Two Questions to Ask for Stronger Character Goals and Motivations

By Janice Hardy

Strong plots start with two deceptively simple questions.

The sheer number of plotting questions I get—both in personand online—is a good indication that plotting is something a lot ofwriters wrestle with. And it’s not always because they don’t understand storystructure or scene dynamics.

You can write gorgeous prose and still wind up with a storythat meanders, stalls, or lacks punch. That’s because the characters aren’tmaking active, motivated choices that drive the story. They’re just… doingthings.

“Because that’s what has to happen next” isn’t agoal.

I’ve had countless brainstorming sessions with stuck writers(and been one myself), and over the years, I’ve noticed something. No matterhow complex the plot, how high the stakes, or how elaborate the worldbuilding,the problem almost always comes down to one missing element: goals.

Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com