I'm reading a book called Breathing Life into Your Characters by Rachel Ballon, Ph. D. The general idea, as I understand it from the 55 pages I made it through while sitting at a job this morning, is that self-analysis and an understanding of psychology can make all the difference between writing a character who's so flat they can never make it off the pages of your novel and a character that is so convincing, so...real...that you can't get them out of your head.

She's covering a lot of ground, and I've only just scratched the surface, but it was in the chapter on character motivation that I found the jewel which will make the whole book worthwhile for me, even if I learn nothing else from it.

Discussing the different psychological theories on human motivations, she touched on Maslow's Hierarchy of needs, with which you may be familiar.

In a nutshell (and this is my understanding re-told as it applies to me, so please don't quote my psychology), Maslow's Hierarchy of needs says that needs take prioirty in the following order:

1-Physiological Needs (Survival. Food, clothing, shelter. This is a physical need.)

2-Safety and Security Needs (Self-Preservation. The need to be free from physical endangerment AND the perception that this is so. This is a psychological need.)

3-Affiliation Needs (Belonging. Sharing physical closeness, acceptance by the group. A social need.)

4-Esteem Needs (To be recognized by the group as being outstanding for some reason. Self-Esteem drawn from this need.)

5-Self-Actualization (Concept of life and those things each individual feels are needed to mximize one's potential, whatever it may be. You know you are self-actualized when you're doing or accomplishing those things in your life that you feel you should be doing.)

Theoretically, a person (and thus a character) cannot move from level to level until the previous has been met. It's impossible to strive for affiliation if you don't feel safe, and you won't seek safety when you're starving.

So, Rachel says, we should look at our characters to see which of these needs is motivating them. Determine where they are on Maslow's scale.

"Sure, sure," I'm thinking, "that's interesting and all, but..."

Then it hits me.

I've been struggling with a conflict between the two main characters of my WIP, Devyn and Tahira, knowing that they want different things, but not completely sure why. I've only recently even pinned down that they want different things, and what those things are (all of which has a lot to do with why the "editing" process is going to be longer than I thought), and I haven't been able to really figure out why. I know this happens, and it's fine sometimes, just knowing where your characters are, but the issue I've been struggling with is that at some point what Devyn wants changes, and I'm not sure why. Since it's the climactic scene of the book, it seemed like something I might need to figure out.

And, low and behold, (...drum roll please...) Maslow's Hierarchy explains it!!

In the process of the story, Devyn (mostly because he's male, and the culture he's in is very male-dominated) moves past step two and three, and is firmly in step four through most of the book. He's "in", he can fight as well as anyone, doesn't have a lot to fear, and he really wants to make a name for himself, at this point. In some sense, I think he believes that if he can actually conquer step four, he'll be able to change the environment in which he lives, and help Tahira.

Tahira, of course, being female in a violently male society, is living in step two for the entire ten years she and Devyn have known one another. She's not big enough or strong enough or male enough to protect herself, and Devyn simply can't always be there. She's not safe, and she never feels safe, so all she wants is to run away.

Running away, though, throws up all sorts of dangers for Devyn, and in essence pushes him back to step one--he doesn't even know how to find food or shelter in that "other world"--and so what Tahira wants is, to him, impossible and dangerous.

I also, in the process of this mental rabbit trail, figured out why it is that the last chapter of the book pushes him over into being willing to do...what he does. I'd tell you all about it, but then you wouldn't need to read the story, so...I'd better stop while I'm ahead.

Thanks for riding along in this little trip into Tesi's brain, hope you find the idea of using Maslow's Hierarchy to be beneficial in your own writing, or...really...your own life. May you be self-actualized and happy. :-)

...off into the night...

Tesi, The Barefoot Author