Character Motivation

There are a few qualities in particular that make a character feel believable, and one of the major ones is character motivations.  What drives your characters to do the things they do?  These motivations can be large or small, grand or minute, but they must be there.

However, just because a character has a motivation to do something in particular, that doesn't mean you have to spell it out for the reader.  In fact, it is often more interesting when the writer keeps his or her characters motives hidden within the recesses of that particular characters brain, so the audience can sit back and watch what the results of these motives unfold.

Creative Writing Prompt:  Write a scene which features two characters who both want something specific from the other.  This could be a glass of water, a kiss, money, anything will do, however you are not to reveal what it is they want.  They cannot ask for it directly, and do not write any internal thoughts, rather, let the scene play out as a conversation, and see if you can clue us in with out revealing their intents.  Make sure at least one of the characters gets what they want by the end of the scene, the other you are free to leave disappointed or rewarded depending on how kind you are.

Recommended Reading:
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett.  What genre is best when it comes to masking character motivations?  Hard Boiled of course!  And which is the king of the hard boiled novel?  The Maltese Falcon.  A great read, and probably the easiest read recommended here so far, this book is good fun much because of the hidden motivations of the characters.  Be sure to check it out!