3
A chat with my regular at the bar completely flipped how I see character motivation
He was talking about why he quit his corporate job in Phoenix, and said 'I didn't leave for the money, I left because the silence in that office felt louder than the traffic.' I realized I always make my characters act for big, obvious reasons, not quiet, personal ones like that. What's a small, specific detail you've used to show a character's real motivation?
2 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In2 Comments
benbrown24d ago
Wait, you never noticed the way they stir their coffee?
2
murray.troy24d ago
Oh the coffee stirring thing, yeah I've seen it. But honestly @benbrown, I'm pretty sure they just stir it like anyone would (you know, in circles). Maybe we're reading too much into a simple habit. It's just a way to mix in the sugar or cream. Sometimes a stir is just a stir, not a secret signal.
2