All characters have motives for doing things. Motives are an integral part of plotting. There is a cause and effect relationship between what a character does and what happens next. Because this, then that. Because Isabel didn�t have parents who loved her, she decided to not have children of her own. But what happens if Isabel gets involved with a man and gets pregnant? You have a conflict. What if the father of her child is in Europe training at the Cordon Bleu? What will she do next? But what if she doesn�t know who the father is? You can keep asking �what if?� to find more possibilities for conflict and action.
Go back to either your character fission or character fusion exercises. Use either of the characters for this exercise. Have you developed a central motive for either character? What does your character want? If you haven�t done this, freewrite for ten or fifteen minutes and explore as many possibilities that come to mind. Now put your character in a threatening situation that results from this motive/conflict. Threatening does not necessarily mean danger. In this case it means the main central conflict. List, cluster, or freewrite at least four different possibilities of what can happen next. Choose one of the possibilities you�ve listed and write a scene. Use dialogue and sensory details. Show your character moving through his/her setting. Avoid static descriptions. Show, don�t tell. If you see the rest of the story unfolding, keep going. You can outline the rest of the story if you like.
The purpose of this exercise is to show how to create a plot from a character and his motive. Generally it�s easier to develop a plot out of character than character out of plot. As always, have fun with it!
