Navigating the Main Protagonist in Your Story

I'm still actively working on a few different novels, but my real life story stars me, myself, and hers—carefully dancing around the rather obvious elephant doing the cha-cha in the center of the room. Hey, after creating all new content day in and day out, I relish a few moments of pure unproductive creativity just for the hell of it! But if it helps, my characters are Albert Joe and Em, a semi-existential sci-fi family drama.

Who Is the Main Protagonist?

When you write a story, you inevitably want to center it around a main person or a team of characters. Often, the protagonist is the one who drives the plot forward and undergoes significant growth or change. However, it doesn't necessarily have to be the main character you, the writer. It can be an imaginary person who embodies some of the same emotions and ideas as you, just in a more fictional setting. If you can't share some of yourself in your story, why are you writing? In my opinion, a good writer must lose themselves in their story and often in their character for hours to be a great storyteller. Sometimes I just want to write, so I start with a sentence or a name and then follow it with dialogue just to get inspiration for the next sentence. My family still enjoys those short stories, but sometimes I have to start over because I get an actual story idea I can pour myself into. So, do you need to write about yourself? No, but your experience with life sure helps. Now, who is your character in your story?

First Person Narrator and Protagonist

I'm working on the fourth book in a series that is told in first person. Now, not all first person narrators are the protagonist—see Doctor Watson in A Study in Scarlet. However, it tends to be the rule. While I'm trying to give interesting story arcs to the other characters, the nature of first person narrative is that one person does tend to take center stage. In my latest book, the Space AA is the main protagonist team, but Highkage Kakashi is the main main protagonist. This is because he was the first one who said he wanted to be in the story. Interesting story arcs can and should be given to the other characters, but their contributions often revolve around the protagonist.

The concept of a protagonist can be fluid and complex. Sometimes, the main protagonist can be offscreen, like in One Piece. The focus might shift to other characters or events that indirectly affect the protagonist. This dynamic can create a more compelling narrative, as it allows for multiple layers of storytelling and exploration. The story might follow a team or a group, but the protagonist at the core of it all is the character who drives the events and causes the change.

Ultimately, the main protagonist is the driving force of your story. They are the character through whose eyes the story is told, and whose journey is the primary focus. Whether they are onscreen or off, the protagonist is the one who motivates the plot and the heart of the narrative. So, the next time you sit down to write, ask yourself: who is the main protagonist of your story?

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the main protagonist is a crucial element in your story. Whether you center your narrative on a single character or a team, finding the right protagonist can make all the difference. The protagonist is the character who drives the plot forward, undergoes significant growth or change, and is central to the story. So, who is the main protagonist of your story? Take the time to think about it, and your story will be all the richer for it.