As wonderful as craft books are, a lot of times, our best teacher is life and our keen observance of it.
Lately, I’ve been reading this book called Live a Praying Life by Jennifer Kennedy Dean. I’m not reading it to improve my writing. I’m reading it to better understand God’s design for prayer. But as writers, we usually have that third eye (or ear) open and observant and aware. Ready to soak up some juicy insight. Some truth, some reflection of the human condition that we can apply to our characters and our stories.
So when I came upon this, I immediately switched into writing mode:
Jennifer writes, “Usually, what we call ‘the desire of my heart’ is really a secondary desire orbiting around the true desire. Usually, what we think we desire is really the way we have imagined the true desire will be met.”
She goes on to say, “We think we are asking for the desire of our hearts, but we are really asking for the desire of the moment. Often, in order to give you the desire of your heart, God will withhold the desire of the moment. He only says no as a prelude to a higher yes.”
Wow. I don’t know about you, but I see major truth in these words.
Truth that points to an overarching human condition.
For us. And most definitely our characters.
Getting to that truth involves a little digging. It involves going beyond what we find at the surface.
On the Sand: What does your character want?
Every protagonist needs a goal, something for which they are striving. What is your protagonist trying to accomplish throughout the story?
Let’s say your character gets on her knees in the morning, clasps her hands together, and begs you–her creator–for something. What is she petitioning for?
Often times, these petitions are the desires of the moment. The moment that becomes our story. These tend to be external things. Like…
Please, give me this promotion. Please, make this guy fall in love with me. Please, let me get this scholarship.
The possibilities are endless.
Digging Deeper: Why does your character want this?
Here’s what we know – or should know – that our character doesn’t.
This thing she is “praying” for? It’s not really the desire of her heart. It reflects a deeper desire. One she’s most likely unaware of.
So go deeper.
Why does your character want this promotion? Why does your character want the guy to fall in love with her? Why does your character want a scholarship?
In the very depth of her soul, what does your character really want? What is she craving?
Find the Treasure: What is the desire of your character’s heart?
The promotion will mean she’s not a failure. She will finally make her husband proud. The promotion becomes a matter of acceptance.
Getting the guy to love her will mean she’s desirable. It will mean she’s wanted. Getting the guy to love her becomes a matter of worth.
Getting the scholarship means paying her own way for college. She won’t have to answer to her parents anymore. Getting the scholarship becomes a matter of freedom.
Usually, these heart desires can be summed up in one or two words and they tend to be universal. Something most of us crave in one form or another.
Now think….
How can we, as authors, withhold the desire of the moment? How can we tell our characters no? And while they keep striving, how can we make our characters see something deeper? Something beyond the temporary? And how can we meet this true desire in a way that is exceedingly better than what our character imagined?
Let’s Talk: I brought up three heart desires: Acceptance. Worth. Freedom. Can you think of others? In your current WIP, what is your character’s true desire?
[…] The surface desire is what your character wants at the beginning of the novel. It’s what he’s praying for. It could drive him through the first part of the story. It’s what Katie Ganshert calls the desire of the moment. […]
Fabulous quote: I love the imagery of an “orbit.”
My trouble– attribute this to still being (officially) on my first novel and all the self-in-main-character clouding that goes with it– is that I see *more* clearly the big goal (safety/security/acceptance) and not so clearly the secondary thing she thinks will get her there.
I completely invented one (She wants to be a princess; hey, it’s a fantasy) that as a storyteller feels cheesy, but actually works in the novel. I kinda have to stop caring that *I* wouldn’t want this, and get to work building up the “orbit.”
Such a great analogy.
Just finished that study, and that was one of many quotes I loved from JKD. I didn’t connect it with writing for characters at the time, but totally makes sense. In my WIP, my MC wants life to go as planned–believing that following certain steps will eventually bring happiness.
Wonderful post, Katie! In my current WIP, my heroine wants to keep alcohol out of her town…but her real goal is to save families. She has to learn why those two goals might not always coincide.
Great post! My character (in the work I just finished) desires power, but I think you hit the nail on the head with digging deeper. Why does he want it? To prove his worth. Worth, freedom and acceptance are strong motivations. Knowledge might be another, though far more rare in its raw form. Usually it’s more of a desire with another motivation behind it.
Great post, Katie! On the surface, my main character wants to prove she can succeed in the male-dominated field of geology. But she’s really a truth seeker. Her desire is to know the truth about life.
I loved the end of your post – how can we meet this character’s true desire in a way that’s better than they expected. I’m going to ponder that awhile for my WIP.
By the way, Robin Spay had told me about that book by Jennifer Kennedy Dean and I’ve already ordered it. Can’t wait to read it.
Thanks for a post filled with profound truth, Katie.
The heroine in my debut novel says she wants to be a successful merchant, but what she’s really seeking is approval.
Great post!
I wrote on my blog about what happens when your protagonist realizes that she isn’t the Main Character of her own life story…how will she respond? My MC is a Christian teen, so sooner or later she will have to deal with the fact that God does not orbit her, but it is the other way around! Her true desire will become centered on Christ.
