How Plot and Character Arc Work Together

First of all, the plot should come from the character goal. When the character wants something and works towards achieving it, that's what creates our plot. Even if yours doesn't, this should be helpful!

Today, I'm going to be talking about the different ways that you can use the want and the need. The want being that character's main goal and driving force of the plot. The need being the fear or flaw of the main character that is at the core of their character arc. (See my blog about strong character goals if needed)

Want vs. Need

The want and the need work together in all stories, but they can effect each other in different ways. Usually, the want is what the character thinks is going to make them happy and the need is what's actually going to make them happy. Typically, on the main character's journey to succeed in their want, they run into obstacles (meaning you place obstacles in their way) that help point them towards their need. On the other hand, the fear or flaw that is the heart of their need can cause them problems on the way to their want.

For example, in Tootsie the main character, Michael Dorsey is sexist. He ends up dressing up as a woman to get an acting part and then has to deal with the sexism of others (thus helping to force him realize his need).

Let's now explore all the different ways that the want and need can interact in different types of stories.

Fail in Want, Success in Need

This is one of the most typical types of stories. The main character (MC) wants something, something that they think will make them happy, but they're wrong. Around the midpoint, or earlier, the audience will realize what they need (which is what is actually going to make them happy). So, the story is a journey of the character trying to accomplish their want and along the way figuring out what they need instead.

A great example of this is Stardust. Tristan wants to bring the fallen star back to Victoria, but he needs to realize he doesn't actually love her. The want is often much more solid than the need. In my post about how to create strong character goals, we talk about how the want should be clear and measurable, whereas the need is more internal and can have many facets. If we say that Tristan needs to realize he doesn't love Victoria, it also stems into the fact that he has low self esteem and lets people walk all over him and that he needs to realize that he actually loves Yvaine, and he's able to learn and grow as a person through the trials he's faced with on the journey to succeed in his want.

Success in Want, Success in Need

1. The most common way that these two work together is that the character can't succeed in their want until they realize their need. An example of this would be if the main character wants to go to Prom. They've set their eyes on someone and are trying so hard to impress them enough that they're willing to go to Prom with them. The need would be to realize that this person doesn't respect them and the MC shouldn't be trying to earn their affection. Perhaps there is another love interest to go to the dance with or even a friend. So, the MC can still succeed in their want of 'going to Prom', just not in the way that they thought.

Another example would be if the MC wanted to get revenge on the person who killed their father. They need to realize that they've been lied to and manipulated, so they're after the wrong person. Once they realize their need and figure out who really killed their father, they can succeed in getting their revenge.

They can’t succeed in their want until they realize their need and go about it in a different way. Want and need work hand-in-hand.

2. Another way that these can work together is if it takes succeeding in their want to realize their need. This usually means that it's not until they succeed in their want (the thing they thought would make them happy) that they realize it's not actually going to make them happy. They then start looking a little deeper to find what they need.

3. The last option is a tragedy, where they do everything right. Get what they want, they get what they need, they worked hard to get there and they grew as a person, but they still get punished in some way (possibly death). I'd say to be careful with this version because it can be very easy for this ending to make the rest of the story feel like a waste of time. Often, I think when this works is when the 'punishment' is in direct correlation with succeeding in their want or need. For example, Maximus dying at the end of Gladiator.

Success in Want, Fail in Need

This story is considered a tragedy. As I said before, the want is what they think is going to make them happy, but it actually isn't. So, when they succeed in their want and fail in their need (what's actually going to make them happy), it is quite tragic. The tension in these stories stem from the fact that the audience can see what the MC needs. They're rooting for them to realize it the whole time and feel the despair when they ultimately fail.

Fail in Want, Fail in Need

This is they type of story that I typically would recommend avoiding. Because if the character fails in the want and the need, it is very easy to create a story that goes nowhere and means nothing. When done right, this type of story is also a tragedy. I believe that this only works if the want and need were supposed to go hand-in-hand (like the success in the want and need above), but because they never realized their need they weren't able to succeed in their want. So, we get the same despair as the section above, but without the seeming success of a want achieved.

Conclusion

There are so many fun ways for the want and need to work together. See if you can identify it in your favorite books and movies! Even if you only chose to work with "Success in Need, Fail in Want" you can have a huge range of stories based on who the character is, what their goal is, when they realize their need, and how they react to realizing their need. Remember that this is just a base to start at and there is so much flexibility and creativity to make the story unique.

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