Let’s talk about character motivation for a minute, or maybe character stakes. They kind of intertwine to make a great big character mess.

In this mess of a character, there is a goal. The character is striving toward something, and in the course of that striving, there are reasons why they are doing what they are doing (even answering an unknown number).

The most common questions about character motivation/stakes are:

What happens if they succeed?

What happens if they fail?

Why does it matter?

Recently, I realized that doesn’t speak to everyone. Sometimes it doesn’t even really fit the character. So let’s twist it just a little.

Is the character facing a threat or a promise?

The character needs to accomplish this thing. Why?

Is there some kind of threat? If they don’t accomplish X, then Y will happen, and that is bad.

Is there some kind of promise? If they do accomplish X, then Y will happe,n and this is good!

It’s possible to have both.

Let’s say you are writing a cozy mystery. The character’s goal is to find out who poisoned the BBQ sauce that killed the local obnoxious person that no one liked anyway (as is almost always the case in cozies).

If it is a threat, the character must find out who poisoned the BBQ sauce because it came from their family’s diner. If they don’t discover the real killer, their sweet old grandmother will be living out her golden years in an orange jumpsuit, and that is bad.

If it is a promise, the character must find out who poisoned the BBQ sauce because there is a reward that will cover the cost of bringing their family’s failing business back from the brink of bankruptcy. If they do discover who the real killer is, they can collect that money and save their family’s restaurant, and that is good!

Both? The restaurant is failing. Grammy’s about to go out in handcuffs, but they can clear Grammy’s name AND collect the reward money! Cue the hero parade!

Need more help with character development or stakes and conflict?

Check out these workshops:

Creating Characters

Conflict, Stakes, and Tension