What does your protagonist want? What do they actually need? And what false belief is holding them back? Today, we’re exploring the emotional foundations of character development and how they can transform your novel.
Welcome back to Day 11 of Preptober 2026! 🎃✍️
You guys, we’re officially eleven days into our 31-day novel-planning challenge!
And over the past few days, we’ve been getting to know our characters on a much deeper level.
We’ve identified our protagonists, antagonists, and supporting characters.
We’ve explored their personalities, values, strengths, and flaws.
And yesterday, we figured out three incredibly important elements of storytelling:
Goal. Conflict. Stakes.
We know what our protagonists want.
We know what’s standing in their way.
And we know what they stand to lose if they fail.
But today?
We’re going to emotionally traumatize—I mean, DEVELOP—our characters! 😂💕
Because there’s something even more interesting than what our protagonists are trying to accomplish.
And that’s understanding WHY they want it.
What do they believe about themselves?
What do they believe about the world?
And what might they need to learn before they can truly grow?
Today, we’re talking about wants, needs, and false beliefs, and how these three elements can help us create compelling character arcs.
What Is a Character Arc?
Before we dive into today’s exercise, let’s talk about character arcs.
A character arc is the internal journey a character experiences throughout a story.
It’s how their beliefs, values, perspectives, or behaviors change—or sometimes refuse to change—as a result of the events they experience.
Think about some of your favorite protagonists.
Chances are, the person they are at the beginning of the novel isn’t exactly the same person they are at the end.
Maybe they learn to trust someone.
Maybe they discover their own worth.
Maybe they confront a fear that’s been holding them back.
Or maybe they realize that something they’ve believed their entire life isn’t actually true.
And here’s what makes character arcs so interesting.
Sometimes, the biggest obstacle standing between our protagonists and happiness isn’t the antagonist. It’s what they believe about themselves.
Now, not every story needs a dramatic transformation.
Some characters remain steadfast in their beliefs and change the world around them instead.
Others experience tragic arcs where they become more deeply entrenched in their flaws.
But today, we’re focusing on a common type of character arc: one in which the protagonist gradually confronts a false belief and discovers a deeper truth.
And to start building that arc, we need to understand three things.
What they want. What they need. And what they falsely believe.
Step 1: Identify What Your Protagonist Wants 🎯
Let’s start with the WANT.
What does your protagonist believe will make them happy?
What are they pursuing?
What do they think will solve their problems?
Yesterday, we explored our protagonists’ external goals.
Today, we’re digging into the emotional motivations behind those goals.
For example, imagine a character who’s determined to become the most successful chef in their city.
Their external goal might be to win a prestigious cooking competition.
But WHY do they want to win?
Maybe they believe success will finally earn their family’s approval.
Maybe they want to prove they’re capable of accomplishing something extraordinary.
Or maybe they’re convinced that achieving professional recognition will make them feel worthy.
Suddenly, their goal has a deeper emotional meaning.
And that’s what we’re looking for.
Your protagonist’s want is often connected to what they believe they need to be happy, safe, loved, or successful.
But here’s where things get interesting.
What they WANT and what they actually NEED aren’t always the same thing.
Step 2: Discover What Your Protagonist Actually Needs 💕
Now let’s talk about the NEED.
What does your protagonist need to learn, accept, or change to grow?
This is often the emotional truth they haven’t fully recognized at the beginning of the story.
Maybe they want everyone to admire them.
But what they need is to recognize their own worth without external validation.
Maybe they want complete control over their lives.
But what they need is to learn that trusting other people doesn’t make them weak.
Maybe they want to avoid heartbreak at all costs.
But what they need is to understand that meaningful relationships require vulnerability.
See the difference?
The WANT is what they’re actively pursuing.
The NEED is the emotional growth that might help them find genuine fulfillment.
And here’s something important to remember.
Your protagonist doesn’t necessarily know what they need.
In fact, they might actively resist it!
They might believe that changing their perspective would make them vulnerable.
They might cling to familiar behaviors because those behaviors have protected them in the past.
Or they might be so focused on achieving their external goal that they don’t recognize the internal problem.
And that tension between what a character wants and what they need can create a compelling emotional journey.
Step 3: Identify Your Protagonist’s False Belief
Okay, you guys.
This is one of my absolute FAVORITE parts of character development.
