Howdy there, lighters! Many apologies for basically the hiatus our team has been on. Trust us, it wasn't intentional, but now that we're taking college courses and getting jobs, Light has kinda fallen to the bottom of our priority list.
But, hopefully, this summer will see a comeback for Light-related activity. So without further adieu, I give you the first in a series of light-bulbs (prompts) about crafting believable and unforgettable characters! Topic 1: Motivation.
One of the mistakes many writers make is having their plot drive the whole book and the characters get pushed to the side as an after-thought. But what is there in a plot-driven book that makes readers want to continue reading? Very little. So forget all the world-building and the in-depth plot structure and just take a step back.
In this masterpiece story you've dreamed up, in this vast picture of insane supervillains, goofy side-characters, and random explosions (just because), where is the person who really drives your story? Who is your main character and why are they doing what they're doing? What is their motivation--the reasoning behind their actions? What is their desire VS their fear? What do they want and how are they going to get it? What about them makes them relatable? What makes you want to follow this hero on their journey?
Deep breath. Yup, I know that's a lot of questions, or more like variations of the same question, but I just wanted y'all to be able to put it in perspective. So take some time today and think about those questions, and also think about some characters in both books and cinema that you feel-for/relate to. Their internal conflict is what makes them loveable/relatable.
Spiderman (on cover photo), Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Fredrickson (Up) and I'll just say many other fictional characters (because my mind is running a blank) are great examples of relatable/loveable characters because they have that internal conflict--the motivation behind the action. They have thoughts and emotions which makes them believable and real to the reader. So analyze your fav books/movies. And if you're still feeling a little stuck, pop over to my fav writing YouTuber, Abbie Emmons who's got some great advice on these topics and so much more!
Happy lighting!
- Katherine
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