The question might seem easy but I noticed that most of my characters don't have a personal purpose beside what the plot needs them to do. For exemple if my character have to find the magic crown or whatever he will just do it, he won't have a personal purpose so this character is just flat for me. I'm having trouble finding other purpose that can help me deepen my character. Any help ?
@meggie make sure that your character has flaws and goals/ aspirations. This will make them less two dimensional. I also like to make sure that during the story they express a rage of emotions so that it doesn't look like all they are supposed to do is find the magic crown. Basically, try to make them human. This sounds weird, but humans don't know what their purpose is either, and that's alright, but as long as your character wants to have a purpose and has goals/aspirations, this will make them less flat.
@meggie, What's the backstory of your character? What happened to them in the past that has now solidified their feelings in the future? Going off of that, why would they want the magic crown? How does it fit into their feelings now?
I think a good step to take first would be to determine what the thematic underpinning of your story is and how your character relates to that idea. If you have a story about oh I dunno, how hope is a the guiding line in our life or something like that, how does that idea connect to the character's quest and their own personal development. If they aren't a main character this character should still reflect the that underlining idea in some way. It gives the story a connected, organic feel. It does depend on circumstance though. Depending on the type of story you're writing some characters do not have to be these brilliant detailed creatures that make the audience think. Some characters can be simpler and that's ok. Sorta ramble but I hope this helps :P
it might help to consider Joseph Campbell's The Hero's Journey (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero%27s_journey) and then find things in there that you can apply to your character at every stage of the journey. if they're after the magic crown, instead of just going and getting it, maybe they refuse the call (they have to stay at home to help their aging mother, they're irresponsible, they have panic attacks over hard decisions, maybe they need a friend to go with them). even the refusal can show a little more of their personality (and make it personal from the start because THEY were chosen, why them, why why why), but then conflict happens and it HAS to become personal for them. maybe their home is threatened if they don't do it. maybe their friend is critically injured and this magic crown is the only thing that will save them. or maybe they just really like to help people. i think somewhere along the way they need to become invested in this cause and their life should change dramatically whether they complete their mission or fail. (if they go back to being the same person they were before the quest, it wasn't personal for them.) i hope that helps! :) (also check out the updated The Heroine's Journey https://heroinejourneys.com/heroines-journey/)
thanks a lot for all your suggestions ! It's helping me a lot !