I’m sure you’ve seen dozens of posts on how to be a better creative writer and finding the motivation to write. They usually give tips on creating a nice writing environment, what kind of music helps thoughts to flow, hints about where to visit to get an inspiring break, like an outdoor café, a walk along an empty beach, or climbing to the top of a lonely mountain to find your Zone.
This post isn’t one of those.
Excuse Me, What’s my Motivation for This Scene?
Actors and actresses often ask that question of their director. They need to know what their character feels before they step into the role, and what types of situations the scene presents in order to get into the right frame of mind. What does the director want out of the scene? What’s the motivation to act the part?
In a creative writing role-playing game, that motivation to take on a role and play it well is totally up to you. There is no director leading your acting and telling you what to do. None. Except you, that is.
Think about it. When you’re writing a novel in the privacy of your own home, you don’t have a Storyteller sitting next to you and telling you what your character should feel or what kind of emotions you should evoke to achieve the purpose of the scene.
There often is no pre-planned purpose. And only you know your character best. It’s up to you to find your own motivation for your scenes – and part of that motivation is enjoying the surprise of how the scene unfolds.
Leave the Books Behind
Creative writing forums that use gaming systems as a base present a very unique situation. You have rules of the game that form the framework, and you have more freedom than you would during a tabletop or LARP (Live Action Role Playing) session. Often, game system rules are used very loosely, if at all.
This presents a problem for people who tend to think in linear terms. People seeking a goal, a specific role or purpose for the scene at hand won’t find it. Too many factors and elements depend on what other characters and players do.
With much of that supporting structure gone, linear goal-seekers looking for specific scene motivation are as lost as players who find number-crunching system-heavy games confusing or too complex.
Storytellers in creative writing forums and games typically only go so far as to give you a premise. They may write the first post in a new thread to set up the mood, tone and description of the area, then they’ll offer a few hooks – maybe – for players to work with.
The rest is up to you. You need to find your own motivation to step into the scene, take up your role and start acting. Everything is set up for you, all yours for the taking. The scene rocks depending on how you use the elements and sculpt them into something interesting – or boring.
Savor the Moment
There’s nothing more exciting than diving into a fresh scene. I get a little heady when I have the opportunity to open a new thread and set it up. It’s like having a swimming pool all to myself on the hottest day of the year. You dive right in, enjoy the water, and let yourself drift.
Maybe a neighbor peeks his head over the fence. “Looks good…” So you invite him to come for a dip, too. A conversation begins as you enjoy the water, and lo and behold…
Well, if that pool was your scene, it just took off.
The point is that if you always try to rigidly determine roles, then try to figure out the purpose of the scene and its goal, that’s not going to be much fun. You’re pre-planning how the scene should unfold and trying to know the results of it before you’ve even begun to play.
Playtime is your motivation. Not pre-planning.
Being True to Your Character
Characters have minds of their own, very often. You want to do this, but you you’re your character’s personality means he should do that. What now? What if you don’t want to do something you feel your character should do? The motivation to write and rock a scene becomes difficult.
The answer is that if you’re not motivated, don’t do it – despite what would be in character for your character. Find reasons for what your character doesn’t do. Explore the options and think up a reasonable train of thought that leads up to an action you’re happy with.
If you can figure out a viable reason why your character would or wouldn’t do something, or even if they would or wouldn’t be in a particular place, then you’re being true to your character.
Remember, too, that you don’t always have to be true to your character. There are moments when we humans act out of character, and that’s normal. Don’t box yourself by staying 100% true to a character 100% of the time.
How do you find the motivation in a scene? Stop looking to others for answers, for starters. The Storytellers and your fellow players don’t know you or your character like you do. They don’t have the answers – and they’re just as busy finding their own motivation too.
Your best bet is to set aside the rules, the goals, the preconceived notions, and open up your heart and mind so you can hear what your character says. Listen carefully. You’ll be surprised what you hear.
A very, very interesting post. Particularly in light of recent developments on ER.
I like it Harry. Informative as well as interesting. I’m going to file this one away to be read again and quite probably again over the coming days/weeks.
I pretty much agree with what you say. Personally I have a loose plan for my characters which I think is similar to how everyone goes about their daily lives. You wake up in the morning and you settle on a course of, or series of actions, a plan if you will, for the day ahead.
Of course those plans are deathly dull; e.g leave dojo, go to the cabins, go to the shops, head back to dojo, but for me they act as a baseline and are loose enough to be completely flexible/adjustable to whatever arises.
You’re also spot on with the system or lack thereof. A few years ago I was part of a group that got together in preparation for Star Wars Galaxies. We had a setup going that was very similar to ER; forum based roleplay built around a basic “story”. All that was missing was a WoD like system.
It was a roaring success. Until we tried to transfer what we had built into the actual game.
