Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Oct 24, 2005 12:38:53 GMT 1
Character Motivation
This is about what makes people ‘tick’. What makes them do or say things, or behave in a particular way in any specific situation or set of given circumstances. No two people can ever be guaranteed to react or respond in exactly the same way when placed in identical positions, although there might be many similarities. Remember, as with real people, fictional characters are motivated by both internal and external factors.
In order to create fictional characters that are both interesting and believable, it is vital for the writer to develop an intimate knowledge of every facet of their characters. This isn’t to say that characters must always behave predictably according to their individual nature. Indeed, creating one who apparently behaves out of character is often a starting point for an excellent story or enables an interesting point of conflict or series of consequences to be devised – yet there must still be a reason for that character to act as they do. Something has to have motivated them and that is undoubtedly their own emotions.
Good plots are the result of cause and effect and - unless the cause happens to be something like a natural disaster, such as an earthquake, and the story about its effect on a colony of monkeys - human emotions are likely to be central to the success or failure of the plot.
Seek hard enough and you will discover that fear lurks behind every negative emotion and where conflicts occur between characters - or even within themselves – it is fear that dictates their thoughts and reactions, although it may not be at first obvious. For example, the fear may manifest itself as jealousy or anger, procrastination, depression or even as exhibitionism. Whatever, you may be sure that something within the character feels threatened, perhaps their pride?
Pride is not by accident the first of the Seven Deadly Sins. Fear of losing face, of looking a fool, being considered different or attracting attention to oneself are all attributable to threatened pride just as much as pride lies behind a character striving to impress others and fearing failure to do so.
As a simple, illustrative exercise in plot building stemming from disturbed human emotions, try creating a series of linked events, as in the example below, and as a means of identifying a character’s motivation.
1. John Doe – feels inadequate and lacks confidence. (Fearful)
2. He discovers that he feels better if he has a few drinks before facing...
3. …an important meeting, situation, event or person whom he needs to impress.
4. John Doe has too many drinks and makes an exhibition of himself. He feels increasingly inadequate.
5. He has even more to drink to drown these feelings, grows angry and takes his emotions out on his wife/kids/pet dog/friend/colleague/self.
6. Feels guilty (as a result) and drinks to drown out that emotion, recalling then how, as a child, his father, a tyrannical bully, always made him feel inferior.
7. Blames his father for all his problems and, with his resentments bolstered by too much alcohol, he decides to take revenge and plans to murder his father.
8. John Doe blacks out due to his excessive alcohol intake. When he comes to he is at home in bed. He has a vague recollection of planning to kill his father and, sober, these thoughts appal him, being so out of character.
9. The police arrive at John Doe’s home notifying him that his father has been murdered. Although he cannot recall actually committing the act, the sense of guilt over having planned to do so, and the fear of having possibly carried through his plan, cause John Doe to go on the run/ confess/commit suicide…
10 … Before discovering that his father was involved in an attempt to blackmail a notorious drug dealer who is later proven to be the real murderer.
It is interesting to note that a story based on this brief example of a plot outline could begin at almost any given point. However, it is important to show the events unfolding, rather that to tell what happens.
Once you have completed the exercise and built a plot of your own using this method, select two or three possible points at which to commence writing your story. Remember, it is important to grab your reader’s attention with your opening lines so try a few sentences for each potential starting point and then sit back and ask yourself honestly - ‘Which one of these openings would most encourage me to read on?’
Perhaps the answer might be a positive response for more than one, in which case go with your personal preference but do make a note of the others for future use, you never know when they might provide the inspiration for another masterpiece.
© T.R.P.D. - 2000
If you wish, please post your exercise in plotting/character motivation below for discussion.
This is about what makes people ‘tick’. What makes them do or say things, or behave in a particular way in any specific situation or set of given circumstances. No two people can ever be guaranteed to react or respond in exactly the same way when placed in identical positions, although there might be many similarities. Remember, as with real people, fictional characters are motivated by both internal and external factors.
In order to create fictional characters that are both interesting and believable, it is vital for the writer to develop an intimate knowledge of every facet of their characters. This isn’t to say that characters must always behave predictably according to their individual nature. Indeed, creating one who apparently behaves out of character is often a starting point for an excellent story or enables an interesting point of conflict or series of consequences to be devised – yet there must still be a reason for that character to act as they do. Something has to have motivated them and that is undoubtedly their own emotions.
Good plots are the result of cause and effect and - unless the cause happens to be something like a natural disaster, such as an earthquake, and the story about its effect on a colony of monkeys - human emotions are likely to be central to the success or failure of the plot.
Seek hard enough and you will discover that fear lurks behind every negative emotion and where conflicts occur between characters - or even within themselves – it is fear that dictates their thoughts and reactions, although it may not be at first obvious. For example, the fear may manifest itself as jealousy or anger, procrastination, depression or even as exhibitionism. Whatever, you may be sure that something within the character feels threatened, perhaps their pride?
Pride is not by accident the first of the Seven Deadly Sins. Fear of losing face, of looking a fool, being considered different or attracting attention to oneself are all attributable to threatened pride just as much as pride lies behind a character striving to impress others and fearing failure to do so.
As a simple, illustrative exercise in plot building stemming from disturbed human emotions, try creating a series of linked events, as in the example below, and as a means of identifying a character’s motivation.
1. John Doe – feels inadequate and lacks confidence. (Fearful)
2. He discovers that he feels better if he has a few drinks before facing...
3. …an important meeting, situation, event or person whom he needs to impress.
4. John Doe has too many drinks and makes an exhibition of himself. He feels increasingly inadequate.
5. He has even more to drink to drown these feelings, grows angry and takes his emotions out on his wife/kids/pet dog/friend/colleague/self.
6. Feels guilty (as a result) and drinks to drown out that emotion, recalling then how, as a child, his father, a tyrannical bully, always made him feel inferior.
7. Blames his father for all his problems and, with his resentments bolstered by too much alcohol, he decides to take revenge and plans to murder his father.
8. John Doe blacks out due to his excessive alcohol intake. When he comes to he is at home in bed. He has a vague recollection of planning to kill his father and, sober, these thoughts appal him, being so out of character.
9. The police arrive at John Doe’s home notifying him that his father has been murdered. Although he cannot recall actually committing the act, the sense of guilt over having planned to do so, and the fear of having possibly carried through his plan, cause John Doe to go on the run/ confess/commit suicide…
10 … Before discovering that his father was involved in an attempt to blackmail a notorious drug dealer who is later proven to be the real murderer.
It is interesting to note that a story based on this brief example of a plot outline could begin at almost any given point. However, it is important to show the events unfolding, rather that to tell what happens.
Once you have completed the exercise and built a plot of your own using this method, select two or three possible points at which to commence writing your story. Remember, it is important to grab your reader’s attention with your opening lines so try a few sentences for each potential starting point and then sit back and ask yourself honestly - ‘Which one of these openings would most encourage me to read on?’
Perhaps the answer might be a positive response for more than one, in which case go with your personal preference but do make a note of the others for future use, you never know when they might provide the inspiration for another masterpiece.
© T.R.P.D. - 2000
If you wish, please post your exercise in plotting/character motivation below for discussion.