one of you characters’.

So, why are you reading this?

The answer to this question is your character goal. Articulate it and understand where you are in your individual journey, because the character goal ties in very closely with the mythological journey. Every character is their own protagonist or hero, and you’re no different; as the hero in your own journey into Hollywood, where do you stand?

Is it still just a dream, or have you taken the red pill?

If you’re like Neo, and you’ve taken the red pill, you’ve just crossed the threshold into the special world. Welcome to Wonderland.

This point is critical to your character, because it informs character. By taking the red pill, the character takes action toward their dream, thereby transforming it into a goal. The writer’s Wonderland may very well be known as the world of writing … or the act of writing for that matter.

After articulating what your goal is and how far along the mythological journey you are, determine what your character’s goal is by starting in their childhood — the best goals are always planted early. As Morpheus explains, “You felt it your entire life … that there’s something wrong with the world. You don’t know what it is, but it’s there. It is this feeling that has brought you to me.”

If you grew up on television or movies, perhaps you, too, have felt the urge to tell stories in a visual medium your entire life, or perhaps you always felt it was easier to write what you felt rather than verbalize it. No matter, the point is that you felt it as a child. The technique of planting a character goal early in the character’s life creates what’s called momentum.

Neo has always felt there was something wrong with the world, so you can imagine that over the years momentum from curiosity and lack of answers has been building … and that’s exactly why he takes the red pill. Because of the goal planted early in his life from the storytellers, Neo willingly takes the pill. However, and as mythological story structure points out, the character refuses the call to adventure, which literally comes in the form of a phone call, and therefore falls into the hands of Agent Smith.

Have you refused the call to reach for your dream? Perhaps you didn’t think you could move to Los Angeles – not that you need to relocate in the beginning.

If you haven’t found the parallels between you and Neo, consider reading Hero With A Thousand Faces or The Writer’s Journey. Or, watch the first acts of Star Wars: A New Hope and The Matrix over and over until you see the pattern.

One of the most common mistakes found in screenplays and manuscripts is the lack of a clear character goal. If you’re character doesn’t have a goal (and a goal doesn’t have to be a clen-cut as Luke or Neo’s), then they can’t work toward anything, and if they can’t work toward anything then they’re static characters … and there’s nothing worse that inactive characters – would you want to watch someone do a bunch of nothing for two hours … let alone read 120 pages of it?

If you have a hot idea for a script and start writing without knowing the character’s goal, then you probably don’t know a whole lot about the story; in other words, you’re probably making it up as you go. Some argue this is a good way to execute your first draft – from the heart, – but it also means you’ll probably end up writing a couple revision drafts you wouldn’t have needed to write had you planned your screenplay. That said, as an aspiring screenwriter, it’s probably best to go the long way; after all, the more you write the more you learn. Regardless of your method, this is a part of the five things you need to know before writing.

Goals such as finding the meaning of life might be too broad for your average drama, but as I always say, there’s only one rule in screenwriting, and that isn’t it. If you have a hot script idea, go for it! But know who your character is … knowing who they are will most likely reveal who they want to become. Also, if your character doesn’t have much to do with the actual story, then you probably want to revise a bit and marry them closer together, because after all, your character is what your story is really about.

The importance of character goal can’t be stressed enough. Be sure you have a clear, identifiable goal your reader and audience will understand. Missions seem to make for the best goals because they require action from your character. If you find that your character isn’t active, it’s probably because there isn’t enough conflict or dilemma – but that’s a whole different article!

Keep it simple. Jack and Jill went up the hill, remember? Why? To fetch the pail of water. Keep the goal clear, plant it early in act one, and create momentum during the first act – just as Neo was first seen at his computer, presumably searching for more information about the matrix, create a hero who has their eye on their dream or goal, and build momentum with scenes similar to when Neo follows the white rabbit. – SXR

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