Loose Change

Plot tip #1: Every character is on their own journey

As you plan out your story, especially part way through or at the end of your first draft, write down a short paragraph about each relatively major character (or even minor characters) , including the villain(s), describing:

a) their motivation in the action of the story

b) how they might possibly avoid the action in the story

This can be very revealing about plot holes and insufficient motivation, and it will also help you make your characters more three dimensional. If they could easily avoid the action in the story, why don't they? Especially with the villain(s), why would they actually want to pursue the MC, marry the strong, independent princess, make it winter all year long?

If you can't answer those questions, you don't know your characters well enough, or you haven't plotted tightly enough. Every character, major or minor, villain or hero, is the MC of their own story, and all the stories intersect. If the villain's story would never unfold in such a way that it would intersect the way it does with your MC's, you need to re-imagine your villain's story.