Edges of a character’s goal

A few days ago, I worked with a group of Grade 7/8 students that had multiple ways for a character to find acceptance.

This variety is one of the beautiful elements of a story.

We can take one goal—to protect, for example—and it can spin into many forms.

Who do you protect, and how do you protect them?
Do you fight to save them?
Or do you lie to keep them safe?
Do you push them away if that’s the best option?
Or do you hold them close and away from the world?

These characters could be heroic or cruel, selfish or selfless, kind or careless. They could also be a combination of a few of them or grow to a different stage over time.

Often we want the magic key to unlock our plot when many stories come from creators exploring the individual edges of a singular idea.