False beliefs! 😂
Because if there’s one thing I love, it’s a protagonist who’s completely convinced they’re right about something…
Only to discover that they might have been wrong all along.
A false belief is an inaccurate or limiting assumption your protagonist holds about themselves, other people, or the world.
It’s something they believe to be true, even though the story will challenge that belief.
And here’s the thing.
False beliefs don’t have to be completely irrational.
Sometimes they develop from very real experiences.
Maybe a character was betrayed by someone they trusted.
So they come to believe:
Trusting people only leads to heartbreak.
Maybe someone grew up feeling that their accomplishments were never good enough.
So they believe:
I’m only worthy of love when I’m successful.
Or maybe someone experienced a painful failure.
So they believe:
If I try again, I’ll only disappoint everyone.
These beliefs might make sense from the character’s perspective.
They may even have helped them cope with difficult circumstances.
But as the story progresses, those beliefs can begin creating problems.
They might influence the protagonist’s decisions.
Damage important relationships.
Prevent them from recognizing opportunities.
Or lead them to make choices that push them further away from what they truly need.
And that’s where our character arcs begin to take shape.
Step 4: Where Did That False Belief Come From?
Now that we’ve identified a possible false belief, let’s dig a little deeper.
Why does your protagonist believe this?
What happened in their past?
Was there a particular experience that shaped their worldview?
Did someone teach them this belief?
Did they misunderstand an important event?
Or did they gradually develop this perspective after experiencing the same disappointment over and over again?
Let’s return to our aspiring chef.
Maybe she grew up in a family where accomplishments were constantly compared.
Every award.
Every grade.
Every achievement.
And over time, she began to believe:
If I’m not the best, I’m not good enough.
So now, as an adult, she desperately wants to win a prestigious cooking competition.
Not simply because she loves cooking.
But because she believes winning will finally prove her worth.
And suddenly, we understand something important about her character.
Her ambition isn’t necessarily the problem.
It’s the belief driving her ambition that creates the internal conflict.
Now, here’s where things can become especially interesting.
What happens when she fails?
What happens when someone challenges that belief?
And what happens when achieving her goal doesn’t give her the emotional fulfillment she expected?
Those are the kinds of questions that can help us develop a compelling character arc.
Step 5: Connect the Want, Need & False Belief
Now let’s bring everything together.
Because these three elements work best when they’re connected.
Let’s use our fictional chef one more time.
Want: Win a prestigious cooking competition and prove she’s the best.
Need: Learn that her worth isn’t determined by her achievements.
False Belief: If I’m not successful, I’m not worthy of love or respect.
Do you see how these elements influence one another?
Her false belief motivates her want.
Her want influences the choices she makes.
And the events of the story challenge her belief until she’s forced to confront what she actually needs.
Maybe she sacrifices important relationships while pursuing success.
Maybe she makes a terrible decision because she’s afraid of losing.
Or maybe she finally achieves her goal and realizes that winning hasn’t solved the emotional problem she thought it would.
Her external journey and internal journey are connected.
And that’s exactly what we’re trying to accomplish!
Because a compelling character arc doesn’t have to exist separately from the plot.
Ideally, the events of the story help challenge the protagonist’s beliefs and push them toward growth.
Let’s Look at an Example: Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice 💕
Since we’ve been using Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen throughout our Preptober E-Guide, let’s take a closer look at Elizabeth Bennet.
I love using Elizabeth as an example because her strengths and flaws are so closely connected.
She’s intelligent.
Observant.
Witty.
Independent.
And she’s incredibly confident in her ability to understand other people.
But that confidence also contributes to one of her biggest flaws.
Her tendency to judge people based on first impressions.
So let’s break down her character arc.
Elizabeth’s Want
Elizabeth wants to maintain her independence and find genuine happiness.
She doesn’t want to marry simply because society expects her to.
She values affection, respect, and personal integrity.
And she wants to make her own decisions about her future.
Elizabeth’s Need
Elizabeth needs to recognize that her judgments aren’t always accurate.
She needs to become more willing to question her assumptions and consider perspectives beyond her own.
And she needs to understand that her pride and prejudices can prevent her from seeing people clearly.
Elizabeth’s False Belief
For our character sheet, we might describe Elizabeth’s false belief as:
I can accurately judge a person’s character based on my first impressions.
