Monday, September 21, 2015

Motivational Monday


CHARACTERS AT EVERY LEVEL OF THE STORY
WANT SOMETHING - 
LOVE, REVENGE, CAKE, WHATEVER - 
AND WHEN WE MEET THEM WE'D BETTER 
SOON KNOW WHAT THAT THING IS.
ESPECIALLY IF IT'S CAKE.
WE CAN ALL GET BEHIND A CHARACTER 
WHO WILL KILL FOR CAKE.
I'D KILL FOR CAKE.
WOULDN'T YOU?
(Chuck Wendig)

Are your characters utterly and totally motivated? 

Are you?

Have great week, everyone!
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34 comments:

  1. Alex J. CavanaughMonday, September 21, 2015 8:10:00 AM

    Motivated characters is the one thing I do well.
    I'd kill for a new guitar.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Madeline Mora-SummonteMonday, September 21, 2015 11:09:00 AM

      Maybe you need to write a character who does kill for a new guitar.... :)

      Delete
  2. Maria ZanniniMonday, September 21, 2015 8:16:00 AM

    Me, yes. Though I'm more motivated by lifestyle than food. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. SK AnthonyMonday, September 21, 2015 12:56:00 PM

    Yes! Cake, cake, cake!!!! This was awesome :D

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sarah FosterMonday, September 21, 2015 1:35:00 PM

    I totally get this! Especially since sometimes my MC does want cake...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Madeline Mora-SummonteMonday, September 21, 2015 2:02:00 PM

      For me, it's not so much my characters as it is the author/me who wants cake. :)

      Delete
  5. Jay NoelMonday, September 21, 2015 3:50:00 PM

    Me likey cake! Not sure if I'd kill for it, though. Depends on what kind of cake.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Madeline Mora-SummonteMonday, September 21, 2015 3:55:00 PM

      I hear you. I like carrot cake, but I wouldn't kill for it. Unless it was the last cake on earth....

      Delete
  6. Simon KewinTuesday, September 22, 2015 2:27:00 AM

    Good advice - if there's a scene where they don't want something, it might be worth skipping.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Madeline Mora-SummonteTuesday, September 22, 2015 7:21:00 AM

      It really does give a different perspective for when we're writing a scene, the character in the scene, etc.

      Delete
  7. J.H. MoncrieffTuesday, September 22, 2015 10:43:00 AM

    My motivation comes and goes. My characters'? Never. Although some do get a little sidetracked and have to be led back, kicking and screaming.

    Have a great week, Madeline!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Madeline Mora-SummonteTuesday, September 22, 2015 11:27:00 AM

      Hmm, maybe someone needs to lead us back, kicking and screaming. :)

      Delete
  8. Patricia StolteyTuesday, September 22, 2015 11:08:00 AM

    Maybe, if it's butter cake with chocolate frosting....or a Texas chocolate sheet cake.....

    ReplyDelete
  9. Tyrean MartinsonTuesday, September 22, 2015 11:39:00 AM

    That's an awesome quote! I need to post it by my desk. Aren't we all a little motivated by cake? :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. emaginetteTuesday, September 22, 2015 1:16:00 PM

    I'd like to think so. I try to give each character a relationship with the rest. It's the interaction (and cake) that keeps things zipping along. :-)

    Anna from Elements of Writing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Madeline Mora-SummonteTuesday, September 22, 2015 1:23:00 PM

      Good point about the interactions keeping things moving along.

      Delete
  11. Crystal CollierWednesday, September 23, 2015 9:24:00 AM

    A little less motivated each day. Need. Sleep!

    I've had stories I had to shut down because there was no character arc. I think every good story evolves around a character arc.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Madeline Mora-SummonteWednesday, September 23, 2015 9:39:00 AM

      And here I thought you were going to talk about CHEESE-cake. :)

      I'm learning more and more about how important motivation is for our characters and their arcs.

      Delete
  12. Elizabeth SeckmanWednesday, September 23, 2015 1:33:00 PM

    I hope so! That is something I do ask myself when I'm writing. I want my characters to feel real and behave like a normal/possibly crazed person would.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Madeline Mora-SummonteWednesday, September 23, 2015 2:00:00 PM

      I'm pretty sure my characters and I fall under the category of "possibly crazed." :)

      Delete
  13. Christine RainsWednesday, September 23, 2015 3:41:00 PM

    I'm totally motivated to get some cake now! :) I had a good writing day, though. No cake involved.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Madeline Mora-SummonteWednesday, September 23, 2015 4:02:00 PM

      Hmm, no cake involved? A day without cake is like a day without sunshine....

      Delete
  14. Loni TownsendWednesday, September 23, 2015 4:16:00 PM

    Ah yes, that masterful question of "what do you want?" I try to remember to ask that of all my characters.

    Me, I wouldn't kill for cake, unless maybe cheesecake...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Madeline Mora-SummonteWednesday, September 23, 2015 4:52:00 PM

      It's definitely an excellent question, one to ask all our characters - the good guys and the bad guys - and to ask ourselves now and then. :)

      Delete
  15. Stephanie FarisThursday, September 24, 2015 8:14:00 AM

    Last weekend at a conference, I listened to an editor start to outline the very "goal, motivation, and conflict" theory of writing that I learned about when I was writing romance 20 years ago! She didn't call it that, and she TOTALLY left out motivation. She just said, "Your character should want something and something should be getting in her way." But you have to have a strong WHY. Why do they want it? Motivation is everything!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Madeline Mora-SummonteThursday, September 24, 2015 8:30:00 AM

      It definitely needs to be a strong and powerful why - otherwise, the character would just shrug his or her shoulders and go "eh." If it's important to the characters, it will (should) become important to the readers.

      Delete
  16. Murees DupèThursday, September 24, 2015 5:18:00 PM

    I would definitely kill for cake. I really hope my characters do come across as motivated and real. Have a lovely weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  17. MelissaFriday, September 25, 2015 10:31:00 AM

    Only if it's my mom's gingerbread. :)

    ReplyDelete

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