Motivating difficult characters http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/plot-doctoring/threads/50516 bronwynnre I'm trying to pick up where I left off in my NaNo, and I think I've discovered a large part of the problem that made me give up on it in the first place. Two of the three main characters have no motivation beyond basic survival. In the earlier part of the story, they were living on the streets and struggling to get enough to eat, so it made sense for them not to be thinking about anything beyond that. But now they're living with a nobleman who has offered to teach one of them magic and find a place in his household for the other. They don't really need to worry about their survival anymore. I just can't figure out how to get them to take an interest in the rest of the plot, and I'm at a standstill until I can do something about it. Can anyone give me some pointers to help me get them moving? Thanks Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:10:04 +0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/plot-doctoring/threads/50516?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1162495 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/plot-doctoring/threads/50516?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1162495 keolah External motivation is always good. If characters are too comfortable where they are, shake things up. Ask yourself: What's the worst possible thing (that's remotely plausible) that could happen to them right now? What could go wrong here? Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:33:20 +0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/plot-doctoring/threads/50516?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1162533 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/plot-doctoring/threads/50516?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1162533 Bookworm140 Is someone trying to take away their plum situation? Someone comes along and tries to get them kicked out of the situation. Or someone tries to get themselves in the situation and the MCs have to take steps to keep that from happening. Or the nobleman is old and has not much time left. Or one of them falls in love and they have to chose between learning the magic or following the one they love. Or a relative of the nobleman is jealous and attempts to interfere. Anything that will shake up the situation. Or anything they <em>think</em> will jeopardize their situation. (Is the neighbor sabotaging me or is he just a pest?) What would you worry about if you were in that situation? (You have a secure job with benefits, and you love it. But a co-worker is trying to get you fired. What would you do? How far will you go to protect your job?) Stir the pot and see what happens. Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:59:18 +0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/plot-doctoring/threads/50516?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1162696 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/plot-doctoring/threads/50516?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1162696 Tricket Oh! I think that's a really good conflict actually, and could provide numerous motivations - going from having nothing to having a whole world set out in front of you! Sometimes, it's hard to adapt to changes in the environment - and it would be for such an extreme environmental change as your characters are going through. They go from starving most days to suddenly having a full stomach... At first, this would be wonderful! It's everything one could imagine! No more starving or stealing or running or hiding. There's a bed and a bath, and clothes, and even medicine if one gets sick - but, sooner or later, culture shock sets in. The way you used to stand off in the shadows is no longer acceptable. You can't just wolf down your food anymore, or save the bread crusts for later. You must talk in a certain fashion, and look people in the eyes. You can't run and hide, and suddenly you're expected to accomplish something. Sure, you had dreams, lots of them! You wanted to be a baker and make pies all day, and give them to the runts on the corner. You wanted to be a farmer, a teacher - anything other than what you were, but now you have every opportunity to do these things, but... those dreams just got complicated. Now, they're not just idle fancies, but they're work, and you have to figure out how to accomplish these dreams - all while in the middle of this strange and often horrifying culture (what do you mean I have to bow to the lady that once kicked me for asking her for money!!!) They're motivation would simply be navigation - learning the culture, and learning to be something. No one ever expected them to be something, and that was easy - now, they're expected :) What do they do when they run across another street urchin? One they used to play marbles with? Is their shame that they're suddenly better off and she's still in the same place? Is she still starving? Is she angry that they didn't take her along? Do they avoid the route she usually takes to the store? Do they say hello? Do they want to help her? Or, what of the store owners that used to turn them away when they asked for scraps? Are they angry? Do they want revenge? Do they feel it was fair? All of those people who turned them away, do they want something from them now? Maybe something as simple as their business, or maybe they want a favor, a handout? What do they do? Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:15:29 +0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/plot-doctoring/threads/50516?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1163652 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/plot-doctoring/threads/50516?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1163652