What does your protagonist want? What’s standing in their way? And what happens if they fail? Today, we’re exploring three essential elements that help turn interesting characters into an engaging novel.
Welcome back to Day 10 of Preptober 2026! 🎃✍️
You guys, we’re officially TEN days into our 31-day novel-planning challenge!
Can you believe it?!
Over the past few days, we’ve been getting to know the characters who will bring our novels to life.
We’ve identified our protagonists, antagonists, and supporting characters.
We’ve explored their personalities, strengths, flaws, and motivations.
And previously, we spent some time developing the important relationships and opposing forces that will influence our stories.
But today?
We’re going to start making our protagonists’ lives a little more complicated. 😂
Because having interesting characters is wonderful.
But those characters also need something to work toward.
Something standing in their way.
And something meaningful to lose.
That’s where today’s topic comes in.
Goal. Conflict. Stakes.
These three elements work together to create the tension that keeps readers turning pages.
Why Goal, Conflict & Stakes Matter
Think about a story where the protagonist wants something, immediately gets it, and then spends the rest of the novel enjoying their success.
Sounds lovely for the protagonist.
But as a reader?
We might get a little bored. 😂
That’s because stories generally need some form of tension.
We want to see characters pursue goals, encounter obstacles, make difficult decisions, and face consequences.
And the more those things matter to the characters, the more invested we become in their journeys.
That’s where goal, conflict, and stakes come together.
Goal: What does your protagonist want to accomplish?
Conflict: What’s preventing them from accomplishing it?
Stakes: What happens if they fail?
These three questions might sound simple, but answering them can give your novel a much stronger foundation.
And the best part?
You don’t need an elaborate plot outline to start figuring them out.
You just need to understand what your protagonist is working toward and why it matters.
Step 1: Identify Your Protagonist’s Goal 🎯
Let’s start with the first question.
What does your protagonist want?
This is their goal.
It’s the thing they’re actively trying to accomplish throughout the story.
Maybe they want to solve a mystery.
Win a competition.
Save their family business.
Find a missing loved one.
Or build a relationship with someone they care about.
Whatever the goal, it should give your protagonist a reason to take action.
And here’s something important to remember.
Your protagonist’s goal should help drive the story forward.
That doesn’t mean they need to be fearless, ambitious, or particularly enthusiastic about their circumstances.
Some protagonists are reluctant.
Some are terrified.
Some would much rather stay home and avoid the entire situation. 😂
But eventually, they need to make choices that influence what happens next.
External Goals vs. Internal Desires
Now, here’s where things can get interesting.
Sometimes our protagonists have an external goal and an internal desire.
An external goal is something they can actively pursue or accomplish.
For example, winning a competition or solving a mystery.
An internal desire is often something more emotional.
Maybe they want to feel accepted.
Maybe they want to prove they’re worthy of love.
Maybe they’re searching for a sense of belonging.
These two things can be connected!
A character might pursue an external goal because they believe achieving it will finally satisfy an emotional need.
And sometimes, those desires create complications of their own.
We’ll explore that idea even further tomorrow when we talk about wants, needs, and false beliefs.
For today, I want you to focus on identifying your protagonist’s central goal.
What are they trying to accomplish by the end of the story?
Step 2: Create Meaningful Conflict ⚔️
Now that we know what our protagonist wants, it’s time to make things difficult.
Because if achieving their goal were easy, we probably wouldn’t have much of a novel!
Conflict is whatever stands between your protagonist and their goal.
And here’s something I want you to remember.
Conflict doesn’t always mean fighting.
Yes, conflict can involve battles, dangerous villains, and enormous external threats.
But it can also involve misunderstandings.
Competing priorities.
Family expectations.
Financial difficulties.
Emotional wounds.
Or a character’s inability to admit what they really want.
There are so many ways to create meaningful conflict!
External Conflict
External conflict comes from forces outside your protagonist.
Maybe they’re competing against someone.
Maybe they’re struggling against a social system.
Maybe they’re facing an environmental disaster.
Or maybe another character is actively working against them.
For example, imagine a protagonist who’s trying to save a struggling community theater.
Their external conflicts might include financial problems, an approaching deadline, and a property developer who wants to purchase the building.
Each obstacle makes their goal more difficult to achieve.
Internal Conflict
Internal conflict happens within your protagonist.
