Low proactivity

Self-Reflection: If I were to create a ‘future me’ character, what traits would they have that I don’t yet embody?

Brandon Sanderson recently recorded a lecture about characters which focused on three main traits: proactivity, capability, and relatability. A good character usually has one trait they’re high in, one medium, and one low. And the arc focuses on moving them up higher on the low trait. Where am I right now?

High Capability, Medium Relatability, Low Proactivity

• (The Wasted Talent Who Steps Up)

Starting Point: This character is incredibly skilled but unmotivated. They might be afraid, lazy, disillusioned, or stuck in their comfort zone.
Arc: The story pushes them to take action, forcing them to care about something enough to engage with the world.
End Point: They become proactive, taking charge and using their skills to make a difference.

Creative Question: How do I decide if an idea is worth pursuing? What criteria do I use, and are they serving me?

I’ve mostly moved forward on ideas based on my own vague feelings. Ultimately, though, I don’t think that serves me. I need to be more attuned to the feelings of readers. The main reason to start shipping and promoting my writing isn’t to build an audience, but to get feedback.