Character motivation is an important one.
Without your character having something that is motivating them, something that is heavy on their mind which may then spur them towards acting in a certain way, then you may as well leave them out of your story. A good tale does not need passengers.
But, what kind of things can drive your character forward or be a topic they are focused on?
Below, you find a list of possibilities for you to consider when writing…
Character Motivation…
| Achieve perfection | Failure | Past trauma |
| Ambition | Fame | Peer pressure |
| Apology | Family | Pleasure |
| Avoiding conflict | Fear | Popularity |
| Avoiding pain | Finding a purpose | Power |
| Be acknowledged | Finding adventure | Pride |
| Be bad | Finding what was lost | Protecting others |
| Be good | Fitting in | Prove others wrong |
| Be normal | Fortune | Prove themselves |
| Be remembered | Freedom | Rebellion |
| Be respected | Friends | Redemption |
| Be someone else | Getting somewhere | Regret |
| Be special | Glory | Religion |
| Beauty | Greed | Repaying a debt |
| Being strong | Guilt | Revenge |
| Cheat death | Happiness | Rising above others |
| Comfort | Hatred | Sacrifice |
| Curiosity | Honour | Safety |
| Denial | Illness | Save the world |
| Desire | Inequality | Screw destiny |
| Desperation | Instability | Self-preservation |
| Destiny | Jealousy | Self-protection |
| Destruction | Justice | Sense of responsibility |
| Disability | Knowledge | Shame |
| Dominance | Love | Stand out |
| Duty | Loyalty | Stubborness |
| Dying | Lust | Submission |
| Envy | Morality | Success |
| Escaping | Not to be lonely | Survival |
| Facing a fear | Obedience | Thrill |
Source
You may also be interested in this – Tips to help a new writer.
