The Five Steps to Overcome Fear

Okay, your protagonist’s Ordinary World has been shaken to its very foundation for whatever reason: framed for murder, kidnapped family member, break up of a marriage, fill-in-the-blank. Is your Hero afraid? Scared? Of course she is. How does she deal with that fear? How does she deal with her new problem, complete her character arc, get to the end of the story? The simple answer is: She must handle that fear. But how?

Take your character through the Five Steps to Overcome Fear.

1. Your Hero must take small steps. The New World your protagonist finds herself in can seem overwhelming at first and can almost feel like a flight or fight-response. Don’t let the Hero take too large a step right from the git-go.

2. Get your Hero some concrete and positive motivation. Here is where your Mentor can play an important part in pushing the Hero in the right direction. This sets the stage so the Hero feels she needs to do something.

3. Let the Hero see failure and rejection in a new light. This is generally around the mid-point when the Hero discovers she has been chasing the FALSE Goal – failure often reveals the TRUE Goal.

4. Keep your Hero in the NOW. What this means is to keep your Hero steadily in the now. Don’t let the Hero’s thoughts and emotions run away to the future and out of the past. Keep your Hero focused on the TRUE Goal.

5. Your Hero redefines herself and her world and overcomes her fear.

Give It a shot – work these steps into your Hero’s story — add dimension to your characters.

Keep Writing!