Over a period of about 6 months the entire thing disintegrated, like one of Boba Fett’s victims.
@Thanks Marc. The daily occurrences are only interesting if you choose to make them so. Brushing your teeth certainly isn’t anything to write home about. But what if the electric toothbrush you’re using suddenly explodes?
Whole other story going on there, lol.
How was Star Wars? I’ve always wanted to pick up that book and find out more about it, is it worth it?
Hi Harry,
the site looks great!
I think any scene can be interesting if you look for the twists and turns. In fact the scene that starts out looking like it’s going to be the most boring, normal, mundane moment is can be the best set up for a surprise element. Isn’t that the way it is? When you least expect it??
Wendi Kelly-Life’s Little Inspirations´s last blog ..Stolen Moments.
@Wendi: For sure, and what a great way to keep readers and players on their toes!
I love to have those twists and turns. That is my motivation for writing. I am a huge fan of cliffhangers as well. Those events that draw you end and keep you coming back for me.
I am also a fan of puzzles and mysteries. Those also keep me going. Sure at times, for me, that can get overwhelming and frustrating when I can’t figure out something, but it is still fun.
When I write, I find my writing zone, where I can focus and put out better writing for my characters when there is nobody in the room with me and the TV is going and I am cool (as in if the weather is hot, I don’t like it). This is the best time for me to write and that is sometimes a form of motivation for me as well.
Tracy (spiritwolf32)´s last blog ..
My motivation is simple – I want to get that feeling again. You know. The one that you get when you’re starting to get nervous about what’s happening to your character and your heart pounds… and it’s so exciting… will he do it? Is it going to… Ohmigod, and what’s SHE doing? And the whole thing… just can’t wait, give me more… oh man. Yeah.
Better than sex. And that’s just the part where he opens the door to see if anyone’s home.
James Chartrand – Men with Pens´s last blog ..Staying On Task While Traveling
@Tracy: Twists and turns are great, so are mysteries and cliffhangers. There’s no reason why you can’t incorporate a few of your own in a post and throw them back at your fellow players. If everyone did that, can you imagine how rich and exciting every scene would be?
@James: You know, I’ve never thought about what my motivation is. Hm…I want to make the other people in the scene think. I enjoy tossing in the odd moment, the totally unexpected, just to get a reaction and see where it goes. I want to evoke EMOTION, the kind that pulls at the gut for better or worse and makes my partner(s) in the scene have a heart pounding moment.
Many times it’s not through the character either. Setting a mood and tone can do that too. It could be a description about the overall atmosphere, or something as simple as a phone ringing at a most (in)opportune moment.
There are so many tools and tricks to accomplish this and…hey, there’s another post for you all!
My favorite thing (with Lizzy at least) is surprising her fellow characters. Things just pop out of her mouth, and I just sit here either laughing or staring in shock. She’s quick with a retort, and I love that banter it illicits with the other people in her scenes.
While flapping the unflappable is one of my favorite motivations, I’ve only just begun to dig deeper and find additional motivation. She can only go around shocking people for so long before it’s deadly dull. (Pretty sure I’ve passed that point actally.) The little bit I’ve dug into her past has been fun and truly fascinating, because the more I dig the more I understand how it can motivate her in her current situation.
I never understood the vast complexities of a character before Lizzy. I’ve only just begun to peel the layers of the onion, and I’m fascinated by each and every one so far. Discovering how deep she can go is my newest motivation.
Nicole´s last blog ..A Place in My Mind
Motivation to write anything has been flagging lately. As we reboot I have realized that thinking ahead and looking for ways to spice things up or intersect with other characters hasn’t been a big priority for me. I’ve decided to change that and make those things my motivation for writing Rick at least.
As for writing other things, well this has made me think about motivation there too. Thanks!
Nicole,
I think you bring up a great point. The deeper we explore our charactors and the better we know them, the more fun and mayve easier it is to write them.
Since Selene walks around with me so much of my day in my head, anytime I am trying to figure out what I might want my next post to be, she is sitting right there on my shoulder saying- “you might think that but I sure don’t” and then I get in these long winded conversations with her about how her life is so different than mine and I enjoy exploring all the possible different potential scenerios. I have often imagined several different options before I have written a single word!
Hmm…the more I get to know her, the more interesting she is to me and the funner she is to write. I am surprised at every turn and haven’t been bored writing her yet!
Wendi Kelly-Life’s Little Inspirations´s last blog ..Beware the Drift
@ Wendi –
My characters are so clear in my mind, it’s like they’re doing the typing. Half the time when I post, I’m thinking, “Jeez, I hope people don’t think I’m like that!”
The other half I’m cackling with glee because I’m *just* like that.
James Chartrand – Men with Pens´s last blog ..How to Write Great Transition Scenes