Tony Tips Tuesdays™: Writing Characters Who Want the Wrong Thing

Tyrone Tony Reed Jr.
Jan 20
5 min read

Writers,

Let’s dive into one of fiction’s most powerful engines: characters who want the wrong thing.

Not every hero starts out chasing the right goal. Not every protagonist begins noble, selfless, or wise. Sometimes what makes a character compelling isn’t their purity—it’s their conflict.

Because deep down? The best stories are about people who need change… but who are too stubborn, scared, or self-deceived to admit it.

That’s where flawed desires come in.

And if we’re being honest? It’s not just fiction. That’s us too. We’ve all wanted things that weren’t right for us. We’ve all chased something we thought would heal us—only to realize it was making us bleed.

And that’s why these kinds of stories resonate.

💔 What It Means to Want the Wrong Thing

A flawed desire is a goal or longing that feels right to the character but is ultimately destructive.

Wrong doesn’t mean “evil.” It means misaligned. It means incomplete. It means the character is using the wrong compass—and that’s where the drama lives.

Think of it as chasing what they want… while ignoring what they need.

This kind of story arc creates:

Inner conflict (the kind readers feel)
External consequences (broken relationships, bad deals, unintended damage)
Emotional resonance (we've been there, and we ache as we watch it unfold)
Room for growth (or heartbreak)

At the core of every great character transformation is a moment when the old desire dies—or is tragically clung to until everything falls apart.

Sometimes they come back stronger. Sometimes they don’t come back at all.

And both make for powerful stories.

🎬 Famous Examples of Wanting the Wrong Thing

Let’s look at some standout characters from across media who wanted the wrong thing—and gave us unforgettable stories because of it:

Frodo (The Lord of the Rings) wants to destroy the Ring. But by the end, the Ring wants him back. And he hesitates. The pull is too strong. His desire to complete the mission turns into obsession—until someone else intervenes.
Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars) wants to save Padmé. But it’s not really about her—it’s about his fear of loss. That flawed desire opens him to manipulation and leads him straight into becoming Darth Vader.
Jay Gatsby (The Great Gatsby) wants Daisy. But it’s not about love—it’s about the past. The version of Daisy in his head doesn’t exist anymore. He’s chasing a dream built on denial.
Walter White (Breaking Bad) starts out claiming he just wants to provide for his family. But we quickly realize it’s about control, power, and pride. He becomes what he once despised.
Michael Corleone (The Godfather) wants to protect his family. But in doing so, he sacrifices what made his family human. He becomes cold, ruthless, isolated. Protection turns into domination.
Lady Macbeth wants to be Queen. But she never considers the emotional fallout. The guilt. The unraveling. Her ambition poisons her from the inside.

The reason these stories work? The characters’ intentions feel justified. We understand them. We even agree with them. But the longer they chase the wrong goal, the more we start to see the cracks.

And those cracks? That’s where the light—or the darkness—gets in.

⚔️ In S.O.L.A.D.™: The Wrong Wants That Burn

In S.O.L.A.D.™: Soldiers of Light Against Darkness™, flawed desire is everywhere.

Nobody walks into a spiritual war with everything figured out. Every character is carrying something—grief, anger, fear, insecurity—and it shapes what they want.

Kevin Edwards/ Angelo™

Kevin wants to be a superhero, but without knowing what that truly entails. He also wants to restart his relationship with Juanita, but has no idea how that can happen, why they broke up in the first place or if she even wants to be in a relationship with him again.

He also wants to go back home. Dark Earth is not his home and the current situation that it's inhabitants find themselves in, is not his responsibility, he feels.

Juanita Grayson/ Angeline™

Juanita's story starts not with boldness, but with resistance. She doesn’t want the mission. She doesn’t want the visions. She wants peace, privacy, normalcy. But Dark Earth won’t let her have it. And honestly? Neither will her spirit.

Her true need isn’t to be left alone—it’s to embrace her calling. But she resists it for quie some time time. That resistance creates tension, arguments, confusion… until she finally stops running.

Melanie

Melanie is a quiet storm. What she wants is justice and revenge. But it’s tangled with bitterness. That bitterness becomes a weight that threatens to drown her. She believes the fight is about others—but it’s also about a wound she hasn’t fully surrendered to God.

Jeff: Ward of Law

Jeff wants to be strong. Useful. Strategic. Famous. Worshipped. But sometimes he wants that so badly he forgets to be honest—with himself and others. His identity is tied to his title, his role. But who is he when things fall apart? His deeper need is healing. Wholeness. Grace.

Wiseman J

Even the wise aren’t immune. Wiseman J seeks redemption. He desires to protect and guide. But sometimes his need for redemption strains his ability to believe that God has chosen him. His challenge is trust—not in others, but in God believing in him.

Each character’s journey becomes more powerful because they didn’t start with pure desires. They started where we all do—flawed, fearful, and full of fight.

And that’s why readers root for them.

✍🏾 Writing Tips: Making the Wrong Want Work

1. Give the Wrong Desire a Backstory

Make it make sense. Show where the desire came from—a wound, a lie, a trauma, a misunderstanding. People rarely want the wrong thing without a reason.

2. Let the Audience See What the Character Can’t

We should see what they’re missing. Let us feel the dissonance between what they want and what they need.

3. Create Emotional Stakes

Chasing the wrong thing should cost something: a friendship, a relationship, their reputation, their peace.

4. Build Moments of Temptation

Make the wrong path feel easier. Safer. More rewarding. The choice should never feel obvious.

5. Let the Breaking Point Hurt

When they finally realize it was the wrong pursuit—make that moment hit hard.

6. Reveal the True Desire

Under every wrong want is a right need: love, belonging, forgiveness, purpose, healing. Show us what they’ve really been aching for all along.

🧠 Bonus Insight: Why We Relate

Here’s why this type of character arc always hits:

Because we’ve been there. Because we’ve wanted things that hurt us. Because we’ve thought success would solve everything. Because we’ve reached for people who didn’t love us back.

Because we’ve told ourselves, “If I could just get this…”

And then we did.

And it didn’t fix us.

That’s why stories like these don’t just entertain. They minister. They reflect. They remind us that being broken isn’t the end— it’s the beginning.

💬 Writing Prompts to Explore Flawed Desire

A warrior wants peace but chooses vengeance when forgiveness is an option.
A prophet wants clarity so badly, they stop listening to the quiet voice of God.
A mother wants to protect her child—but shelters them from everything, even growth.
A politician wants justice, but loses themselves in a hunger for recognition.
A healer wants to fix the world—but refuses to heal their own heart.