Giving your main character importance

Sometimes, a person is destined for greatness.

Sometimes, they are chosen for it.

Sometimes, they actively pursue it.

And sometimes, they're just in the right place at the right time - or the wrong place at the wrong time.

Often, even if the MC is named in a prophecy, there's something else that drives them to fulfill it, something personal. In Harry Potter, for instance, Voldemort made his own enemy by believing the prophecy and killing Harry's parents; as Dumbledore said, it was inevitable that, at some point, Harry would seek retribution, prophecy or no prophecy. Fate ultimately had less to do with it than an angry boy discovering he had the power to avenge his loss.

So, try pretending that there is no prophecy. How can you give your MC a vested interest in defeating the Evil Thing? How can you position them so that they'll gain enough power and knowledge to challenge the baddie? What do they bring to the table, in other words? What's the inciting incident that draws them into the fray? How does the fight become personal, an all-consuming need that makes them fulfill those words scribbled down by a mad monk two thousand years ago?

schrevolution said:

This is something that has become a roadblock in moving stories forward; why is this person, the MC, so important that their actions could affect the fate of the world? I have a main character who will be in this situation, and at the moment, the only way I'm accounting for her importance is through a prophecy. I do want to see my MC grow through the story, and I don't want her to know about the prophecy until near the end. The only thing that bugs me is that using prophecy feels like the easy way out. Is there something wrong with going this route? Is it too boring and overused?

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Why does there need to be a prophecy?

Generally, what makes an MC important is what effect their actions have on (whatever thing the plot is focused on--the world, themselves, etc)...if you want Big Scale Stakes (the world, empires, whatever) then your MC has to Do Something that has consequences...

Sorry, that's really general...I'm bad at general questions

Hmm, well, to look at it another way--if this person weren't in a position to do something important or interesting, no one would be telling his or her story. Everyone's the hero of his or her own story, but what is it about this person's that makes it interesting to others?

As for saving the world, while this is a thing in epic fantasy, not all fantasy is epic, and not all epic fantasy hinges on the actions of just one person. Some stories are about simply saving oneself, even, or about becoming a part of something larger than oneself.

Think of some of your favorite fantasy titles, both classics and more recent. In each case, what happened that launched their protagonist(s) into a life of adventure? Sure, the chosen one/prophecy angle is there in some (though it's been done so often many readers are tired of it), but it's not the prophecy itself that makes the person special or gives the person his or her skills.

Generally, there's some ability they have, or some action they perform, or some choice they make, that makes them unusual in the way the story requires. Sometimes a story simply starts by the protagonist being in the right (or wrong) place at the right time and overhearing or witnessing something. Sometimes the story starts with him or her a victim and vowing revenge.

A typical story starts with some kind of inciting event. This is something that disrupts the protagonist's normality and starts the plot wheels turning. A little further in, there will likely be a plot catalyst. This may be an action, or a choice, or even a relationship that marks a point of no return for the character.

You may want to research the terms inciting event, plot catalyst and hero's journey (a common sort of plot in epic fantasy, though there are plenty of others out there too). They may give you some ideas.

Happy writing.

Think of heroes/ important people in history. How did they come to affect the world? It's usually a combination of luck (being in the right place at the right time), determination, skill, other personal qualities. In many cases, these people are agents of change. They refuse to accept the status quo.

In many cases, someone changes the world when they become an iconic figure - ie when others follow them because of what they represent as much as what they do. Hitler rose to power in part because he was strong orator who convinced the German people that he could lead them from economic depression to success. Nelson Mandela became an icon for the anti-apartheid movement even when he was in prison and couldn't influence world events.

Make your MC into a strong personality. Have people follow her because they believe in what she stands for. That's how you change the world without the need for a prophecy.

In my Fantasy gambling novel, the protag becomes important simply because the enemy are terrified he will, and won't leave him alone.

Just remember, a character doesn't do great things because they're the MC but rather they're the MC because they did great things. If they hadn't, the story would be about the person who did.

My main character isn't important because he solves the big scary nation-dissolving problems. He's actually just a bodyguard. But he is the one who makes it possible for the hero and all the other "main actors" to keep going, because his moral support, loyalty, and perseverance give them something to lean on. They can make hadr, unpopular decisions because he's got their back.

Relationships make the world go round.

Who has the most to lose?
Who has the most to win?
Who is necessary to solve the problem?
Who has the strongest reaction to the problem?
...

It depends on how you write stories I guess. I generally don't write plots that have the whole world at stake because then making it about ONE person seems unreasonable. My stories tend to be about one person's problem if there's one main character, and a community's problem if the main character provides a perspective the others couldn't.

My MC isn't the hero. Not the obvious one, anyway; he's not a magician, or a warrior, or a noble, or even a decent craftsman. He's just a boy who had the courage to set off into the unknown to set things right. His friends will save the world, using their skill with magic and blade, but my MC started it all with a single decision to do something about it.
~Lev