What does your character want the most and why? That is what his hopes and goals will revolve around. And of course, as a plot device you as the writer want to throw roadblocks in your character’s way so he doesn’t easily obtain those goals. In my March 2004 book, A FAMILY FOR TORY, my heroine hoped to keep her therapeutic riding stable for special needs people from going bankrupt whereas my hero in that story needed to find good, reliable help to watch his special needs daughter when he was at work.
Later in this book their hopes and goals (another word can be dreams) changed as they so often do in books. Tory hoped to heal from her past while Slade wished he could forgive himself. As you can see knowing your character’s hopes is essential to developing the plot. So take a moment and think of the book you are working on. What are the hopes for each of your main characters? If you can’t come up with them, then you need to stop and decide what they are. Without them your story will fall flat because everyone has dreams.
