If your story is running out of gas, it's probably because of this

I recently hosted a group Screenwriting Coaching session. It’s basically a lab where I help emerging writers with their ideas. Some were just getting their idea off the ground, others were fifty pages into it their first draft.

But all them were struggling.

As I heard idea after idea, it became obvious to me that most were suffering from the same problem. And this problem is why were sitting at their computers, banging their head against the wall, trying to figure out what to type next.

If you’re an emerging writer, there’s a very good chance you’re suffering from this problem too.

The problem is, their stories were all lacking one simple thing.

Every main character needs a want. Something that they want more than anything else in the world.

When I asked my students what their characters wanted, many came back to me with answers like “They want to find love” or “They want to find inner peace.”

But that want is too squishy and vague. It’s the reason why these writers are stuck.

Here’s how to fix that: