tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post5017639687628846615..comments2023-12-26T18:33:04.681-08:00Comments on Writability: On Character MotivationGabe (Ava Jae)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04778524723148508140noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-72691203658645229092012-01-29T08:29:46.322-08:002012-01-29T08:29:46.322-08:00That's a great example! It's certainly tru...That's a great example! It's certainly true that how characters will act on their motivations is just as distinctive and telling (if not more so) than the motivations themselves. After you've figured out your character's motivation, the next step is certainly to determine how they would act on it, depending on their personality.Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-48702379127357045102012-01-29T03:13:50.272-08:002012-01-29T03:13:50.272-08:00Another great post! The motivation for our actions...Another great post! The motivation for our actions is not always that strong, but it's always there. The lovely thing about characters and their motivation, is that even two characters with the same motivation can act differently. <br />For example, the very first chapter of Harry Potter. Hagrid, Dumbledore and McGonagall all have the motivation to make sure Harry Potter is safe. McGonagall acts worried and stricte, while Dumbledore tries to lighten it up with his lemon drops (or what was it?) and Hagrid is very emotional. I really like that chapter :-) JFeijtenhttp://writersdraft.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-47041793325226878392012-01-24T20:52:35.664-08:002012-01-24T20:52:35.664-08:00Thanks so much! It's something I'm keeping...Thanks so much! It's something I'm keeping an eye out for when I dive into edits again--which is why I decided to write a post about it. ^_^Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-65258472295198841792012-01-24T20:51:05.774-08:002012-01-24T20:51:05.774-08:00I take a lot of notes by hand, but I have a bad ha...I take a lot of notes by hand, but I have a bad habit of forgetting to create a digital version of them, which is a problem when I can't find the notebook or the page I wrote the notes on...Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-59640539830537008892012-01-24T19:16:59.283-08:002012-01-24T19:16:59.283-08:00Thanks. :) Ya I like doing timelines and things......Thanks. :) Ya I like doing timelines and things...helps me to write/draw out my notes and stuff by hand, then I can sketch things also. Then it's a matter of deciphering my handwriting and converting it to my "Notes" file on my computer. Haha.Stevenschiermannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-82544742997631421812012-01-24T12:32:29.619-08:002012-01-24T12:32:29.619-08:00great post once again, and something I am really w...great post once again, and something I am really working on in my editing process!J. A. Bennettnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-61573769170264956032012-01-24T11:13:44.514-08:002012-01-24T11:13:44.514-08:00 Totally agree. One of the reasons I like Watchmen... Totally agree. One of the reasons I like Watchmen is that it challenges so many ideas of what heroism actually means.Daniel Swensenhttp://www.surlymuse.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-81461172896216281692012-01-24T11:03:06.215-08:002012-01-24T11:03:06.215-08:00I don't like to think of antagonists as evil p...I don't like to think of antagonists as <i>evil</i> per say, if only because we're then often tempted to justify their atrocious actions because of their "evilness." However, I like the point you made nonetheless--every antagonist should have at least one quality that humanizes them.Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-86922242506099446922012-01-24T11:00:29.075-08:002012-01-24T11:00:29.075-08:00I haven't read Watchmen however, that does sou...I haven't read <i>Watchmen</i> however, that does sound like a very complex and interesting antagonist. I find that usually the most realistic and fascinating antagonists are indeed those who truly believe their actions are justified. They don't see themselves as the bad guys--they believe that they are right in doing whatever evil they're committing (and, not surprisingly, their justifications often fall under the "greater good.")Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-8621092675667074912012-01-24T09:06:25.730-08:002012-01-24T09:06:25.730-08:00This is a good post! Evil characters are just that...This is a good post! Evil characters are just that - evil. But they also need to have something inside of them that makes them human. So I like that you used Voldemort as your example, because he has many of those qualities: Selfish, power hungry, and a tormented past.<br /><br />Thanks for this post! :)Vicki Orianshttp://vickiorians.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-60047671063992819352012-01-24T06:02:30.372-08:002012-01-24T06:02:30.372-08:00 Because they don't think they're doing ba... Because they don't think they're doing bad things. That's why my favorite villain is Ozymandias from Watchmen. His motives aren't even ostensibly selfish -- he does monstrous evil while totally believes he's working toward the greater good, and tries to save the world by becoming a mass murderer.Daniel Swensenhttp://www.surlymuse.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-8673801489925339292012-01-24T05:38:13.687-08:002012-01-24T05:38:13.687-08:00Nope! You're totally right--once you get past ...Nope! You're totally right--once you get past the challenge of accepting that you need to really develop your antagonist just as much (if not more) than your protagonist, it can be fun to figure out what makes them tick. Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-78556337826447621452012-01-24T05:32:28.503-08:002012-01-24T05:32:28.503-08:00Motivating the bad guys is one of the most fun par...Motivating the bad guys is one of the most fun parts. It's easy to imagine that someone might want to do good things, but WHY would someone want to do bad things? (Or maybe it's just me that's evil. :))Susan Kaye Quinnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-33045143929105965382012-01-24T05:04:16.173-08:002012-01-24T05:04:16.173-08:00Now that you mention it, that trick-or-treaters th...Now that you mention it, that trick-or-treaters thing sounds vaguely familiar (although I can't remember the exact quote or which book it came from, either). Regardless, thanks for bringing it up! I'd forgotten about that but you're right--further proves that he doesn't do evil just for the sake of being evil. Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-86573329140599581252012-01-24T05:00:03.688-08:002012-01-24T05:00:03.688-08:00I don't know if you follow Susan Sipal's b...I don't know if you follow Susan Sipal's blog (@HP4Writers on Twitter), but if you like my occasional Harry Potter references, you'll probably love her blog. She focuses solely on what writers can learn from Harry Potter. <br /><br />That being said, I have to agree--the depth of the world J.K. Rowling created is so deep and intricate that even upon a second or third reading there's still more to learn. Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-51593592526633171152012-01-24T04:57:46.629-08:002012-01-24T04:57:46.629-08:00Creating a timeline for your antagonists life is a...Creating a timeline for your antagonists life is a fantastic idea--I haven't done that before, but I imagine it certainly helped pinpoint his motivations as well as nuances that deepen him as a character. And I'm glad my blog helped! :)Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-47143268009152760652012-01-24T04:55:47.042-08:002012-01-24T04:55:47.042-08:00Thanks, Jimmy. Good luck with your writing and edi...Thanks, Jimmy. Good luck with your writing and editing!Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-15295045395972432192012-01-23T17:44:22.464-08:002012-01-23T17:44:22.464-08:00Love Voldy's picture, Ava. And, of course, I l...Love Voldy's picture, Ava. And, of course, I love your example. I can't remember the exact quote, but at one point Voldemort mentions that he almost killed two trick-or-treaters on his way to the Potters' home, but didn't because it was quite unnecessary. A good example of your point.Susan Sipalhttp://twitter.com/HP4Writersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-68596832863671898492012-01-23T17:29:44.602-08:002012-01-23T17:29:44.602-08:00I love how you take Harry Potter for explaining th...I love how you take Harry Potter for explaining things. The thing about Harry Potter is, regardless of reiterative reading there are still new things to discover about the characters. <br /><br /> IndianaRonaldohttp://blabber-of-a-gabbler.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-67020014365334723702012-01-23T16:08:36.263-08:002012-01-23T16:08:36.263-08:00That's crazy! I'm in the outlining stages ...That's crazy! I'm in the outlining stages of one of my 5 WIPS (all in outlining process actually...) and I realized I didn't really know my antagonists motivation. I knew his history fairly well and I knew what he was trying to do but I realized just yesterday that I didn't know why. So I basically took a blank sheet of computer paper and drew out a timeline starting at 1940 when he was born and ending in 2018 when he died and labeled major events in his life which altered his mission, goal, and motivation. I found that it helped as did this article. Thanks so much for writing this block. It does give my stories a much better "Writability" which is irreplaceable so thank you again. :)Stevenschiermannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-15335236850390020322012-01-23T16:00:14.049-08:002012-01-23T16:00:14.049-08:00That's a very good question, Ava. I'll kee...That's a very good question, Ava. I'll keep that in mind when my edits come back on my second novel. I'll ask myself those tough questions then. I will endevour to ask them a little sooner on this third novel that I just began writing last month.<br />Hope things are well with you.<br /><br />-Jimmyrapture22noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-66200498612435872812012-01-23T14:53:25.008-08:002012-01-23T14:53:25.008-08:00Sometimes slowing down to analyze our writing and ...Sometimes slowing down to analyze our writing and make those tweaks is the best thing you can do for the WIP. Glad you enjoyed the post! Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-25683006995974497372012-01-23T14:52:41.852-08:002012-01-23T14:52:41.852-08:00I'll admit I have in the past been guilty of t...I'll admit I have in the past been guilty of that as well. Motivations are something I have to usually develop more during the revision stage. Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-81045799192364467432012-01-23T14:51:44.710-08:002012-01-23T14:51:44.710-08:00Thank you, Laura! Asking questions is one of the q...Thank you, Laura! Asking questions is one of the quickest ways to get going again whenever you get stuck in your writing--and a fantastic brainstorming method. :)Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-76222454471387350652012-01-23T14:50:35.632-08:002012-01-23T14:50:35.632-08:00So glad this post was able to help! Motivations ar...So glad this post was able to help! Motivations are really important to pin down while developing characters, and what better antagonist to use as an example than Voldemort. :DAva Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com