Welcome to my newsletter!

"Why They Do What They Do Matters."

Hey,Reader,

This time, I feel the need to talk about one of my favorite parts of storytelling: creating characters. A strong plot is important, but if your characters feel awkward, unbelievable, or just “off,” the story falls apart. And often the missing piece is one simple question:

👉 Why are they doing what they’re doing?

In other words, what’s their motive?

Motives are what drive characters to act — to betray friends, seek justice, chase power, sacrifice themselves, or fight for something bigger. When you understand your characters’ motives, their actions feel authentic, and your audience believes in them.

Let’s look at some of the most common (and powerful) motives you can use:

Classic Motives:

• Revenge – From a bullied kid getting even to crime sagas about murdered loved ones. We may not approve, but we understand.
• Greed – Wealth, possessions, status. What won’t someone do for more?
• Jealousy/Envy – Wanting what someone else has. It can be petty or it can turn deadly.
• Fear – We all fear something: loss, violence, change, rejection. Fear can paralyze or push people into reckless acts.
• Ambition – Unlike greed, ambition can be positive: striving to achieve, grow, or succeed. It only turns negative if ethics are ignored.

Nuanced Motives:

• Obsession – From a school crush to a stalker with walls covered in photos.
• Ideology/Belief – Religion, philosophy, politics — powerful motivators for good or harm.
• Addiction – The desperate need that drives destructive choices.
• Insecurity or Guilt – Regret can turn someone around… or drive them deeper into mistakes.

Unusual Motives:

• Boredom & Thrill-Seeking – Some chase danger just to feel alive.
• Misguided Altruism – “Saving” those who don’t want saving; forcing beliefs on others.
• Peer Pressure – Common for teens, but adults fall into it too.
• Loyalty – Noble when directed at good causes; dangerous when it protects wrongdoing.
• Desperation, Pride, Shame, Delusion – All powerful, all very human.

That’s a list of 20. You don’t need them all — but choosing one (or combining a few) that truly fits your character makes their actions believable. Readers lean in because they think, “I know someone who’d do that.”

Motives Across the Decades

Motives also reflect society. A quick look back shows how:

• 1950s: Fear of nuclear war and paranoia about infiltration. Stories like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Godzilla tapped into those anxieties. At the same time, TV shows like Leave It to Beaver reassured people with stability and domestic normalcy.
• 1970s: Distrust of institutions after Watergate and Vietnam. Vigilante justice became popular in films like Death Wish, Taxi Driver, and Dirty Harry.
• 1990s: Obsession and compulsion. Serial killers and identity crises filled screens in Silence of the Lambs and Fight Club. Horror and gore thrived.
• 2020s: Survival and control. Films like The Invisible Man reframed old monsters around modern fears — in this case, abuse and the struggle to be believed.

Motives mirror the times. They also mirror us. And when you tap into them as a writer, you make your characters impossible to ignore.

So the next time you write a scene, ask yourself: Why would this character do this? What’s really driving them? Get the motive right, and the story will follow.

Until next time,
Alex

CTA Options:

• Hit reply: Which motive do you use most often in your stories?

Or, if you’d like help sharpening your characters, book a Quick Tip call with me.
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​Best,

Alex Simmons

PS: Remember to celebrate your work.⁠

CASE in point (pun intended) ... ⁠

The NEW Release of my SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY PLAY IS HERE!​

ON AMAZON

From the anthology that included Amiri Baraka & August Wilson...⁠

Now, a theatrical mystery all its own.⁠

Sherlock Holmes and the Hands of Othello is ...

🕯️ Ghosts. Assassins. Secrets. A murder that echoes through history swirls around the family of a Black theater family.

Inspired by the real-life experiences of Ira Aldridge.

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Have questions? DM me (@AlexSimmonsSays). Or email me at: GoWriteForIt@gmail.com.

(*I'll share more about my sci-fi novel in the coming weeks.)

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If you need help telling your stories, Click Below and let me know.