WeWriWa: A Question of Motivation
Giving characters a plausible, relatable and compelling reason for what they do takes them from words on a page to sympathetic people we connect with. How to turn a hateful, selfish woman into someone readers want to champion? A daunting task. One I’ve been chipping away at for nearly 40,000 words by exploring what motivates the female protagonist in my paranormal W-I-P PRINCE OF HONOR. Hopefully, I’m getting closer with this internal moment:
Why would he do something like that, something so reckless, so dangerous, so . . . wonderful?Self-doubt and curiosity seems to be opening Sylvia up to possibilities, and if I’m doing it right, will nudge the reader into her corner.
No one had ever championed her before, even her mother’s actions from self-interest, not to protect her daughter. She’d spent her entire life bracing against attacks, so used to fighting her own battles the thought of someone else taking her part mystified, confused and alarmed her.
Why? What reason did a prince in the selfishly arrogant House of Terriot have for flaunting the power of his king at the risk of his own life?
Who was this strange, quixotic prince who bound her to him for reasons she didn’t understand? She was no bargain, no tender, loving mate—if anything, she was blight upon his chances to rise within their House. Was he fool? Didn’t he realize there was nothing to gain from weighting himself down with a pariah who only lay beside him because she had no other choice?
What the hell was wrong with him and what did he want from her?
What hateful characters managed to win you over despite their best intentions to behave badly? Scarlet O’Hara, anyone?
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Happy Writing and Happy Early Spring (which can’t come too soon!)
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