So true with all Christians. Our desires should be centered on Christ. Once we realize we are not the Main Characters of our own story, how will we respond? We will either long to serve Him or destroy Him.
Ps 37:4 “Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.”
Amen, sister! In fact, my post scheduled for Wednesday is pretty much echoing the sentiments of your comment here.
Great! Can’t wait to read it….
Oh, I love that quote. So true. My character desires approval.
This couldn’t have come at a better time as I’m developing some characters for a new novel! Thanks!
Wow! What a wonderful post: the quote, your remarks, and the comments. My mind is running with ideas. This has been so helpful, Katie. (I’ve not been feeling well this past week and the writing work is down. But you’ve given me a plan for some prep work. Thanks!)
Yay, I’m glad, Patti! And I hope you feel better soon.
Understanding. It’s what she wants. I get that. Probably why I’m writing it.
Sending love & Valentine’s smackeroos which are coming out funny b/c of my numb face (thanks to my crown).
~ Wendy
Ugh, I hate having to get Novacaine! I hope your lips are back to feeling normal!
This really made me think. My character, on the surface, is looking for love from a man she can’t have. But what she REALLY desires is the love of her father. I can’t wait until she finds the love of her Heavenly Father, I get excited for her (is this normal?).
Totally normal! Or at least I say it’s normal, because I go through the same thing. I get excited for my characters. 🙂
Oh wow! You really spoke to me today! That is exactly what I have been trying to wrap my head around. I know there is a deeper desire for all the things I ask for, but I don’t know what. I need to be patient and actively wait for God to do his work.
Glad it encouraged you, Tina!
Ooh, Katie. Wonderful insights and a new-to-me way of looking at our characters’ true desires.
Wow. Pretty sure I need to read that book. Such a profound quote and I couldn’t help thinking about myself…what do I want?…and what do I *really* want?
My main character wants an identity that gives her worth…
I think worth is such a great heart desire to give a character, because I think deep-down, so many of us are searching for the same thing. It resonates!
Love, love, love this post!
I think my MC wants forgiveness. She strives to live a perfect, controlled life, because she thinks she can make up for her decisions in the past if her life is perfect.
My other MC wants truth. She thinks she has to explore and experiment to get it, but really she’s grown up knowing it all along. Still, she has to discover that for herself.
Great post. These are super questions to ask when figuring out our characters in a story. I’ll have to check back when I start plotting my new WIP. Thanks!
I loved how you used the beach! Excellent post.
You know what’s funny about that? I had that picture from istock but hadn’t used it yet. And I had no clue what picture to put with this post, so I went back through and tweaked a few things to make the beach picture work. Oh, the things we do. 🙂
Thanks for the post. I like what you wrote about making our characters see something deeper…inside themselves:-) I know I have to get more detail for my heroine in this area. My main character is not a believer but she is surrounded by people who love God…she is searching for freedom on the inside…but thinks she only needs it externally. Appreciate your thought-provoking ideas… thanks for the tips:-)
Great insights. I think my character is praying for stability, but I think her heart is desiring that security only God can bring.
Great post, Katie. It reminds me of the email we exchanged a while ago when I asked you if concrete/external goals (i.e., finding the right job) should remain the same throughout the story, or if, as a character learns & grows, she is more likely to change her main external goal to something else by the end of the story as she begins to understand her heart’s desire. I’d say the heart’s desire is also what’s known as the ‘internal goal’ isn’t it?
You got it, girl! When I was writing this post, I was thinking how the true desire is the internal goal. And oftentimes, our characters aren’t aware of that internal goal. They aren’t aware of what’s really driving them to go after the external things.
Very thought provoking! The main character in my current WIP wants life. She thinks that her son getting better from his sickness will bring her peace and happiness but God, as always, is after the bigger picture: her heart.
Carrie, this is exactly what I was thinking as I was reading this book. For me and for my characters, since I write Christian fiction. Our true heart’s desire, in the deepest place, is more of Jesus. We just try to fill that need with so many other things, you know?
A most excellent post — and a great way to start the week. I truly believe that what we’re weaving into our fictional characters’ lives is only “true” because it’s true in real life. And you’ve proven that beautifully by applying the principles from Kennedy’s book to your novel.
Now to answer your question: In my WIP, one of my characters wants absolution — freedom from guilt. She feels like her choices wrecked her life — and so she has no right to complain when what she wants eludes her.
I love that, Beth. Because I can see your character chasing after that in all kinds of external ways. And it’s something so many can relate to. I can’t wait to read your book!
Wow, that’s a profound quote from Jennifer: “He only says no as a prelude to a higher yes.” That alone takes us (and any characters created) to the heart of the issue. Can we live with the “no” for now in hope of the ultimate “yes” one day? I believe that’s a struggle we can all relate to. Great insight, Katie.
I loved the quote too! It’s a really great book so far. Changing my whole understanding about prayer.