This is one of the most important texts about agency in fiction. I'm always pointing people to it. I think almost every writer and reader in Latin America, and probably anywhere in the "Global South", will frown upon being told to write more active protagonists.
Reposted from
Vida Cruz-Borja
On its 4th anniv, I'm reposting for bsky my most popular Twitter thread: a defense of the "inactive protagonist," which birthed the essay below, in exactly the way it was written.
But first I need to contextualize how and why it was written.
psychopomp.com/fantasy/augu...
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But first I need to contextualize how and why it was written.
psychopomp.com/fantasy/augu...
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Comments
Not currently into the hat since I’m out of my acoustic Americana phase, but I was delighted with my hat. Current haircut works for punk or ROTC.
Writing active protagonists is a good skill to develop for commercial fiction but by no means the only approach.
Some of the best stories I've read have 'passive' protagonists, but if a story doesn't resonate with me, I often look out for an active protagonist and recommend so if I'm critiquing. I'll aim to look past that.
It's the same with conflict. But not all stories need conflict in how it's widely taught or expected. I know Asian authors who struggle with this in English language markets.