Hey all. I'm in a pickle. I'm writing a middle grade graphic novel about a girl who feels very alone at school. The thing is, though, she is pushing everyone who tries to help her away, and in the end she learns the importance of community and that there are people who care about her if she'll give them a chance. (Specifically, she wants to go to art school so she can get away from her current situation, but ends up not getting accepted into the art school, so she has to figure out what to do next.) But in my critique circles, I keep getting feedback that she's not showing enough agency. It's a pretty standard rule of writing that the main character needs to solve their own problems, not just have others solve it for them. I'm caught up in this paradox in how I'm supposed to write a story with someone solving a problem herself, when the problem is that she tries too hard to do everything herself and won't accept any help from others.
So, I'm hoping to find a book with a similar vibe or message. The importance of community and embracing what's around you.
by turboshot49cents