What Does Your Protagonist Want?
Lisa CliffordA few new manuscripts landed on my desk this week, each one brimming with possibility. Over coffee with a writer, the very first thing I’d ask about these drafts is simple: what does your protagonist want? It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how often that clarity is missing in early pages. And without it, the stories don’t take off as they should or could.
Think of it this way: your character’s desire is the magnet that pulls everything else into place. It’s what shapes the plot, fuels conflict and keeps us turning the page. If your reader knows what your protagonist is chasing, whether it’s freedom, love, revenge, or a sense of belonging, they’ll be cheering your character along. They’ll want to see if your character gets what they want and what they’ll risk getting it. (Check out some of my past Blogs on theme).
When that desire is fuzzy or absent, the story feels like it’s drifting. Beautiful sentences can’t make up for lack of direction. As a coach, I can always tell when a writer hasn’t nailed down what their main character wants. The scenes don’t connect, tension doesn’t build and the reader (me at this point!) wonders why I should care.
Ask yourself right now: is my protagonist’s desire clear from the very beginning? If not, take time to strengthen it. Drop hints in dialogue, show it in the choices your character makes or let it dance about in what they notice in the world around them.
Here’s a little exercise you can try this weekend: grab a notebook and write the sentence, More than anything, my character wants…’ Don’t overthink it, just let the first answer spill out. Then dig deeper. Why do they want this? What fear or longing sits underneath? Finally, write down what stands in their way.
Try this exercise.
Begin with one sentence. Write: 'More than anything, my character wants…' and finish it quickly. Do not edit, just get the truth of their longing down.
Next, ask why. Beneath that sentence, write: 'They want this because…' Push yourself to go deeper than the obvious. Keep asking why, why, why until you reach an emotional core, often fear, shame, love or survival.
Then find the obstacle. Add: 'But what stands in their way is…' This could be another person, society, or something inside them. That clash between desire and obstacle is what your story is all about!
Now test it in your opening pages. Go back to your manuscript. Can a reader grasp this desire, even if only hinted at, within the first few pages?
Also, with my private writers, this old chestnut has been resonating so deeply. Please remember the Art of Writing creed:
People don’t just remember what you wrote, they remember how you made them feel.
Now, in other news:
Am seriously considering running an Art of Writing special retreat in Florence in November 2026. Am so done with the summer heat in Florence, so no June or July! Trust me, let’s flick the tourists and the higher ticket and accommodation prices for writers and go for autumn/fall. So am thinking:
Sunday, November 8, 2026 start and then finish on the evening of Thursday November 12, 2026. If this sounds good to you, there is one year for you to plan. Expressions of interest? Write to me at clifford.lisa@hotmail.com and let me know. We can start planning our writing and travel calendar for next year. But it ain’t going to be summer that’s for sure! As a local, it’s just too hot for walking and sitting in the piazza!
Art of Writing Showcase
Each blog will now feature a short piece from one of our talented writers. An excerpt, a travel reflection, or a moment of clarity captured in words. This is our way of celebrating the courage it takes to put pen to paper and share your story. Keep in mind that your submission will be read exactly as you provide it. There’s no editing along the way, so make sure it represents the standard you want associated with your name. Each piece you share is not just writing on a page but a reflection of your voice and professionalism. And that’s worth presenting with care.
An excerpt from ALONG THE COBBLESTONES by Diana Hibberson.
Evie stopped regularly to say hello to the gondolier when he wasn't navigating the canals with tourists. An unusual friendship had evolved since he'd called to her on her first day in Venice. In the "small world" anomaly, she learned how Romeo had lived for six months, in his twenties, with an uncle in Sydney, returning to Venice when his visa expired. He often had Evie in fits of laughter when he tried to imitate an "ocker" accent.
