Nothing ruins the reading experience like character choices that seem contrived to only make the plot work, .
Believable characters require plausible motivations.
Our protagonists – or main characters – must behave like real people in real situations, not like pawns we’ve injected to force a cohesive narrative.
Even creatures of fantasy should have authentic, relatable needs, wants, and dreams.
They should also have flaws with which human readers can identify.
For your story to be compelling, readers need a reason to be invested in your characters. Your job is to give them a reason to root for your characters (or against them, in the case of villains).
Internal vs. External Motivation
Internal Motivations are based on ideals, values, or even flaws, like:
- Fear
- Curiosity
- Greed
- Power
- Love
- Revenge
- Honor
External Motivations include things over which your character has no control, like:
- Money
- Laws
- Praise
- Survival
- Competition
- Reward
Use internal and external motivations in tandem, just like in real life. For instance, a character motivated by greed will likely also be motivated by money and reward.
Motivations can also conflict with each other. For example, survival takes precedence over revenge.
How to Reveal a Character’s Motivation
- Backstory
What led your protagonist to where they are at the start of your story?
What happened in the past that might explain what motivates them?
Perhaps they are motivated by money because they grew up poor. Or maybe they are motivated by honor because of a childhood hero.
- Conflict
How characters respond to obstacles can show what drives them.
A character motivated by revenge may be willing to become violent to gain it. A character motivated by fear may do everything to remain safe.
Show, don’t tell
Readers can deduce your characters’ motivations through their actions and dialogue.
In your favorite novels, the ones that make you forget you’re reading, you likely learned more about the characters by how they reacted to their environment than through exposition.
Don’t tell us your character is motivated by survival. Show him surviving.
In the following examples, the motivations of two well-known literary characters, Katniss Everdeen and Jay Gatsby, drive their actions and shape their stories.
In The Hunger Games, protagonist Katniss Everdeen’s motivation is to protect her family. Before the reaping – the annual event where one boy and one girl, aged 12–18, are chosen by lottery to compete for survival – she keeps her family fed by hunting. She volunteers to take her sister’s place in the games, determined to win and fulfill her role of protector and caretaker.
In The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby seems motivated by his love for Daisy Buchanan. It appears he wants to be wealthy so he can win her over. But in reality he’s the son of poor farmers and is motivated by money and status. Love for a wealthy woman out of his reach compounds that motivation.
Remember, readers invest emotionally in your characters if you’ve given those characters believable motivations.
