Character Motivation: Wants and Reasons

Explain what characters want and why, and how their motives drive their choices.

A character's motivation is the reason behind what they do. Every major choice in a story grows from a want (what the character is trying to get or avoid) and a reason (why it matters to them). Authors rarely state motivation directly; you infer it from actions, thoughts, and dialogue. Read: 'Jun practiced the solo every night until his fingers ached. When his teacher asked why, he only glanced at the empty seat where his grandfather used to sit at concerts. ' Jun wants to play the solo perfectly. Why?

The empty seat suggests he wants to honor his grandfather, who has died or can no longer come. Notice that one detail changes the meaning of all that practice from ambition to love and grief. When explaining motivation, use the formula: Character wants ___ because ___, as shown by ___. This helps you predict choices and understand conflicts between characters whose wants collide.

• 1Motivation = a want plus a reason
• 2Infer motives from actions, thoughts, and dialogue
• 3Use: wants ___ because ___, as shown by ___