Reason and Motive

Reason and Motive. Both are important to a successful story, if not the most important things. You may think they are the same as they are often used interchangeably, but they're not. Reason, by definition, is a justification or explanation for a belief or action of a person. Motive is the driving goal/objective that causes a person to act in a certain way and/or do a certain thing. EXAMPLE:

The King of Mars declares war on Venus to set fear [MOTIVE-"GOAL"] into the hearts of the Venusians because the residents of Venus tease them too much [REASON-"BELIEF"] .

See? The reason gives justification to the action which gives purpose to the motive. People can have all kinds of reasons for believe things and never develop a motive to do something about it. But, most of the time, people working for something have a reason why they're motivated towards it.

"So, where am I going with this?" you're probably asking.

Well, I took this "ah-ha" moment and reviewed my antagonists to see if I clearly developed accurate reasons and motives for their involvement in the story. I found a couple antagonists with motives that don't tie to any clearly defined reason.

ACK! How do I fix this in a way that will both strengthen my story, yet also strengthen my storytelling ability for future works? Well, I had to ask myself a couple questions, which boiled down to this…What are the key roots of reason and motive for an antagonist? Or in another way, what things does reason and motive stem off from?

I came up with two main things. Temptation and Delusion.

I created this little visual for myself. Now, remember, it's not perfect and I am no expert. Don't assume I'm correct in this in any way…'cause you all know what assuming can lead to. (No? Just add a couple dashes and a few connecting words…it can make an ASS-of-U-and-ME).


Yes, the smiley face is Evil Joe Smoe the pre-evil mastermind, because face it, no one is born evil. He is an average human and somewhere along the line he experiences something(s) that trigger(s) his brain to turn against someone/a group. It's delusion in the sense that it becomes him against "him/her/them". For either minutes or years he goes along believing this and evolving it further into his favor.

Then the temptation arrives, either through an internal making of his own or an external opportunity to "prove himself right and the world wrong". The motive now becomes clear from tying his reason to his temptation…and of course the reward is the "enemy" (from a single person to the whole galaxy) either needs to suffer, be under his control, or be destroyed all together.

And, if you don't believe me that a regular guy can become a monster of his own making…just look at Charlie Sheen. Whether he was troubled from childhood or just developed from adult experiences, he went from "Well Meaning Bad Boy" to a "Him against The Man" mentality.

Quickie: Writer's Moment

Out into the main battle of the holiday shopping season we went this last weekend. Hubby and I were geared up with our list and our patience. What does this have to do with writing you're asking?

Well, I went out for Christmas shopping and met a couple of my characters in my upcoming manuscript. (The one I'm starting next month, not this one I'm finishing).

I ran into the Essence Overseer in the coloring book area. She was wonderfully beautiful, radiating a maternal aura. Her skin was the rich color of dark chocolate and she had these beautiful tear drop earrings of brushed nickle and bronze. When she smiled at us and we spoke about the books I saw the excitement and love she had picking out dozens of coloring books. I imaged they were for her classroom children, who she was nurturing to become productive and caring adults.

At another store I met the introverted, secretive Genetic Research Physician. My first sight was her long, pen straight dark hair. When she turned, my breath was taken away at the sheer beauty of her naturally bronze skin and long, almond-shaped eyes. I thought Dr. Nequam would have light brown eyes. However, when I met her, she looked on me with these beautiful foggy blue eyes lined with a silver. Her smile was wide and long and showed the inner happiness and joy she tries to keep locked away from all but her adoptive son.

So, fighting the traffic and crowds -- which weren't as bad as last year -- I felt like not only did we conquer the main part of the kids wish lists...I succeeded in getting out into the world and drawing from it for my imaginative world. I guess that's part of being a writer. No matter whether you write fiction or non fiction, westerns or thrillers, you want to exude part of ourselves and our experiences into it. To draw our own outlook on who we are as people and as a community.

Good writing all!

The Galileo Sisters

Last night, while editing, I became engrossed in a few pages of the story. It was a section I hadn't read in a while. The scene was a real character development moment for Nettie, the older sister.

At that moment I paused with a realization. These two character's have been almost like a lifelong companion to me. From the beginning in my teenage years through now, I've watched and help mold their growth.

Annabel (Annie) Matterville is the younger sister and the first of the two to come into my creative realm. I dreamed her story first when I was in my early teens. As I feverishly worked to write the story, she slowly came into existence. Almost like a piece of me was torn away to bring her to life.

Annabel was the only one in the Galileo Wars Story (originally named The Knight and the Warrior) for almost a year. Then I had a dream about a girl names Antoinette (Nettie). When she was first created, she wasn't part of Annabel's story. I worked hers on a parallel track for months.

That is until 'The Dream', which I believe was spawned from an argument I had with my own sister. That night I dreamed of Nettie and Annie together, in the midst of war. Their relationship was tense, but their love and bond to each other was tight. The final puzzle piece fell into place and I knew they were related and connected in my creative plane of existence.

Their both fierce in their own ways.

Nettie is an outgoing, assertive girl with a strong athletic energy. There's a fire in her soul that seeks excitement, fun, and people. In the beginning she doesn't like to be alone and she doesn't like it quiet. Over the course of her story she grows into a woman of strength and integrity. Her powerful essence and confidence in her abilities allows her to exude a strong leadership quality only surpassed by her loyalty to comrades, friends, and family.

Annie starts out as an introverted, artistic, soul-seeking girl with daydreams and wishes. She's been placed in this boxed stereotype by her family. Shipped to the Mars training facility, she finds the expectations from home did not follow her. It is a blank slate and one she can explore and test. She excels in her training and finds a natural athleticism underneath her artistic layers. She grows into a strong defender of the weak. Her sense of loyalty to her people and her drive to save them, sends her on a journey that calls for great personal sacrifices.

I am so proud to have developed these characters. They have not stayed the same characters that were born from a teens mind, but have grown into strong women. Their story has evolved to showcase their strength and loyalty.