Questions tagged [motivation]
This tag should be used for questions realted to motivating yourself or others to write something or to do other tasks related to writing, such as publishing and marketing. This tag can also be used to ask about in-universe motivation, such as asking about ways to depict a character's motivation.
-4
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4answers
81 views
What meta-properties should a character have in general?
What are the properties a generic main character from a character-driven/psychological novel should have? E.g. relations, motives, personality, knowledge.
2
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3answers
191 views
Unfair Motivation for a Judge to Dislike an Accused [on hold]
I have a scene where a character is applying to be released from prison pending trial. I want an arbitrary / unfair reason for the judge to dislike him. It has to be something that is not justified to ...
1
vote
2answers
139 views
How do I make my character be a part of something without it seeming forced?
I'm writing a Star Wars fanfiction because I wanted to practice my writing on something I love, and I decided to make a character named Alexander Ray Rullero. He's not the main character, as in he is ...
0
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0answers
70 views
How do I find an author to collaborate with me for a book? [duplicate]
I am based in Mumbai, India and am looking for a writer to collaborate with. The entire skeleton of the book is ready and plenty of good writing has been done.
The book's genre can be classified as ...
2
votes
2answers
123 views
On Characters' Motivations
I'm currently writing a sort of serious superhero thriller. The main character finds out his father is a kingpin and drug lord. At the beginning of the story the main character, who has been living in ...
0
votes
2answers
76 views
Music & Focus During Writing [closed]
I hate listening to silence while I write, so I usually end up listening to music, but then I lose my focus. I don't really like classical or lo-fi that much and they don't help me concentrate on the ...
0
votes
4answers
108 views
In a first-person web novel, how to make the reader aware of a motivator the POV is unaware of?
In my novel, the MC (and POV character) spares an enemy. He spared the enemy because he empathized/identified himself with them, but he was not aware of it. Later on he will understand his feelings ...
33
votes
13answers
6k views
How can you write when you're upset?
I mean exactly this.
Writing needs focus, to some extent. Even if you may fall into a state were words flow naturally on the keyboard almost without effort, you still have to reach that condition.
...
-3
votes
1answer
112 views
How could a galactic plague motivate a villain to conquer an entire galaxy? [closed]
A few years before the start of my book series, a galactic plague of a disease called BigPox is going to spread through the galaxy and inflict mass casualties, in addition to setting many of the ...
10
votes
5answers
2k views
Should I take breaks, or focus harder?
I often have trouble deciding whether (or how often) to take breaks from writing, or to "double down" and try to write, and try to eliminate anything distracting me from that.
I am not looking for ...
11
votes
8answers
1k views
Fiction Writing - has it all been done before?
It's a simple fact the there are more fiction books in existence now than one person could possibly read in a lifetime. Add to this the supposition that all plots, themes and genres have been ...
13
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9answers
2k views
Restarting a Novel
In 2015 I wrote the first two thirds of a novel (as part of NaNoWriMo). I stopped at that point because I had written the 50,000 words required for the 'competition' but the story is not yet complete. ...
9
votes
4answers
1k views
How to make the villain's motives understandable if his logic is flawed?
In a story I'm writing, the villain has his motives for his attitudes.
However, he is very mentally disturbed, which makes the logic of his motives be kind of illogic to other people (including the ...
7
votes
8answers
352 views
Why do readers enjoy reading about “bad” or evil characters?
I've changed a secondary character into a murderer, and it changes everything. This change also opposes my core philosophies, that life and art should strive to reach something higher - not something ...
2
votes
4answers
335 views
Still struggling with character desire, positive vs. negative, hooking readers
Apologies for the difficulties I've been having, and leaning for help here. Every step seems to be its own stumbling block.
Question: All else being equal, is a positive desire/goal/motivation (of ...
6
votes
5answers
222 views
How to communicate character desire?
As mentioned elsewhere, it has been a stumbling block for my readers to understand what drives my characters. I had thought I had communicated character desires through showing, and action, but it is ...
27
votes
11answers
4k views
How can I get into the mindset to write?
Depending on the weather, the days events, and other factors, I find myself with a different emotion everyday when I write which I'm afraid is making my novel a little bit choppy. For example, one ...
3
votes
3answers
126 views
Building character trust
My main characters finally met. Officially...
They still don't know who the others are, and are from different cultural backgrounds, too different for the others to seem normal.
Although they are ...
2
votes
5answers
164 views
I have lots of ideas to write, what should I do? And what writing groups online that can keep me motivated?
I have three different ideas for three novel series , each one of them needs work on plot holes, world building and reasoning.
My problem is that I wish to do them all but I get overwhelmed and I get ...
7
votes
3answers
266 views
I have a weak motivation for a god character! How Do I Make It a Stronger Motivation?
