Transcript:

Why do some heroes instantly grab us while others leave us bored, just waiting for something to happen? Think about Frodo in The Lord of the Rings, Katniss in The Hunger Games, or even Miles Morales in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Instead of just following their stories, we feel like we’re living them.

Today, we’re heading to the character select screen. You’re going to learn the essential traits, techniques, and story structures that make a protagonist magnetic. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to design a hero readers will follow anywhere.

Hi, I’m C. Sloan Lewis, your virtual writing coach, and my goal is to help you not just improve your writing, but to support you as a writer. Welcome to my channel!

Core Stats of a Compelling Hero (The Character Build):

Every great character starts with a solid build. Here are the four stats you can’t skip:

1. Relatable Flaw Flaws humanize your hero. Readers don’t connect to perfection—they connect to struggle. Maybe your hero is prideful, reckless, or afraid of abandonment. That flaw isn’t just cosmetic; it shapes their choices. In craft terms, this is part of their characterization—the cracks in the armor that make them real. This flaw should be something they have to push through to level up in the story. For example:
   • Macbeth and Jay Gatsby’s ambitions lead to their downfall.
   • Lizzie Bennet’s prejudice nearly costs her her true love.
   • Charlie’s meekness in Perks of Being a Wallflower kept him from making friends.
   For those characters who have a happy, or at least semi-happy, ending, they have to overcome their fatal flaw to get there. If they don’t, chances are, they’ll die, either literally or figuratively.
2. Clear Goal This is their north star. A protagonist with no direction feels passive. Goals create narrative drive. It might be external (win the tournament, save the kingdom, find the killer) or internal (prove they’re worthy, find belonging, earn forgiveness). The best heroes usually have both—an outer quest that mirrors an inner need.
   • In The Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry’s external goal is to catch the bad guy, but his internal goal is to find true belonging.
   • In every romance story, the protagonist wants to find love, whether they realize it or not, and be accepted for who they truly are.
   The external and internal goals can be intertwined, only tangentially related, or in direct conflict with each other. It just depends on how much you want your character to struggle.
3. Strengths & Skills Readers want someone to root for, and that requires competence. Your hero’s agency—their ability to make choices and affect the plot—comes from their skills. Even if they’re not physically powerful, maybe they’re clever, compassionate, or resilient. Strengths balance flaws and remind readers that this person can rise to the challenge.
   • This is why characters like Bella Swan fall short. Yes, there is a huge fandom, even still today, for Twilight, but most people would agree she doesn’t have many, if any, strengths.
   Without strengths and skills, your character can easily become passive, just following along, reacting instead of acting.
4. Internal Conflict This is where character arcs are born. Internal conflict is the tug-of-war between what the hero wants and what they fear. Maybe they want power but fear becoming corrupt. Maybe they want love but fear vulnerability. Conflict creates tension, and tension keeps pages turning.

Emotional Connection (The Player Controls):

Now that we’ve chosen the character build, it’s time to map the controls—how the reader connects and “plays” the hero emotionally.

• Vulnerability: Show your hero breaking, doubting, or hesitating. That’s where empathy kicks in.
• Humor: A well-timed laugh humanizes even the darkest antihero.
• Authentic Reactions: Don’t just tell us they’re sad—show us trembling hands, sharp retorts, silences that last too long. That’s show vs. tell, one of the most powerful tools for emotional depth.

This is how you move your protagonist from words on a page to someone readers root for like a best friend.

Hero vs. Story (The Match Mechanics):

• Here’s the truth: if your hero isn’t driving the story, your plot collapses. Readers want protagonists who act, not react. This is about agency. Your hero’s choices should be the engine of the narrative.

Avoid what I call the “spectator character”—the one who just watches the plot unfold around them. Every obstacle, every twist should force them to decide, change, or act. That’s what gives their arc meaning.

Archetypes vs. Originality (The Character Skins):

• Archetypes are like default skins. The Reluctant Hero, the Antihero, the Chosen One. Readers recognize them immediately because they’ve probably seen them many times already.

But originality comes from how you customize. Maybe your Reluctant Hero doesn’t resist because they’re humble, but because they secretly want the power and are ashamed of it. Maybe your Chosen One isn’t chosen by prophecy but by accident. Archetypes give you a recognizable entry point, but the unique details are what make your hero unforgettable.

Quick Exercise / Takeaway (Your Character Card):

• So, it’s time to get practical. Let’s build a Hero Snapshot. Write down three things:
  • One flaw.
  • One goal.
  • One internal struggle.

That’s it. Just three lines. Congratulations—you’ve created a playable character your readers will follow anywhere. From there, layer in strengths, obstacles, and stakes, and you’ve got the full build.

So tell me in the comments: what’s your hero’s flaw, goal, and internal struggle? I’d love to see the snapshots you create.

And if you’re building protagonists you want to be unforgettable, hit subscribe for more deep dives into storytelling craft. This is just step one in the character creation process, so stay tuned for more videos about character building to come.

But that’s all from me today. You’ve got some writing to do. I’ll see you in the next video. Ta-ta!