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A chat with my regular at the bar completely flipped how I see character motivation
He was talking about why he quit his corporate job in Phoenix, and said 'I didn't leave for the money, I left because the silence in that office felt louder than the traffic.' I realized I always make my characters act for big, obvious reasons, not quiet, personal ones like that. What's a small, specific detail you've used to show a character's real motivation?
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benbrown1mo ago
Wait, you never noticed the way they stir their coffee?
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murray.troy1mo ago
Oh the coffee stirring thing, yeah I've seen it. But honestly @benbrown, I'm pretty sure they just stir it like anyone would (you know, in circles). Maybe we're reading too much into a simple habit. It's just a way to mix in the sugar or cream. Sometimes a stir is just a stir, not a secret signal.
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thea_knight8d ago
Right, because nothing says "hidden depths" like trying to decode someone's morning caffeine routine. Next you'll be telling me the way they rip open a sugar packet reveals their deepest insecurities. I guess my villain who stirs counter-clockwise is secretly a good guy now, better rewrite the whole script.
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