Everything you need to know about character motivation

Understanding character motivation is essential for crafting compelling stories. It gives life to characters, steering their actions and shaping their journeys.

Character motivation: The unseen puppeteer

Character motivation refers to the reasons underlying a character's behaviours and actions. It's the 'why' that propels the 'what' in their decision-making process. It's the seed of desire that blossoms into actions, creating the narrative's structure. For authors, understanding character motivation is akin to knowing the secret strings controlling their characters' movements.

A duel of influences: Types of character motivation

Character motivation can broadly be classified into two types: internal and external motivation.

Internal motivation is the intimate force driving a character. It's their personal desires, fears, values, and needs that push them into action. Conversely, external motivation is derived from outside circumstances, such as events, other characters, or societal norms that pressurize or incentivize the character to act.

These two types of motivations often work together, layering a character's drive with complexity. For instance, a character might want to win a competition due to their inner ambition (internal motivation) and the promise of a hefty prize (external motivation).

Crafting the character's drive: Developing character motivation

Creating strong character motivation requires thoughtful introspection. Start by defining your character's desires: What do they yearn for more than anything else? Next, identify the obstacles standing in their way. The struggle to overcome these barriers becomes the story's driving force.

To make character motivations believable and relatable, ensure they are emotionally grounded and tie into the character's backstory. Like us, characters carry the weight of past experiences that shape their desires and fears.

A subtle unveiling: Showing character motivation

Character motivation can be revealed subtly through dialogue, actions, thoughts, and reactions. Show your characters making sacrifices for their desires, or demonstrate their fears by the risks they avoid. Effective narrative and dialogue can offer readers glimpses into a character's motivations without stating them explicitly.

For instance, a character's motivation to protect their family could be shown by taking a job they despise, working extra hours, or standing up to someone threatening their peace.

Stumbling blocks: Common pitfalls to avoid

Developing character motivation is a delicate process, and stumbling into cliches or predictable motivations is easy. Avoid motivations that seem too convenient or those lacking a solid emotional grounding. Remember that motivation should be consistent with the character's personality and backstory.

Steer the narrative: Using character motivation to drive the plot

Character motivation acts as a steering wheel for the plot. It generates conflicts, sparks tension, and ultimately pushes the narrative forward. A character's quest to achieve their desire, hampered by internal or external obstacles, forms the crux of many memorable stories.

For example, in The Lord of the Rings, Frodo's motivation to destroy the One Ring not only drives the plot but also creates significant tension and conflict, captivating readers throughout the epic journey.

Character motivation, the heart of storytelling

While developing and revealing character motivation might seem daunting, the result is characters that breathe on the page, engage readers, and drive your story with a steady pulse. So, as you venture into your next writing project, consider the unseen puppeteer of your character's actions and let their motivations lead the way.

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