What matters most to your protagonist?

In much of fiction, writers answer this question with some obvious answers: family, wealth, health. They might go for an intangible, such as honor, loyalty, or freedom.

Take some time to dig a little deeper than surface emotions to discover what is truly vital for your hero.

Your character might give an unexpected or even inconvenient response, depending on how you’ve planned your story, but listen to what she says anyway and give it some consideration.