And throughout the novel, that belief is challenged.
Elizabeth initially forms a negative opinion of Mr. Darcy.
She also accepts Mr. Wickham’s account of his history with Darcy without fully questioning it.
But as new information comes to light, Elizabeth begins to realize that her judgments weren’t as accurate as she believed.
And that realization forces her to confront her own pride and prejudice.
Elizabeth’s Character Growth
By the end of the novel, Elizabeth has developed a deeper understanding of herself and Darcy.
She’s learned to reconsider her assumptions.
She’s become more aware of her own flaws.
And she’s able to recognize a relationship she might otherwise have dismissed.
Notice how her character arc connects directly to the novel’s themes?
Pride. Prejudice. Love. Self-awareness.
Her internal transformation isn’t separate from the romance.
It’s an essential part of it.
And that’s what makes her journey so satisfying!
Step 6: Think About How Your Story Challenges the False Belief
Now that we’ve explored our protagonists’ wants, needs, and false beliefs, let’s think about how those beliefs might be challenged.
Because identifying a false belief is only the beginning.
Your story needs opportunities to put that belief to the test.
Maybe your protagonist meets someone who challenges their worldview.
Maybe they experience a failure that forces them to reconsider their priorities.
Maybe they make a decision based on their false belief and experience painful consequences.
Or maybe they encounter a situation where their usual approach simply doesn’t work anymore.
And here’s something I want you to think about.
Your protagonist doesn’t have to recognize the truth immediately.
In fact, they might resist it!
They might double down on their false belief.
They might make excuses.
They might blame someone else.
Or they might briefly recognize the truth before retreating into old habits.
Because change is rarely easy.
And in fiction, that resistance can create some incredibly compelling moments.
Eventually, your protagonist may reach a point where they have to make a choice.
Will they continue believing what they’ve always believed?
Or will they embrace a new perspective?
That decision can become an important part of your story’s emotional climax.
And don’t worry!
We’re not plotting every single moment of that journey today.
We’ll have plenty of time to explore our story beats and outlines later this month.
For now, we’re just beginning to understand what our protagonists might need to learn.
Today’s Preptober Assignment ✍️
Grab your free Preptober 2026 E-Guide and return to your protagonist’s Character Sheet.
Today, we’re focusing on three important questions.
1. What does my protagonist WANT?
What are they pursuing?
What do they believe will make them happy or successful?
2. What does my protagonist actually NEED?
What emotional truth might they need to recognize?
How might they need to grow or change?
3. What FALSE BELIEF is holding them back?
What inaccurate assumption do they have about themselves, other people, or the world?
And if you’re feeling ambitious, answer two bonus questions!
4. Where did that false belief come from?
What experience or relationship helped shape it?
5. How might my story challenge that belief?
What could happen that forces your protagonist to question what they’ve always believed?
If you’re struggling, try completing this sentence:
My protagonist wants ______ because they believe ______, but what they really need is ______.
And remember…
You don’t have to figure out your protagonist’s entire emotional journey today.
We’re creating a foundation.
Something we can build on as we continue planning our novels.
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 know every detail about your protagonist.
You don’t need to have their entire character arc figured out.
And you definitely don’t need to know exactly how they’re going to overcome every emotional obstacle before you start writing. 😂
You just need to understand who they are at the beginning of the story and begin exploring who they might become.
Coming Up: Worldbuilding Is for EVERY Genre! 🌎✨
Next, we’re moving on to Day 12 of Preptober 2026, and we’re officially diving into worldbuilding!
And before my contemporary romance writers start thinking this section doesn’t apply to them…
YES, IT DOES! 😂
Worldbuilding isn’t just for fantasy and science fiction.
Every novel takes place somewhere.
And the setting, environment, and social expectations surrounding our characters can influence their decisions and conflicts.
We’ll explore how to build a believable story world, regardless of what genre you’re writing.
But before you go, I’d love to hear from you:
What’s one false belief your protagonist has about themselves or the world? 👀💕
Maybe they believe they have to be perfect.
Maybe they think they can’t trust anyone.
Or maybe they’re completely convinced they’re right about something when they’re actually VERY wrong. 😂
Tell me in the comments!
We’ve got a novel to plan. 🎃✍️
