This week: A Question of Why Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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Drama Newsletter by Dawn
A look at motive. While we don't always get to know why people do things, as the writer, it's something we might want to consider when writing a dramatic story. |
One thing that comes with living back in the same house as my mom is the tendency to get to watch dramatic tv shows on the Oxygen Channel about murder. Not only are there ones about how some women snap and kill their spouse or others around them but now there are some about trying to solve murders after finding bodies. This can be in the backyard, sand, forest or the snow. I have also noticed that some of them give weird bait or switch at random. Will start with a dead body then all of a sudden, we are back learning about when someone was born and their childhood, often the victim. Some go through there lives and will talk like things are great. One might go on about how he was the Prince Charming, they were the perfect couple and the wedding was wonderful. Then it will get added how he got along really well with his first wife. So... It was perfect until divorce and they move on to someone else. Or there will be the perfect life and the perfect family in the beginning. But after pointing out that one was dead and cops searching for motive, all of a sudden we find out there was constant fighting and both were cheating on each other with different people that they both knew somehow. It's like umm we know someone is getting murdered or there will be an attempt, they don't need to sugar coat things so much.
Something that comes up often from not only the detectives but also the victims comes the question of why. Why did they do it? Why murder instead of leave? Why not bring in the police for help instead? So many types of why. Now, there are a few who might say a motive doesn't matter but that doesn't stop people from wanting answers.
One of the biggest areas of drama where one might question motive or want to know why is in the case of murder. There are a couple of episodes on the show mentioned already, either Buried in the Backyard or Snapped, where someone will state something about how there are only a certain number of reasons. Could be said that there are only two: sex or money. Other sources tend to expand upon those for creative motive if you don't mind doing that kind of search. The author, Bryan Donovan lists Fifteen Reasons.
Some of the ones listed out of the fifteen can be consolidated. Stealing from someone and going for the life insurance policy are very different in some aspects but technically could be considered under the money umbrella. Jealousy over a lover having an affair would be a romance or sex based motive, as is killing someone who doesn't want to be in a relationship but the person obsessed doesn't want to let go. There are certain places where you will see one like hate crimes or getting rid of a witness. They might not be found during episodes of Snapped but there is definitely something dramatic found within those reasons.
Beyond any list comes up with the question whether the characters in the story will every really know the reason something happens. Since we tend to limit point of view instead of writing in the omniscient approach where they could drop into any character's point of view at almost any moment, we have to consider what the character will know. If you don't write a novel where some scenes are told in different character POV including the villain or killer (if there is one), then you might not really have the chance to show the motive. There are some that confess, if they are telling the truth. During different states, that person's "confession" could have different versions and might only include the what happened details without going deeply into the why.
Sometimes you get to do the crazy villain confession where they think it's all going to work in their favor so they rant about how they did everything and why they are doing the terrible things. Can make for a fun scene. However, not every story can do the villain rant. Just won't make sense.
And sometimes, whatever is happening inside a characters mind, we will never get to see. The answer to why might not on the inside be "Cause" but that is the answer some people will give. At times, people will say what happens but other times it is just a blank stare. Instead, what we are left with is speculation. This doesn't have to be accurate when people are talking. It can be questions or coming up with ideas that may or may not be right. It gives something to talk about with the drama. This will give the reader information but that isn't always credible, which will be okay depending on the story. After all, we are trying to write something that is dramatic.
What is your reason for writing drama? Do you know your own why?
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| | | Duke (13+)
There was no love lost between us, but I had to do what was best for him.
#2345485 by iKïyå§ama   |
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When your character does something, do you know the reason why?
Then there are the times when the character, at the end of the dramatic story that might have been a slasher horror type one, will go out in the rain to the middle of the street, stare up at the sky and yell "Why?!?!
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Drama: August 27, 2025 Issue [#13308]
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