Please take time to answer each of the questions below in separate sections of an essay called “What Motivates You.” Each of these sections will help you generate the information that you will use in paragraphs for your essay. By getting thoughts and ideas written down, you will be able to put the information together very easily when it comes to constructing an paper. 

Basic Questions About Character Motivation:

1. Write an introductory character profile. What is you full name? What is your birthday? Where were you born? Which city? In a house or hospital? What color is your hair? How tall are you? Write a background profile of the main pieces of information that you think describe yourself as a character.
2. You are the main character of this essay. What are the top motivations in your life? What drives you? Readers must know the motivations behind a character’s actions if they want to care about them. Good writers don’t leave their readers in the dark; a character’s motivations must be clear as day. Make a list of all of the things that motivate you in life. Really think about this.
3. If you had to divide the things that motivate you in life into three powerful categories, what would they be? Organize your motivations into three categories. Each category will become a paragraph for your essay.
4. Where do your motivations come from? What drives you to do what you do and want what you want in life? What experiences made you the way you are? Write a paragraph describing why you think you are the way you are.
5. Who are your heroes? Who do you look up to? Who inspires you? Write a paragraph or make a list of the people and things that motivate you most.
6. What are your passions, interests and hobbies? Are you into computers and technology? Music and art? Movies and games? Sports? Books? Write about the things that you love to spend your time doing and thinking about. These interests can say a lot about you as a person.
7. What do your motivations say about you and what kind of a person you are? This is where you need to really think about how to describe yourself. Are you funny? Serious? Quiet? Loud? Devoted? Easy-going? On a mission? Just living life day by day? Write a paragraph  You’ve probably heard the phrase, actions speak louder than words, and it’s true. In literary terms, character actions speak louder than dialogue. Motivations and resulting actions reveal a lot about personality, backstory, and goals. Once you take a look at your motivation list, what do your motivations say about the kind of person you are?