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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/35062
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

# Story is driven by conflict. Conflict is driven by character desires.

Conflict is a struggle between a character who wants something and the things that are preventing them from getting what they want. If a character has nothing that they want, then there isn't anything to put them in conflict about. Without conflict your story has no tension, and without tension you will have difficulty holding your readers interest.

If your character's goal is to understand their body, mind, and surroundings, then you need something that is actively opposing that understanding. And it's not enough to make the task difficult - you also need a strong possibility of failure.

# It's possible to make a reactive character that readers are interested in. But it's problematic for protagonists.

Proactivity is one of the main character traits that makes readers interested in a character. It's not the only one - a sufficiently competent and sympathetic character can get by without too much proactivity. But the protagonist of a story is the one who's actions are carrying the plot forward. If they're not taking action then you either have no plot, or they're not the protagonist.

The [Writing Excuses podcast](https://www.writingexcuses.com/2014/03/30/writing-excuses-9-13-three-prong-character-development/) has an excellent episode on the topic of creating engaging characters (with a [follow-up](https://www.writingexcuses.com/2014/08/03/writing-excuses-9-32-adjusting-character-proactivity/) devoted specifically to character proactivity) that I heartily recommend.

Original score: 7