Secrets Of Bestseller-kind-of-writing

en say that my greatest wealth is my library ofall she had. All that she suffered with her father
writing books. One day, I realized that only threeraping and impregnating her twice, caused her to
of them ever mentioned the most importantfeel ugly and black just like her father said. Out of
secret of good writing. A careful search turned upthat background, she was motivated to accept
repeated discussions on the following: plot,her husband’s continued physical and
dialogue, characterization, description, viewpoint,emotional abuse. Even her stepchildren abused her.
pace and tone, and voice.When we look at that back-story, we know she
Other topics turned up more discussions: how tocould have no sense of self-worth. The man she
write mysteries, how to write romance, how tomarried allowed his girlfriend to come and live in
write drama, how to format manuscripts, createtheir house and Celie cooked and cared for her.
believable characters, how to get paid, how toCelie never gave up looking for her sister and
write the memoir, how to write the breakoutchildren, though. They were what mattered to hr.
novel, crafting scenes, editing fiction, and on andFinally, her husband’s girlfriend, Shug
on. In all of that, I found only one paragraph onAvery, gave her a sense of self-esteem and
the greatest secret in writing a novel. It was onlycourage. Then she created a clothes designing
a half page, and in another book, honorablecareer. Her motivation was to stay alive so she
mention.could see her sister and children.
After years of studying good writing, I wonderedIn my novel, The Mayor's Wife Wore Sapphires,
how that could be when without it, stories areIndigo Tate wants Black people to have a better
just paper dolls being pushed through a benign plotimage all over the world. She schemes her
that never quite delivers.husband into running for congress to get her out
What happened that caused your character toof Compton and into Washington, D.C. society,
want something so badly that his or her actionwhere he could influence the funding of their
could have been only what was played out? Thattraining program in Compton. When that falls
secret is called—MOTIVATION.through, she schemes to get the press to make
I'll use the books I consider well written,Compton a Black Camelot. Since she can’t
fascinating, and standing the test of time: Goneget out, her city just has to become something
With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. Scarlettspecial. She suffers every ridicule and tragedy
O'Hara, her main character wanted a man whobecause of that desire. Ultimately, she becomes
didn't want to marry her, Ashley Wilkes. And shethe mayor and that motivation to succeed still
was going to get him at all cost. He was herburns hot within her.
motivation to do every unthinkable thing she did.When we look at Indigo’s background, we
She married Ashley's brother-in-law to be nearlearn that she lived in a fine house until she was
him. She went from Atlanta to Savannah to stayten when her father gambled away the family
with Aunt Pitty to stay with Ashley's wife, so shehome. One day the white sheriff came and threw
could keep tabs on him when he would comethe family out, and she had to move into a small,
home on furlough from the Civil War. She foughtdark house with a leaking tin roof. She began to
for Tara, her family's plantation, for the sake ofdream of respect. She promised herself that she'd
Ashley. She snatched her sister's beau andnever give up on becoming somebody--somebody
married him to save Tara from a tax sale,significant. Somebody who could never be thrown
knowing that Ashley was coming back from theout of her home. Nothing could stop her from
war and would need a gentleman’swanting Compton to be Camelot, wanting her
plantation. He could still be the southern gentlemanhome to be one of the finest in America. She
if she owned Tara. She was over the top in lovebrought the opera, the symphony and the arts to
with a man who was never going to marry her.town—all motivated by her need to heal
Along with what drives a person to do what hethe pain of being thrown out of her lovely home
or she does, we have to understand the backas a child.
story that caused them to be like they are:What is your character’s motivation?
Scarlett was a spoiled brat, a daddy’s girl,Most beginning writers have no idea what their
rich, charming and lovely, the daughter of an Irishcharacters want. They just write a lot of events
father who doted on her and gave her everythingand the story comes to a big climax out of thin
she wanted. She was also used to getting theair. The ending has nothing to do with the
men she wanted. She wanted Ashley, but hecharacter’s desire. The story can never
wanted his cousin, a simple girl, genteel and quiet.add up to more than the sum of its parts. It
Scarlett, though, was the one who all the boysnever quite becomes an organic whole, where all
wanted to sit with at the barbecues. Why notthe chapters have been melded together like wet
Ashley? Having ASHLEY was her motivation.cement edges.
Always Ashley!I guarantee you this: If you will sit down and write
Ashley married his cousin, Melanie, but that didn'twhat your character wants more than anything in
stop Scarlett. She was determined to marry him,the world, based on why they want it, your story
and we followed her through 700 pages to findwill lead to a natural conclusion. It will last in the
out if she gets him. That was the heart and spinereader’s mind for a long, long time. People
of that story. The ravages of war were justwill tie into the story’s naturalness and
backdrops, staging.stay with you to the end because they accept it
From Scarlett’s background, all she didas real. Isn't that what all of us writers want?
was naturally motivated. And knowing herEND###
motivation caused the tension. What motivatesYou have my permission to use this article FREE
your main character? Let’s look at a fewif you do not change any part of it--my name or
examples of motivation to release it into yourwebsite address. If you use it, you are obligated
writing habit.to notify me at It bears copyright under the
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker: Celie wanted tofollowing website:
have her children and her sister near her. It wasThank you.