A lot of times when people make fun of actors, they’ll ask, “What’s my motivation?” in a very effeminate way. It’s a funny way to poke fun at actors by making it look like they can’t think for themselves.
However, when you’re writing the script, there is no more important question to ask yourself.
The main character’s motivation not only defines her, but also sets up the entire structure of your script because all of the important act breaks are what they are because of your characters motivation.
The catalyst or Call to Adventure that upsets your hero’s Ordinary World is what starts to give her the motivation to go on whatever adventure is before her. The big event when the hero Crosses the First Threshold is when that motivation finally becomes so strong that she is now compelled to go on the adventure.
The crisis, or the moment when all seems lost at the end of Act II is when it looks like the hero will not get what she wants or needs, so whatever it is that motivates her seems out of reach.
The climax of the story is when the hero either does or doesn’t acheive her goal that motivated her throughout the story.
When thinking about how you’re outlining your story and where the major story points are, you need to take your hero’s motivation into account. In fact, taking your hero’s motivation into account is a great way to overcome writer’s block when it inevitably arises. When you’re not sure how to proceed on a scene or when you’re outlining the story, go back to the hero’s motivation. What is motivating the hero, and thus driving the story forward? When you can answer that question, you”ll be able to overcome your own writer’s block and move forward with the story.
With all this in mind, asking, “What’s my motivation” is the most important question that you can ask yourself as a screenwriter.
So it’s also imortant to think about where that motivation is coming from, and a lot of that comes from how you build your hero through her character traits, and that will be the subject of a future post.
Our writing service can help you find this motivation if you’ve lost it, or we can ask you the correct questions that will help you find it. Check out the link below to see how we can help you get motivated.
http://monumentscripts.com/service/