Maybe they’re afraid of failure.
Maybe they struggle to trust other people.
Maybe they believe they don’t deserve happiness.
Or maybe they’re torn between two things they desperately want.
Internal conflict can be especially compelling because sometimes…
Our protagonists are their own biggest obstacles. 😂
They might make decisions that create additional problems.
They might avoid difficult conversations.
Or they might hold on to beliefs that prevent them from recognizing what’s right in front of them.
And when internal and external conflicts influence each other?
That’s where storytelling can become especially interesting.
Let Your Conflict Escalate
Here’s another thing worth considering.
Your protagonist’s obstacles should generally become more difficult as the story progresses.
Maybe they overcome one challenge, only to discover a bigger problem.
Maybe a decision that seemed reasonable at the time creates unexpected consequences.
Or maybe achieving one goal forces them to sacrifice something else.
The important thing is that the conflict continues to develop.
We want our protagonists to make progress, experience setbacks, and face increasingly difficult choices.
Because those choices help create the momentum that carries readers through the story.
Step 3: Raise the Stakes 💔
Now we’re getting into one of my favorite parts of storytelling.
Stakes!
Because we’ve figured out what our protagonist wants.
We’ve identified what’s standing in their way.
But now we need to answer one more question.
What happens if they fail?
Why does achieving this goal matter?
What does your protagonist stand to lose?
And why should readers care?
These consequences are your stakes.
And here’s something I really want you to remember.
The stakes don’t have to involve saving the entire world.
Sometimes the possibility of losing something deeply personal can be just as powerful.
Maybe your protagonist could lose their home.
Their career.
Their closest friendship.
Their independence.
Their reputation.
Or the chance to build the life they’ve always wanted.
The important thing is that the consequences matter to your protagonist.
External Stakes vs. Emotional Stakes
Just like conflict, stakes can exist on different levels.
External stakes are the tangible consequences of failure.
For example, losing a business, missing an important opportunity, or facing a legal penalty.
Emotional stakes involve the personal consequences.
Maybe failure would confirm your protagonist’s deepest insecurity.
Maybe it would damage an important relationship.
Or maybe it would force them to confront something they’ve been avoiding.
Let’s return to our community theater example.
If the protagonist fails, the theater closes.
Those are the external stakes.
But maybe the theater was founded by someone they loved, and losing it would feel like losing their last connection to that person.
Those are the emotional stakes.
And suddenly, the conflict feels much more personal.
The more we understand why something matters to our protagonist, the more invested we become in the outcome.
Let’s Look at an Example: Pride and Prejudice 💕
Since we’ve been using Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen throughout our Preptober E-Guide, let’s explore how goal, conflict, and stakes work in Elizabeth Bennet’s story.
One of the things I love about Pride and Prejudice is that its conflicts aren’t built around enormous physical threats.
They’re rooted in relationships, social expectations, financial pressures, and personal beliefs.
And yet, those conflicts are incredibly compelling!
Elizabeth Bennet’s Goal
Elizabeth values independence, integrity, and genuine affection.
She doesn’t want to marry simply because society expects her to.
She wants a future that allows her to maintain her self-respect and find real happiness.
So, for our planning exercise, we might describe her central goal as:
To find happiness and genuine love without sacrificing her independence or principles.
Elizabeth Bennet’s Conflict
Now, what’s standing in her way?
Quite a few things!
First, there’s the social pressure surrounding marriage.
Elizabeth lives in a society where women’s financial security is often closely tied to marriage.
Her family’s circumstances create additional pressure, especially because the Bennet estate is entailed away from the daughters.
Then there’s her relationship with Mr. Darcy.
Their initial misunderstandings, pride, and prejudices make it difficult for them to recognize one another’s true character.
And, of course, Elizabeth has her own internal conflict.
She’s intelligent and observant, but she’s also quick to form judgments.
Her confidence in her first impressions sometimes prevents her from seeing the truth.
Her external circumstances and internal flaws work together to create the story’s conflict.
Elizabeth Bennet’s Stakes
So what does Elizabeth stand to lose?
On an external level, she faces the possibility of an uncertain financial future.
Her family’s social standing and circumstances also influence her opportunities.
But emotionally?
Elizabeth risks sacrificing the happiness and genuine connection she desires.