Okay, so I have a weak motivation for a god character whose son (whom he tried to prevent his birth) seems like he is an apt tool to be used for a plot that will only be brought into fruition about ...
6
votes
6answers
239 views
What should I do when I'm bored of my story but don't want to throw it away?
So I recently started writing a book and decided that I should plan first because in the past while writing I lost the point of the story and lost interest in writing that particular project.
But ...
23
votes
10answers
6k views
Act 3 totally broken…keep writing?
I'm ready to enter the final act, Act 3, of my (first big) story and by now I'm pretty sure I'll have to rewrite 50-70% in ACT 1 and 2.
I outlined the whole story but it is clear that my main hero ...
1
vote
4answers
173 views
Would it be possible to create a character without substantial motivation?
The character I describe is in fact reflective of somebody I know in real life--a kind of nihilist who finds all pursuits and goals "hollow and ridiculous", as the person says. This inevitably implies ...
4
votes
6answers
309 views
How do I get rid of my excess ideas?
Over the past year, I have written down a number of ideas for novels. I have attempted to focus on a sole idea, and tried to write my novel based on this idea. However, I have far too many times found ...
1
vote
4answers
90 views
I have a hard time staying focused on a single novel [duplicate]
I am currently writing three different stories. I didn't start this on purpose, because I knew it would be very difficult to keep up, but I couldn't help it and kept getting different great ideas that ...
6
votes
4answers
456 views
Stop thinking own work is stupid
Servus,
I once again started wondering what might be the problem that keeps me from finishing most of my novels. To compare, there are two novels about 400 pages; one of these was really liked by ...
3
votes
3answers
218 views
How to keep writing?
I really love writing, mainly screenwriting. I can also come up with ideas and start writing. But there is one problem, I just start writing them and never take up the work again.
What do you do to ...
2
votes
5answers
139 views
How to motivate yourself to finish something?
Far too many stories of mine have gone unfinished simply because I lost motivation to keep writing (and it doesn't help that I manage to convince myself each project will be my magnum opus). How can I ...
11
votes
12answers
3k views
How can I make believable motivations for antagonists?
I am writing a book. However, I can't quite wrap my head around making my character do bad things, while still making their actions and/or motivations for their actions believable.
Here is an ...
3
votes
4answers
281 views
First-time author…can I publish in English in Mexico?
:D I'm writing a novel, my first ever, and I hope to finally finish the story and get it published. I live in Mexico, but I am writing in English...could I get the book published here, or would I have ...
1
vote
2answers
178 views
How to stay motivated and focused while writing [duplicate]
Every now and then, I start writing something, which I at first consider a master piece but after a while I leave it unfinished thinking that it isn't that great. This has started happening quite too ...
2
votes
6answers
136 views
How to keep going after a failed project?
I just came here from a link on a Tumblr and I thought it was the perfect place to ask my questions since I didn't have to sign up. I'm terribly sorry if I mess this up, but here goes:
I was posting ...
13
votes
5answers
736 views
How to stay motivated while rewriting?
This related question made me think. I love writing. I am never bored. I never have writer's block. I just enjoy exploring my imagination and following the unexpected turns of my creativity. It is one ...
8
votes
4answers
3k views
How to stay motivated while writing a story, after the initial burst of enthusiasm?
TL;DR: How do you approach to writing? What part of the work do you enjoy the most? And how do you keep the motivation up?
I often ask myself if I really like to write. I mean, I have a lot of ideas ...
2
votes
2answers
168 views
Procrastination on a Crucial Scene in my Book
I'm in the process of writing a book and through my plans I know I have a fairly crucial, game-changing scene coming up. I can't help but put it off!
I don't want to force myself to sit and write it ...
0
votes
4answers
297 views
Antagonist motivation help [closed]
My (A)ntagonist (or antagonizing force) in my novel causes a nuclear disaster in a remote nuclear facility. I've decided on certain circumstantial plot points, such as the post-disaster coping of the ...
2
votes
3answers
255 views
How can I cut my prep work to get to writing more quickly?
When it comes to fiction writing, I love creating characters and watching them run with the story under my pen. I spend a lot of time at the office coming up with exciting ideas of what and who to ...
11
votes
3answers
1k views
How can I create my own deadline?
I'm very responsible when I'm writing a tech book or article under contract. I have a deadline, my editor is expecting my work, and I turn it in on time. Sometimes I put it off a bit, but I pride ...
16
votes
17answers
2k views
What should step one in writing a novel be?
I have had an interest in writing for years, but I don't know where to start or how to organize the process of "becoming a writer." I have plenty of time, but don't know what to do first.
This past ...
15
votes
1answer
526 views
How do you deal with procrastination when writing?
Most of the time when I get ideas for a story, I first get really excited about it, start writing it immediately and get roughly 1-2K words. Afterwards, it starts to fizzle, the idea, inspiration, and ...
