I've been thinking alot about motivation today. I don't mean the kind of motivation I need to swim laps or even write my quota tonight. I'm referring to the motivation our characters need to do something.
For instance, my character Pamela is having difficulty fitting in at her new school and in her new community. Her family seems to be oblivious to her struggles because of their self-centered motivations.
1. Her mother is excited about moving to the new community and is motivated to compete in an upcoming election for the president of the Country Club Association to which she now belongs.
2. Her father is a football coach and is motivated to achieve an undefeated football season so he can make his mark on the new community and secure his future and career.
3. Her brother is motivated to play quarterback and win the respect of his peers and college scouts.
4. Her sister is motivated to make an impression on the popular students on campus.
Each of their motivations drives them in self-absorption. This negligence creates the fertile setting in which Pamela's problems grow.
What is Pamela's motivation? To find a place where she is accepted for herself.
What is her conflict? Besides the obvious fact that she's the new kid on the block, her biggest conflict is not that the children in the neighborhood don't accept her, but that her family basically abandons her to her own devices once they arrive at their new community. They assume she is just as self-absorbed as they are and cannot see her struggles nor do they have the time or patience to help her adjust.
The family's expectations and Pamela's failure to fit in create a conflict for the idyllic family appearance the rest of the family members are trying so hard to create.
So, what motivates your characters? Make sure you spend time developing the conflicts and obstacles the protagonist must overcome to achieve his/her goals.
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