There’s a piece of writing advice which goes ‘do the worst thing to your protagonist you can think of.’
It follows the line ‘in fiction, bad things happen to good people.’
‘The worst thing’ isn’t done for kicks. The trials and tortures are are test. Readers want to see how good people fight to overcome bad things and thrive. How does the character overcome it? How do they grow and change?
The Worst Thing will vary according to genre and setting.
- Loss of life?
- Loss of reputation?
- Loss of status?
- Loss of honor?
- Loss of love?
The Worst Thing for Lizzie in Pride and Prejudice is not torture or murder. Those don’t fit genteel romantic fiction. Her Worst Thing is ruined reputation, closely followed by the choice of penury or a lifetime of Mr Collins.
The Worst Thing in a family drama is the revelation of a lie or betrayal. The characters work so long and hard forging family bonds, the damage seems irreparable.
The Worst Thing in The Ladies Sewing Circle Diaries is for the sewing rivals to sabotage each other’s work in advance of the Grand Embroidery Contest. Betrayals emerge, friendships break, reconciliations may or may not follow.
Do the Worst Thing is a catalyst for drama, for learning and for change. Jack Reacher’s response to life-threatening events is very different to Lizzie Bennett’s. They each grow and change in different ways.
The best writing advice is more specific.
‘Do the worst thing to your protagonist that provokes reaction, reflection and character growth.’
This is why there are so many murders in everyday soaps and every so often, theres a plane crash. Or a fire. Or a kidnapping.
I find the constant escalation of stakes in TV dramas annoying. Which is why I don’t watch TV any more.