Motivation, Not Motivational

Certain types of novels, such as those in the inspirational or sports categories, have a bent toward moral instruction. That’s because we all can be better than we are. We know that, and as a result we enjoy reading about characters who reach heights they never thought they could attain. 

Anyone who reads widely, however, tends to react negatively to motivational dogma. The message is true, granted, but we have read or heard the same thing so many times, we shut down out of boredom. It’s not enough to fill only the heart.

You probably aren’t going to discover any new words of wisdom that haven’t been used by a legion of past writers. The Bible, for example, is pored over by thousands of ministers for every Sunday’s sermon. One reason philosophy isn’t a hot topic these days is because so many incredibly smart people have already tried to explain human existence. 

So, how do you write such a tale without reaching for well-worn platitudes? You can start by picking a distinctive concept. An inspirational author I have edited for years combs news articles to come up with new ideas for her novels. She seizes upon a topic like borderline personality disorder and then asks herself: how does a self-destructive woman find a way to hope? Once you discover a unique prism through which to view familiar subject matter, the hoary can become fresh.  

Along with a new concept must come unusual characters or an unusual mix of characters. A hero who knows what’s right but keeps doing wrong is more compelling than an acolyte who absorbs wisdom like a sponge. A heroine who keeps being talked into partying by a friend she knows is leading her down the wrong path is more fun to read about than a repressed loner who keeps hearing the same advice from a careerist friend. When you add nuances—trying but falling—you create a character that reminds readers of their own well-intentioned failures. That’s putting the reader in the lead character’s shoes. 

The same is true of the villain(s). If all he does is scheme about killing everyone in the world—the chuckling devil incarnate—you might as well be writing about Batman and Robin. If the lead villain is conflicted, though—perhaps a woman who actually liked dating the hero before she cheated on him—now she has a chance at redemption because she’s not all bad. I can root for that, even if she ends up cleaning out all of his bank accounts in the end. 

Exercise: Look through your notes for those on motivational themes. Have you heard that stuff a thousand times? You’d be better off putting one of those decrees into action. The mentor shows the protagonist the right way rather than your preaching about it through the thin guise of a character’s voice. Write out a scene about it—minus the platitudes. 

Copyright @ 2024, John Paine