A lot of us go with plot…after all aren’t the things that happen in a story, the plot turns, twists and pursuits, why we read or watch a film in the first place?  Sounds legit.

Until…

We get some back story on a character, especially the hero or villain.

Then tumblers fall into place, wheels start to spin, and the chase is on.

To get more granular… we now are starting to get why the character does what they do, why they respond to events the way they do, and the more we watch and read, the more we see that this character will not stop short of the ultimate act that the story requires.

This person ultimately defines the meaning of everything else in the novel.  It’s not the plot that reigns in the protagonist; it’s the other way around. (Hat tip to Lisa Cron’s Book Story Genius for this insight).

So sure, develop the plot, the structure, the three acts, etc.  But the characters…they will take your plot and run with it…treat them with respect.

Onward,

Jon