Note: These chapters I'm writing on backstory are based off of a fantastic book I'm reading called "Build Better Characters", by Eileen Cook. She's a counselor and a writer who approaches character-building from a psychological standpoint. The group she works with, Creative Academy, has a whole website of resources for writers at https://creativeacademyforwriters.com/.
I discussed briefly in "Character Analysis" the idea of a character's heart's desire and motive. The heart's desire is what the character wants;Â the motive is why they want it. But you can't just choose a desire and a motive willy-nilly; you need to be careful that it makes sense with the character and with your story.
If you've taken a psychology course (which you should - they're useful for writing characters), you're probably familiar with Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs. In Build Better Characters, Eileen Cook outlines how you can use this chart in order to create motivation for your character. Here's the chart below in case you've never been in psychology or your memory is foggy.
If you stick your character into a survival story where they're braving the elements for their life, they won't be struggling with how to recognize their own self-esteem. They're going to be worrying about how to fill their stomachs and ensure they're getting sleep (physiological needs). Consequently, someone who's secure in themselves will begin to wonder if this secure self-image is all they could ever be, or if they need to rise up and reach their full potential (self-actualization).
People can be motivated by more than one step on the hierarchy of needs as well. In Alura, for example, Light Spinner wants to keep and maintain loving relationships in a world that distrusts her for her power (love and belonging). But in the midst of this, she also struggles with massive insecurity and looks for validation in the wrong places (self-esteem). Multiple motives can create a rich character, but you should make sure they match up close on the hierarchy of needs. If Light Spinner was in an unsafe environment, her first task would be to get out (safety), and then find people to love her and look after her (love and belonging).
Sound confusing? Don't worry - this is just a nerdy tool meant to generate ideas. There are really only three simple questions you need to ask:
â What does your character want?
â Why do they want it?
â What circumstances (current and past) led them to their reasons for why they want it?
The third question is why you need to know your character's backstory. Learn that, and you can unravel their psychology. That will create a map for how the rest of your story will flow. In the next chapter, I'll be moving away from backstory and into relationships, which are a very important part of understanding your character.