Monday, March 2, 2015

Yeah, about that.

I read the subject of this week's post and thought two things: first, I probably came up with the subject.
Second, if writers cannot actually handle the development of Character Inner Motivation and Inner Conflict, fiction might not be what they should be writing.

Still, here we are.

INNER CONFLICT

So, let me put this simply: if your character is not conflicted on a few levels,. you character lacks depth on every level.

Money's tight. I have four hundred dollars and seven hundred dollars worth of bills: Which shall I pay first?

Every time I'm having with my girlfriend and my friends, she's looking at Joe more than she's looking at me: Is this a problem or am I being overly sensitive.

Joe's looking back, and he dresses better when he knows my girlfriend is going to be there: Am I being paranoid? Which relationship is more important to me?

Just lately the boss is being more of a weenie than usual: Did I do something to offend? Will I have a job tomorrow? Should I confront about this? Should I hope it goes away?

I was maybe a little too harsh in my criticism of Nick last week. He's not exactly good with negative feedback: Did I take it too far?



Every living, sentient human being is conflicted about something. It might be the smallest damn drama you ever saw, but it's there and it's real for them.

INNER MOTIVATION

Not my imagination: Joe is definitely hitting in my girlfriend and she likes it. Should I confront both of them? One of them?

Joe cleaned my clock after I confronted him: Do I bow out gracefully? Do I walk away? Did I just spend three months worth of my salary on an engagement ring for nothing?

Do I know how to hide a body? Is she worth killing him for? If I do this, am I really out to protect what is mine? Or is it a matter of revenge?

I want to go on vacation. Not happening with the current job. Do I really want to take on a second job? Maybe not, but damn, Hawaii....

That masked man killed my wife! But I saw the ring on his hand, the one that Joe used to wear. I will have my revenge!

Motivation is easy.

I want to be a writer! Maybe the first step is writing a novel....



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