You’ve plotted. You’ve planned. You’ve built entire worlds from nothing but a seed of an idea planted in your mind. You’ve written and rewritten your premise a million times. 

Now you’re ready to start writing. Right?

Not just yet.

As a writer myself, I know how hard it is not to jump right into writing your story. But there’s one more thing that needs a lot of attention: your characters.

Even if you think you have a great character already sketched out in your mind, they won’t be fleshed out until you spend time getting to know them. It’s important to get to know your major characters deeply before you begin writing them.

So, after you’ve got their physical description down, let’s take a closer look at how to create well-rounded, three-dimensional characters your readers will love (or love to hate, in the case of the antagonist!).

You may be asking, “what is one of the best ways to create a character?” Look at their motivations.

What is character motivation?

Character motivation is…well…what motivates your characters to act. Characters need motivation for their behavior in any given scene. Knowing your characters’ motivations will not only help you flesh out your characters, but it will also help drive your plot and keep you from getting stuck later.

Motivations are intrinsic, or fundamental needs, driven from within. These needs could be external, like a homeless person who needs shelter and food; or they can be internal, psychological motivations, like the desire to be loved or the fear of abandonment.

Take a look at some of your favorite characters from literature or TV/movies. Look beyond their behavior and ask why they do the things they do. Why did Darth Vader want to kill Luke Skywalker? The Emperor made him believe Luke was a threat to the Dark Side, as Luke was thought to be the one who would balance the Force. Why did Frodo need to destroy the Ring? Frodo was driven by an intrinsic need to save Middle Earth from its biggest threat, Sauron, and destroying the One Ring was the only way to accomplish this goal.

You need goals for your characters, of course—this is interesting to your readers. But exploring why a character is motivated to achieve their goals makes readers care, and they’ll be even more drawn to your story and keep them reading. 

To help you dig a little deeper into your own characters’ motivations, let’s take a look at five basic questions that will guide you. You don’t have to do this for every minor character that comes along, but take time to do this for your MC, antagonist, and supporting cast that’s most integral to your story.

What is your character’s backstory?

This is one of the best places to start when looking at your character’s motivations. Dig deep into their past—don’t just look at their present or the future you intend to write for them. Every great character—whether protagonist or villain—has a backstory, usually tragic, or at least containing one singular traumatic event that shapes them. 

A great backstory will also help you push your plot forward as you discover your character’s motivations. While more aspects of your backstory will grow as you write your story, it’s a good idea to sit down and create your character’s backstory first. Protagonists, as well as your villains, need a solid backstory.

Example: Sith Lord Darth Vader was once a powerful Jedi Master who had a wife he loved immensely, but to prevent her death he turns to the Dark Side.

For instance, in my newest WIP, my MC’s mother died when she was a very young child, which shapes her as a person throughout her entire life. Her mother’s death, and the events that surround it, are her biggest motivation for why she does everything she does. Without this initial backstory, which was fairly simple, I would have been staring at a blank screen. A lot. With the backstory in place, the ideas began flowing, and before long I had the entire story plotted from beginning to end. 

For more info on how to write a compelling backstory, check out this article on Masterclass.

What are your characters’ hopes and fears?

Both hope and fear are huge motivators for your characters. In Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Anakin Skywalker's fear of losing his wife Padme was one of his biggest motivations for all of his actions, namely joining the Dark Side. Frodo’s hope for a better world, for everyone, not just hobbits in the Shire, drives him to endure a grueling, dangerous quest that puts his life, and the lives of those he loves most, in danger.

Which drives your character more? Fear or hope? Fear can be taken to a dark place, so it’s great for villains, but protagonists can also be driven by fear (as in the case of Anakin). 

Ask yourself what your character will do to keep this fear from becoming a reality. What are they willing to do to keep it from happening? Will their actions cause it to happen?

Example: Anakin is so afraid of losing Padme in childbirth, that he turns to the Dark Side to save her, but it is ironically the Dark Side taking over his mind that leads him fatally injure her.

What are your characters’ desires?

Ah, desire. It might be the root of all evil, but your characters need desires, goals to attain, and plans to attain those desires.

What will your characters do to get what they want? Will they go to any length, no matter the consequences? When did they realize this desire, and how has it shaped their life?

Example: Anakin desires more power; he mentions more than once in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones how the Jedi could rule the galaxy. He knows it’s wrong to want more power, but the Emperor makes him believe the Jedi are wrong for not allowing him to seek out this power.

Without something they want, what will drive your character?

What are their beliefs?

One of the most important aspects of discovering your characters’ motivations is developing their belief system. What are their beliefs, and how did they come to believe these things? Will they die for these beliefs? Were these beliefs influenced by someone else? Knowing your character’s beliefs will drive their decision-making, so this is an important one. 

Example: Anakin believes that the Jedi have lost their way and that they have become his enemy (due to Palpatine’s influence). This belief later makes him act against the Jedi, changing the course of his life—and the lives of those around him—forever. 

What kind of relationships do your characters form?

What kind of relationships do your characters have with others? Are they healthy or toxic? Is there an important relationship they don’t have in their life that creates a void (like missing family relationships, for example)? Would they die for someone, or is there someone they want revenge against? Knowing what kind of attachments your characters form is a great way to help flesh out their other characteristics, and it will also drive plot and character decision-making.

Example: Anakin’s relationship with Padme, while loving, is unhealthy, and against the Jedi code, as attachments can lead to suffering, greed, and ultimately, fear (of losing the thing they love). His fear of losing Padme is so great that he turns to the Dark Side to learn how to save her. 

Still struggling to find your characters’ motivations? Check out these cool resources to help! 

Character Motivation Thesaurus This site provides an entire list of dozens of different types of motivations (saving the world, getting revenge, obsessive pursuits, etc.). When you click on a motivation, it will give you a list of ways for your characters to act in certain situations. It also lists the human needs driving the motivation, as well as how your character can achieve their goal and any possible roadblocks (along with many others). The site a subscription for extra services, but the free options are plentiful.

Character Motivation Generator Yes, there’s a gen for that! On this site, just click the generate button, and a list of motives will come up. You can also use this gen for backstory, character development, personality, quirks, and even “character regret.” There are other motivation generators as well! Just search for “character motivation generator” and many will pop up.

The Ultimate Guide to Motivating Your Protagonist Still need help? This extensive guide will help you even further, digging deep into topics like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, human psychology, the do’s and don’ts of creating motivations, along with many others. 

If you’re suffering from writer’s block, and just can’t figure out which direction your story (or even just a scene) should go, try to answer these questions for your main characters. Dig deep, create well-rounded characters, and the rest will fall into place more easily!

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s of a Conductor.