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Character Turnabouts and Surprises

Character Turnabouts and Surprises

A Lesson by Hingabe

Reversing Motives


The whole thrust is a surprise, or perhaps the scene turns in an unexpected direction, or a character does something that we do not anticipate.  Such effects come from trying different approaches to a scene.  In essence, that is what Reversing Motives, the questions that follow, is about: trying a different approach to see if it works better. 
How could you handle the following scene?  What would your approach be?  You just might like what happens.

-- Pick any scene in your novel that features your protagonist.  What is his main action in the scene?  What is he/she/it trying to accomplish, obtain, or avoid? 

-- Write a complete list of the reasons why our protagonist is doing what he/she/it is doing/  Write down as many of he/she/it's motives as you can.

-- Circle the last reason on your list, the last thing that you wrote down.

-- Rewrite your opening of the scene, only this time, send your protagonist into acton (or avoidance) foremost and primarily for the reason you circled. 

-- Reverse motives in six other scenes.


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Added on April 4, 2010
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Charlotte, NC

I've been writing for as long as I can remember. I've always found away to excite myself with writing, and it's always been my safe-haven. I love to play lacrosse, and swimming I've always been goo..