Publisher's Synopsis
Just as a compass provides direction for an explorer, so does motivation provide direction for characters in fiction. The "compass" of character motivation is composed of four points: Lack, Yearning, Resistance, and Desire. In The Compass of Character you'll learn to deeply consider the key question "What does my character want?" and learn techniques to answer that question by writing realistic and empathetic characters without falling into formulaic, unsatisfying results that only diminish the character. Bestselling author and acclaimed writing instructor David Corbett provides writers with the essentials for building characters with motivations that range from clear to complex by exploring topics such as:
- human yearning
- pathological maneuvers
- the pain of life vs. the promise of life
- backstory and behavior
- mechanics of growth and transformation
- dramatizing mistaken desire and misbegotten yearnings
- moral arguments