The gondolier was tall and had smoky blue grey eyes, permanently creased at the corners from smiling and perhaps from squinting across the glare of the canal. He kept his sandy hair short and was always clean shaven. Sculptured biceps flexed beneath his tight fitting black and white striped t-shirt. And his name was Romeo. She was certain he'd fabricated it; he later presented her with his gondolier licence to prove he was telling the truth. Fleetingly, she wondered if he had a girlfriend, a wife, a lover. Every time she passed him, he asked her to come aboard. Every time he asked, she politely declined, saying she couldn't afford his fee. Leaning over the rail, he would flirt a little and she would laugh a lot.
Toward the end of the month, with only a few days left before leaving Venice, Romeo waved to her, and she stopped to say hello. She would miss their repartee.
'Your girl's really gleaming today,' she called as Romeo continued to polish the sleek timber of the boat, its reflection shimmering on the water.
'Nothing better than a gentle loving touch to make a girl shine,' he grinned, and his dimples deepened. 'You are shining today too, Evie.'
'I leave next week,' she said wistfully. 'Off to Treviso for the month.' Her eyes wandered across the canal, trying to imprint the majestic sight into her mind. 'I wanted to say goodbye.'
'No, no, no,' he cried, theatrically. 'Do not leave this beautiful city. A ray of sunshine will be lost forever if you go.'
'You have other rays to brighten your day, Romeo,' she replied, flattered all the same by his poetic declaration.
'Please, Evie, you must let me take you in my boat. No money, just a thank you for brightening my days. Please.' He signalled for her to come aboard.
'Are you sure? You might miss a passenger who can pay.'
'I have never been more certain,' he declared. 'It will be my honour.'
'Then I accept your generous offer.' As though she were on a screen set, Evie scanned around for the movie cameras.
Romeo offered his hand to help her onto his regal gondola; hand crafted and lovingly maintained, passed on from previous generations. He placed his boater on her head.
'Hold tight Evie, this will be the real magic you have been waiting for,' he said with a cheeky grin and a wink.
Romeo stood ahead of her, legs apart, strong and stable, and he used his oar to guide his black steed off the Grand Canal into a quieter canal, away from the continual stream of boats. The swooshing of the oar against the water was the only sound. Until he burst into song. But not an Italian classic. The deep tenor of his voice and the accent of his words briefly masked the tune of a song close to her heart. "Once a jolly swagman…" was his first line, and Evie stared at him in a delayed moment of disbelief; he was singing her unofficial national anthem. By the time he began the chorus, Evie was wired. Together they sang "Waltzing Matilda" with gusto and emotion. If they hadn't been on a narrow wooden boat, she'd have leaped across to hug him.
Once they returned and tethered, that's exactly what she did. As she disentangled herself from a heartfelt hug, his broad smile reflected her own happiness.
Don’t forget we’ll be exploring Dialogue (SO IMPORTANT!) in the Art of Writing’s 2-hour live Zoom class That Does More Than Talk! It’s almost booked out, so if you’d like to come along, better get in quick!
Workshop Details
Date: Tuesday, 11 November 2025
In this class, you’ll learn how to:
• Make dialogue feel alive and natural (no more stiff conversations!)
• Use speech to reveal character without overexplaining
• Move the story forward with every line
• Avoid common dialogue pitfalls that pull readers out of your world
What You’ll Get from the Class
In this 2-hour drill-down workshop, you’ll:
• Learn practical strategies for sharpening dialogue and avoiding common traps
• Work through exercises to practice tension, rhythm, and subtext
• Analyse examples that reveal why some exchanges sing while others sink
DATE:
November 11 (just remember 11/11 😊)
Time:
Sydney: 7:00 PM (AEDT)
London: 8:00 AM (GMT)
Central Europe: 9:00 AM (CET)
Location: Live on Zoom (link provided after booking)
Cost: $120 AUD per participant
Early Bird: $99 AUD if booked two weeks in advance
Bonus: Downloadable checklist “10 Dialogue Traps to Avoid” (sent 24 hours before our session)
Warmly,
Lisa Clifford
The Art of Writing