Character Agency in Writing
While writing, one question you should always be asking yourself is
Does my protagonist have agency?
By agency, I mean making decisions that affect the plot significantly.
Protagonists should be active, not just reactive. It’s boring to read a book about things happening to a character and them reacting to them; make sure that your characters are constantly making choices that affect the course of the story, driving the plot forward!
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It sounds obvious, but it can be revealing to look at your work and examine what actions your protagonist actually make. Especially think of this with female characters; ‘strong female characters’ don’t just punch people and wield swords, they make decisions that affect the narrative outcome.