In a post on Writers in the Storm, Laurie Schnebly Campbell says that not every story needs to open with big trouble for the protagonist on page one. Instead, some readers want to see tension build slowly and to feel suspense along with the protagonist. The trouble can be internal or external, but it all starts the same place: with your character.
“The trouble begins with the kind of person they are,” Campbell says. “That’s why it makes sense to look at each character’s type or subtype or archetype, and how ANY conflict in their life will be influenced by what makes them unique.”
Characters will react to trouble differently, whether the danger is a leaking boat or mysterious bug bite. In that sinking boat, one character will watch for sharks, while another prays, while another tries to keep everyone’s spirits up. “Knowing the answers to such questions makes it far easier to create characters who’ll naturally encounter their own conflict, no matter what challenge they face,” Campbell writes. “Because it’s already built into the kind of person they are.”
She recommends placing your current protagonist into different kinds of trouble to see how they react. Would they panic, laugh, do research, or call for help? Use this exercise to get to know your characters and consider how they react to the trouble you have in mind for them in your story.
