tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929885462293344093.post4972056785037363078..comments2024-03-07T23:15:45.610-08:00Comments on Margo Kelly: What Motivates Your Character?Margo Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13474612650116392270noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929885462293344093.post-17324796644318606052012-09-12T20:26:58.398-07:002012-09-12T20:26:58.398-07:00The motivations of my characters are the first thi...The motivations of my characters are the first things I figure out before I start writing. Not because it is what I am supposed to do, but because I want to know. <br /><br />You'll find that you even love your characters more once it's clear in your mind.<br /><br />To go, lady! Happy Writing!Sabrina A. Fishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14854713472424756485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929885462293344093.post-64930972187683207122012-09-12T20:15:04.881-07:002012-09-12T20:15:04.881-07:00One of the most helpful questions my beta group as...One of the most helpful questions my beta group asked was around this very idea. It really pushed my book to the next level.Nicolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929885462293344093.post-67056186496722683742012-09-12T16:07:14.447-07:002012-09-12T16:07:14.447-07:00Great example...I always suffer in the first 10k o...Great example...I always suffer in the first 10k or so of a novel...while I'm still developing the characters. I always have to go back and beef it up.Amy Jareckihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12228735893610373995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929885462293344093.post-51948613403479231392012-09-12T15:12:01.499-07:002012-09-12T15:12:01.499-07:00Now I need to go back and figure out what motivate...Now I need to go back and figure out what motivates mine! LOLAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15901684621715980573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929885462293344093.post-73844560171349200352012-09-12T15:04:14.483-07:002012-09-12T15:04:14.483-07:00Does he not like it because he doesn't get it?...Does he not like it because he doesn't get it? Is he being lazy or is he frustrated because other kids are getting it and he isn't? Maybe he has A.D.D. and cannot connect the sequences in a mathematical equation. There are any number of reasons a character might refuse to do something, then their motivation is known...now we know why he decided to not do the work. He's insecure about his level of knowledge, feeling of failure.<br /><br />To me those are all good motivations which would make me connect more with the character, give him some depth and make him believable.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15901684621715980573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929885462293344093.post-31127310760625162652012-09-12T13:28:15.830-07:002012-09-12T13:28:15.830-07:00I often ask myself why my character wants what s/h...I often ask myself why my character wants what s/he wants, and what my character really needs from what she wants. Needs and wants can be two different things. Cynthiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00912167351889969855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929885462293344093.post-58207689968757633542012-09-12T12:01:46.118-07:002012-09-12T12:01:46.118-07:00Motivation is important. It makes the character be...Motivation is important. It makes the character believable because most people have a motive for the things that they do. Things done without a motive tend to be labeled psychopathic.Michael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929885462293344093.post-87177855226675118412012-09-12T11:43:14.087-07:002012-09-12T11:43:14.087-07:00I run into trouble sometimes with not revealing a ...I run into trouble sometimes with not revealing a character's motiviation early enough. I know what it is but I make the reader wait too long to find out.LD Mastersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01202135756299574972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929885462293344093.post-80544558718439805342012-09-12T11:34:40.711-07:002012-09-12T11:34:40.711-07:00I have read that a character should have some comp...I have read that a character should have some complexities and contradictions. I portrayed my MC as a bitchy self-centred woman who had a bag of discarded knitting in her living room and was told this sounded out of character. LOL!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929885462293344093.post-90707538770803131612012-09-12T10:13:40.779-07:002012-09-12T10:13:40.779-07:00In order to engage with a character I need to unde...In order to engage with a character I need to understand why they do the things they do. I don't need to know immediately and I don't need to know it all at once but I have to get them, otherwise, all the rest won't make much sense or have any meaning. I also find that if I understand my own characters and their motivations it's a lot easier to write them and their story. mshatchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06308916014310536449noreply@blogger.com