The Number 1 Thing Missing With Your Character

[@wrestlingwithwords]

How to Write BETTER Conflict: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZaydmWgZbuGh5I How to Write STRONGER Characters: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oaqWh35rna1_i8U

[@judymiles7186]

I think you make helpful suggestions and your delivery is relaxed and thoughtful. I can't wait to see your subscribers grow!

[@wrestlingwithwords]

Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm glad you find the suggestions helpful. :)

[@Full-Wisdom]

Absolutely loved this deep dive into character motivation and the use of the hierarchy of needs to flesh out our characters' drives! The discussion on conflicting motives and whether to explicitly state a character's motives offers great food for thought for writers at any stage. It's a reminder that the complexity of human motivation can add so much depth to our storytelling. Thanks for the insightful content

[@wrestlingwithwords]

Thank you for your kind words and for taking the time to share your thoughts on the video. It means a lot!

[@Ang-gh3iy]

Thank you for the helpful advice on Character Motives! This was really useful!

[@wrestlingwithwords]

So glad you found it helpful!

[@JhadeSagrav]

Oof!! THANK YOU. Just realized what my characters were missing (as your title prophesied). I couldn't figure out why A would do X, and it's because i hadn't clarified for myself his MOTIVE. I think it's that, after having lost his "found family" (from your other vid, thanks for that too), he came back to find the only person he didn't fail to save. Sort of to prove to himself that he did something right. That puts his actions (and even inactions) into context and now it all makes sense. THANK YOU!

[@wrestlingwithwords]

I’m so glad your story clicked into place. Thank you so much for watching my videos and for your comment!

[@aSnailCyclopsNamedSteve]

Good pinning, except for the Hierarchy of Needs. Thank you for including chapters. Started Murderbot 01. The writing looks good, the pacing as well. While the title says 'evil', the opening says 'good guard'. The entertainment desire seems trivial, a distraction. Definitely a want/motivation, not a need. The need appears to be the desire to do the job well but being distracted by life. Thus, being applicable to pretty much anyone who hates their job. I would say it is the last (hating job) which creates the rapport with the reader, not the want or the need. Ok. I got lost with the terms. From another site, I have been using wants (what the character is aware of (my story - find a job, learn a language)) and needs (unaware of, involves the character arc (my story - adapt; take charge of her life). Now you are using motivation, want, desire, and goal for one thing. At one point, it is not get killed, at another watching TV. Then you distinguish these words by 'what' and 'why'. Then intrinsic/internal and extrinsic/external motivations. So, I am left pretty confused as to what you want to say. Rationality is a good point. So, it helps if the author is irrational. I will now go use a hair dryer to clean the tree. I would say instead that the author should not feel obligated to rationalise every aspect of the story. Another way to create irrationality is simply not to explain the motivation. We think the murderbot is just into pleasure, but maybe it is reconnecting with its 'childhood'. Maybe this is the accepted way of displaying prestige - I watched 500 hours last month. Your conflicting motives are external. While good, internal can create more tension. For example, I hate my father but feel obligated to respect him.

[@wrestlingwithwords]

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on the story and your insights into character motivations. I appreciate your feedback and the discussion! Regarding Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, I understand your perspective on its application in the story. While the initial impression may suggest a focus on entertainment desire, the underlying need to perform the job well despite life's distractions resonates with many readers who can relate to the struggle of balancing responsibilities and personal desires. Your observation about the relatability of hating one's job and its impact on the reader's rapport is insightful and adds depth to the discussion. I apologize for any confusion caused by the terminology used in describing character motivations. Different sources may indeed use varying terms, but ultimately, the goal is to convey the character's internal and external driving forces, whether they be wants, needs, desires, or goals. Writing and storytelling are full of terminology some conflicting and others complementary. It's important to remember that it shouldn't be taken as gospel. There are exceptions to every rule, alternative theories, and even sometimes conflicting concepts. Your point about irrationality in storytelling is well-taken. While rationality can provide structure, leaving room for ambiguity or unexplained motivations can add depth and intrigue to the narrative. The example you provided about the murderbot's potential motivations beyond pleasure-seeking is thought-provoking and highlights the importance of allowing readers to interpret and speculate about characters' actions. Lastly, I appreciate your insight into the potential for tension in conflicting internal motives. Exploring the complexities of characters' relationships and inner conflicts can indeed add layers to their personalities and drive the narrative forward. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts!

[@EmmaBennetAuthor]

This is actually something I'm working on right now

[@wrestlingwithwords]

@EmmaBennetAuthor How is it going? Any techniques or hang ups worth sharing?

[@EmmaBennetAuthor]

@@wrestlingwithwords I'm writing for a very particular publisher who want conflict and motivation absolutely at the forefront and I'm feeling what I've done isn't strong enough.

[@wrestlingwithwords]

That is really interesting, but really cool that your working with publisher!

[@ComicPower]

In everything i am writing to advance the plot starts with character motivation. They all want something and will make decisions on that want which will conflict with other characters and the fallout of that is your story.

[@wrestlingwithwords]

Understanding character motivations is key to crafting a compelling story. Thanks for commenting!

[@garykotowski2622]

Hey, Cameron, you've been quite helpful. I've paid a sef-pub company to get my novel out there. We're in the editing stage now, and I sincerely wish it were you helping me with this project. I'm going to subscribe. Thanks. Keep putting out videos.

[@wrestlingwithwords]

First off, congrats on finishing a book and getting on the path to publication! Please keep me looped in on how your projects go in the future. I'd love to hear how your writing is going and maybe in the future on a new project, I can help! There will be more videos, so thank you for subscribing and for your comment. I really appreciate it!