Compelling Characters, Part II

Let’s talk about the motivations for your character. Think about Kurt Vonnegut’s brilliant advice that every character in your scene should want something, even if it’s only a glass of water. If you have someone in your scene and they don’t want something … you might want to write them out of the scene.

But let’s expand on what Vonnegut said and make your scene as compelling as your characters. The ideal scene features two characters. Once you determine what your protagonist wants in a particular scene, your next best step is to figure out what the other character wants. And the best case would be if they want something diametrically opposed to what your protagonist wants. Because that stirs CONFLICT, the driving force of any story.

Think of a police interview. The investigator wants information or maybe a confession from the suspect. But that person of interest wants to avoid giving up any evidence. Easy to see where conflict arises.

Your challenge is to bring conflict like that to all your scenes. Husband and wife driving to a party … one can’t wait to get there, the other can’t wait to leave. Two friends going out drinking … one just broke up with their partner and the other wants to meet somebody new. You’re the writer, you have to come up with the conflict at the heart of every scene. Compelling characters make that happen.

Now, get back to work.