When we read a book, characters generally find themselves with problems–personal or plot, and preferably both. The personal can tie us to a character in a fantasy or sci fi world. They’re really just like us, with relationship issues, parental issues, pet issues, boss issues, co-worker issues. Yep, this world is all to real.
The professional often varies from our experience. Occasionally we get a book where the character has the same kind of job or school issue. Lots of times the different work or school situation is part of the fun. Wow. Imagine dealing with spaceship flying or theater drama or whatever.
I was thinking about this in terms of a book I’m reading. I thought these are all plot problems. Then I rethought. This book has a hroine estranged from her father, fighting with her stepmother, and at odds with the cousin who has been almost a sister, and she’s infected with magic that may cause a degenerative disease. Um. Yes, that’s a lot of personal problems which feel tied to the plot. The tie to the plot is good.
Because in the best kind of book, the character causes their own problems. They make choices which lead to trouble and worse trouble. Yes, there’s an antagonist working against them, but in many ways the heroine (or hero) is her/his own source of trouble. Whether it’s making enemies who will work against them, making choices which cost them time or money they don’t have to spare, the heroine/hero can drive the story in a bad direction. We can yell at them, no, don’t do it. They do, and we groan because we can see more problems coming. And we know the character created them.
Unfortunately, this can happen in real life. The person who shoots off their mouth and loses a promotion. The teen who winds up kicked off a sports team. The list goes on. Watch characters in books you love and see how they don’t just find their way out of trouble. First, they dig themselves into trouble.