by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills
I believe character drives story through wants, needs, goals, challenges, victories, defeats, motivation, personality, and life experiences. Psychological issues often stand in the way of personal success, but the determined character discovers what is missing or warrants an adjustment for a happier and more fulfilled life. Those traits show louder than the character’s words.
The weaving of a distinctive character paves the way for a dynamic plot by enticing the character to accept the seemingly impossible, learn new skills, make sacrifices, and embraces the consequences of choices—good or bad. Yet . . . psychological issues may prevent the character from confronting obstacles that are likely to result in failure. The writer dissects the character’s traits to show the story’s possible development.
Character motivation is the emotional match that lights the fire in any novel. The resulting behavior is the result of overcoming or suffering from psychological issues. The internal conflict is more powerful than the outer conflict and must be overcome before the character can achieve any measure of success. The process is accomplished through characterization, backstory, plot, setting, dialogue, emotion, symbolism, and body language. Each aspect shows who the real character.
Our characters are not perfect, and that makes our stories real with unexpected and unpredictable behavior that results in our readers cheering on the character struggling to achieve a goal. Readers are vested in the outcome—connected to the character and their plight.
Michael Hauge, the author of Story Masters wrote, “What does this person have the courage to do at the end of the story that he or she is too afraid to do at the beginning?”
How do we discover those mental issues that can hinder our characters from performing their best?
The writer looks at the character’s personality to understand how and what motivates them into action. Like us, our characters are diverse individuals who are eccentric, peculiar, bizarre, quirky, idiosyncratic, alone, social, peculiar, strange, odd, remarkable, adventuresome, recluse, and more. Their stories are built on conflict resulting from wrestling with who they are.
Various solutions are available to determine a character’s mental and emotional status.
Here are two popular methods.
Meyers-Briggs Personality Test
Enneagram Personality Test. Several are available, and a few are listed below:
Additional resources to determine psychological issues.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
How Each Myers-Briggs Type Handles Feelings of Betrayal
Meyers-Briggs Personality Responses to the Five Love Languages.
The Lies We Believe
70 Interesting Character Flaws to Use in Your Story
Other professional and highly reputable online aids are available to assist writers in uncovering character issues. Those psychological hindrances keep the reader engaged and the writer hard at work.
How do you research your character’s mental and emotional insufficiencies?
TWEETABLE
DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She creates action-packed, suspense-filled novels to thrill readers. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests.
She is the former director of the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, Mountainside Marketing Retreat, and Mountainside Novelist Retreat with social media specialist Edie Melson. Connect here: DiAnnMills.com
Great information, DiAnn. Thank you!
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