A Question of Motive

Here is an amalgam of the things I've learned on MOTIVATION – Characters have emotional baggage and issues that make them act in a certain way.

Some questions to ask of your MC, your protagonist:

• Ask what your Protag wants more than anything. This could be love, social justice, money, respect, power, sex, peace on earth, etc. Just be sure it comes through in each scene
• Who is your MC? Smart/dumb, creative/incompetent/ Immature, interesting, Vibrant/intrusive? Show the strengths and weaknesses. 

Here's a list of common Young Adult skills and weaknesses that can motivate:

• Disorganization  
• Emotional Reactivity
• Impaired Relationships
• Depression
• Low self esteem
• Under achievement

• Elation with life
• Determined to make goals
• learn to compensate
• Friends to the end Loyalty
• Understanding of what's important in life

 Giving your MC a strong Motivation and then creating obstacles for her to get it makes for tension on every page.