One of the consistent problems I run into when reviewing screenplays is a passive hero. Most new writers create passive heroes without realizing why or understanding why this is a problem. A passive hero is one who lets things happen to him or her. Instead of being the catalyst, they are the victim. It is natural to think of your story in these terms at first. Many ideas begin with “What if ___ happened to someone?” This thought process starts your story down the road to passivity. Your story is based on outside forces acting upon your hero. They are not in charge of their situation and passively react to what happens to them rather than what they make happen.

The story may begin by something happening to the hero and forcing them to take action, but from then on, each turning point needs to occur because the hero has done something. If the hero has a goal and pursues it, they are making things happen. They are constantly active and always moving forward. Turning points occur because their actions create resistance, obstacles stop them from achieving their goal and they are forced to redirect themselves and take a new approach.

As you write, ask yourself with each new turn your story takes, if the hero is the one who cause this event to happen. If not, you may have created a passive hero. Take time to examine your premise, and create an outline of the story. What is the hero’s goal? Is it an active goal that will force them to pursue something? Often inexperienced writers create stories based around a passive goal, which in turn necessitates a passive hero. A passive goal is to not do something, to avoid life in some way. The best way to achieve this is to sit around at home and stay out of trouble. This creates either 120 pages of someone sitting on a coach, or forces you to impose things upon the hero. If they are avoiding life and passively staying home, other characters must act upon them to give the story momentum. In a well-written story, the character has to do something in order to get what they want, and therefore goes out and makes things happen.

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-Ginger Earle