I think I was too general in my plea.  My problem is that as a writer, the majority of my characters in all of my stories tend to be passive.  More of an observer who gets pulled into events and tries to make sense of them.  It's an extension of me as a person, I think.  So so all my main characters have this side to them. 

I guess I'm looking for tips on approaches to writing, a mindset that drives the undercurrent, so that I can make steps toward fixing this problem in all of my writing going forward and not trying to fix just an individual manuscript.  I don't know if that makes sense to anyone. 

Some genres rely on a kind of passivity.  Mysteries need a detective who takes in a scene, collects clues, follows up with detail - makes and tests theories for interrogation - but largely lets the evidence do the driving.  Romances tend to be all about the "feels". 

But my sci fi stories always get nailed by my writer's group for the passive characters.  Have I internalized this too much?  Maybe. 

(I just typed and erased two graphs of whiny introspection full of parallels with my characters and the real life I live of being a stay at home mom to kids that are in college and high school.  Life choices that make me the pit crew for my family who go out into the world.  I just saved you from your eyes glazing over... your welcome:)  *sigh's and laughs at self* 

I need help.  I have noticed in my writing that most of my main characters are passive.  They tend to have things happen to them, observe what's going on, internalize he situation, and make decisions after.  I need to make active characters!  Does anyone have any advice for me?

Joe Flanigan would be a good match in size/description... but Nathan Fillion has the better drama/comic range.

I vote yes for James Marsters as Bob. 

I would be totally down with the idea of digitally scanning all the actors to capture their facial movements, and then rendering the whole series in 3D animation.  Then age is no longer a problem and you can make the series last as long as their voice can sound the age it should be.

It frees up so many other things too, now you aren't bound by physicality for finding the right actor to look like their characters description and you can prioritize the choices by their acting range and vocal ability for the part.

I keep my writing desk in the kitchen (next to the big sliding door so I have lots of light) and above my desk is a grease board where my family keeps track of messages, basic schedules (Who's home for dinner tonight?) and our yearly goals.  My goal this year is to edit Echo.  When I am super sick of rewriting, I will start a different story and put in as many words as I can into that project.  In this way, when I am procrastinating on one thing, I can make progress on the other. 

I think you are right though, it's like laundry or the dishes, ya just gotta do it.  So no more whining.  Thanks for the company.

LOL