7. Choose Your Protagonist
Creating characters is one of the most exciting things that any writer can do. A blank canvas for you to do whatever you want with - an entire person, with a history, a backstory, and their own feelings, failings and desires. One of the thing you might find when you're writing a script, though, is how easy it is to get swept up in the creation of
other characters that aren't your protagonist - so much so, that he or she begins to fall away from you. Why does this happen? It all comes down to the simple fact that - generally speaking - protagonists are the hardest characters to write "well." And that's because they're usually tasked with having to be the most neutral character in your script. Why? That makes them easier to relate to, I guess, and that's what audiences like in their protagonists. The fact that secondary characters don't have to adhere to any form of neutralness makes them easier (and more fun) to write, because they can do or say anything and it doesn't necessarily have to be of the "leading character" quality. How can you avoid getting swept up in your secondary characters, then? Easy. Write a protagonist that isn't so neutral. Write a Travis Bickle, or an Alex DeLarge, or a Daniel Plainview. These characters have stood the test of time because they're main protagonists with bite. You don't need settle for a cardboard cutout who simply reacts to better, more interesting characters for the sum of 90 pages.