Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors by Brandilyn Collins Page B

them than those animals of yours, sir. You might as well leave a stranger with a brood of tigers!”
“They won’t meddle with persons who touch nothing,” he remarked, putting the bottle before me, and restoring his displaced table. “The dogs do right to be vigilant. Take a glass of wine?”
“No, thank you.”
“Not bitten, are you?”
“If I had been, I would have set my signet on the biter.” Heathcliff’s countenance relaxed into a grin.
“Come, come,” he said, “you are flurried, Mr. Lockwood. Here, take a little wine. Guests are so exceedingly rare in this house that I and my dogs, I am willing to own, hardly know how to receive them. Your health, sir!”
 
    At Heathcliff’s apology, Lockwood’s anger quickly fades, and he reconnects with the reason for his presence in the house. His new Action Objective: “To pull myself out of the mess I’ve made of this visit.” Response: He accepts the wine.
     
I bowed and returned the pledge; beginning to perceive that it would be foolish to sit sulking for the misbehavior of a pack of curs: besides, I felt loath to yield the fellow further amusement at my expense, since the humor took that turn.
 
    As you can see, Lockwood’s initial Action Objective pulls him through the entire scene. His reactions to the conflicts all reflect this initial objective. Even when he lashes out at Heathcliff, his anger is partly born of the disappointment that his strong objective of making a good impression has gone horribly awry. (More on how one emotion leads to another in Secret #4.)
    This scene provides an example for an important point:
     
As with the overall Desire, a character’s
initial Action Objective for a scene
must be exactly correct.
     
    Take a look at the landlord, Heathcliff. What would you say is his initial Action Objective in this scene? He soon emerges as a complex person, one who knows little of civility. However, even though he is ill-disposed and ungracious toward his unexpected visitor, he does invite Lockwood into his house, offer him wine, and even apologizes when it’s absolutely necessary to convince the man to stay. Focusing on these basic choices, we could say his Action Objective is: “To welcome this visitor.” But if that is so, why all the conflict between the two men? Heathcliff’s objective would seem to fit hand-in-glove with Lockwood’s, and they should have a splendid visit. No, we must focus not only on Heathcliff’s actions , but also on his demeanor , which is anything but welcoming. I think Heathcliff’s Action Objective is more along the lines of: “To hide my incivility from this unexpected visitor.” This Action Objective is similar in that it will involve playing host to the man. Yet it is entirely different in that it’s not generous, focusing outwardly on Lockwood’s needs. Instead it is purely self- gratifying and focused inward. Ironically, in this self-serving state, Heathcliff opens himself up to all his flaws of incivility, and they proceed to color all that he does. He fails quite miserably to obtain his initial Action Objective.
     
    As you focus on Action Objectives to write your scenes, you’ll see how effective they are in keeping your novel on course.
     
The use of Action Objectives will guide
every scene in your novel to move
the story forward in a vital way.
     
    Specifically, Action Objectives ensure that:
     
    1. No scene is superfluous.
     
    If your character is following a set of Action Objectives that relate to his overall Desire, each scene will emerge as a logical step toward trying to attain that Desire, regardless of how far the Distancing conflicts have shoved him off course.
     
    2. Backstory can be added without stopping the action.
     
    Strong Action Objectives strengthen a scene and keep you, the author, from shoving in too much backstory or narrative. Of course, these things are necessary at times, but the goal is to never stop the action for the sake of backstory. (More on this point