She could allow her prejudices to prevent her from recognizing a meaningful relationship.
Or she could feel pressured into a marriage that doesn’t align with her values.
Those stakes matter because they connect directly to Elizabeth’s personality and beliefs.
And that’s what makes the story so engaging!
The goal, conflict, and stakes all connect to who Elizabeth is as a person.
Step 4: Make Your Goal, Conflict & Stakes Work Together
Now that we’ve explored these three elements individually, let’s bring them together.
Because goal, conflict, and stakes shouldn’t feel like three completely separate pieces of your story.
They should influence one another.
Your protagonist wants something.
Something prevents them from getting it.
And failing to achieve that goal has meaningful consequences.
Let’s use our fictional community theater example one more time.
Goal: A young theater director wants to save her community theater from closing.
Conflict: She must raise enough money before a deadline while competing with a developer who wants to purchase the property.
Stakes: If she fails, the theater closes, her community loses an important gathering place, and she loses a cherished connection to someone she loved.
See how those elements work together?
We know what the protagonist wants.
We understand why achieving it will be difficult.
And we know why failure would hurt.
That’s the foundation of a compelling central conflict.
And you can use these same questions when developing individual chapters and scenes later on!
Step 5: Don’t Make Everything Complicated Just Yet
Here’s your friendly reminder for today.
You do not need to figure out every conflict your protagonist will face before you start writing.
You don’t need a complete list of obstacles.
You don’t need to know exactly how every subplot will unfold.
And you definitely don’t need to make every chapter more dramatic than the one before it. 😂
For now, we’re focusing on the central conflict.
The big goal.
The major obstacle.
And the meaningful consequences.
As we continue planning our novels, we’ll have plenty of opportunities to develop smaller conflicts and additional stakes.
But having these three elements established now can help us make better decisions as we move into plotting and outlining.
Remember…
We’re creating a foundation, not trying to write the entire novel before November 1st.
Today’s Preptober Assignment ✍️
Grab your free Preptober 2026 E-Guide and turn to the Goal, Conflict & Stakes section.
Today, I want you to answer three questions about your protagonist.
- Goal: What does my protagonist want to accomplish?
- Conflict: What’s standing between my protagonist and that goal?
- Stakes: What happens if my protagonist fails?
Try to be as specific as possible!
Instead of writing, “My protagonist wants to be happy,” think about what they’re actively pursuing that they believe will bring them happiness.
Instead of writing, “They face challenges,” identify the main obstacle that’s making their goal difficult to achieve.
And instead of writing, “Something bad happens if they fail,” think about what they stand to lose and why that loss matters.
If you’re feeling ambitious, try combining your answers into a few sentences:
My protagonist wants ______, but ______ stands in their way. If they fail, ______.
And remember, these answers don’t have to be perfect!
You can always revisit them as your story develops.
The goal is to create a clear foundation for your novel’s central conflict.
Follow Along With Preptober 2026! 🎃📖
If you’re just joining us, welcome!
Throughout October, I’m sharing 31 daily YouTube videos to help writers plan their novels and prepare for Novel November.
We’re working through my free Preptober 2026 E-Guide, one section at a time.
And whether you’re a dedicated plotter, a proud pantser, or somewhere in between, you’re welcome to join us!
You don’t need to have every scene planned.
You don’t need to know every obstacle your protagonist will face.
And you definitely don’t need to create the most complicated conflict imaginable.
You just need to understand what your protagonist wants, what’s standing in their way, and why it matters.
Coming Up Next: Wants, Needs & False Beliefs! 💕
Next up, we’re moving on to Day 11 of Preptober 2026, and we’re digging even deeper into our protagonists’ emotional journeys.
We’ll explore the difference between what our characters WANT and what they actually NEED.
And we’ll talk about the false beliefs that influence their decisions and sometimes make their lives significantly more complicated. 😂
Because knowing what your protagonist is trying to accomplish is important.
But understanding why they want it—and what they might need to learn along the way?
That’s where character development gets really interesting.
Before you go, I’d love to hear from you:
What’s the biggest obstacle standing between your protagonist and their goal? 👀🔥
Is it a villain?
A rival?
Society?
A complicated relationship?
Or is your protagonist their own worst enemy?
Tell me in the comments!
We’ve got a novel to plan. 🎃✍️
