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WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®

WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®

Helping writers become bestselling authors

Character Motivation Thesaurus

character motivation, character arc, story stakes, character goal, goals, raise the stakes, inner motivation, outer motivationBelow are samples of the entries in our popular Character Motivation Thesaurus.

To see the completed version of this thesaurus, visit One Stop For Writers where it is a part of the largest fiction-focused description database available anywhere.

Imagine having all of our custom thesauruses at your fingertips as you write. (You can.)

Check out One Stop for Writers’ FREE TRIAL and explore this massive description database for yourself!

Successful stories require many things, but one of the most important is a clear goal for your character.

Readers should know relatively early in the story what that goal is going to be. For authors to convey this, they need to have a clear understanding of what the character wants (outer motivation), and why he/she wants it (inner motivation). This thesaurus can help you brainstorm possible outer motivations for your character and show you what might factor into the story for each.

What Is a Character Motivation Thesaurus?

Achieving Spiritual Enlightenment

Avoiding Certain Death

Avoiding Financial Ruin

Beating a Diagnosis or Condition

Being Acknowledged and Appreciated by Family

Being a Leader of Others

Being the Best At Something

Caring for an Aging Parent

Carrying on a Legacy

Catching The Bad Guy or Girl

Coming To Grips With Mental Illness

Discovering One’s True Self

Escaping a Dangerous Life one Doesn’t Want

Escaping a Killer

Escaping a Widespread Disaster

Escaping Confinement

Escaping Homelessness

Escaping Invaders

Finding Friendship or Companionship

Finding a Lifelong Partner

Having a Child

Helping a Loved One See They Are Hurting Themselves and Others

Obtaining Shelter From The Elements

Overcoming Abuse and Learning To Trust

Overcoming Addiction

Protecting One’s Home or Property

Pursuing Justice For Oneself or Others

Realizing a Dream

Reconciling with an Estranged Family Member

Rescuing a Loved One From a Captor

Restoring A Name or Reputation

Righting a Deep Wrong

Seeking Out One’s Biological Roots

Stopping an Event From Happening

Trying Again When One Has Previously Failed

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ade says

    June 20, 2021 at 12:19 am

    Your blog is educating. Although I note your target audience appears to be writers, It helps to give better understanding to human nature. Motives behind our behaviours.

    Reply

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