--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Motives are story mechanics, pillars of…" description: "\"“Motives are story mechanics, pillars of structural necessity. Without them, you’re fuckled, sideways…With a giant piranha covered pogo stick.”\" — Sach..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eea/sacha-black-87945_quote_motives-are-story-mechanics-pillars-of-s_1755248.jpg" --- # Motives are story mechanics, pillars of structural… ![“Motives are story mechanics, pillars of structural necessity. Without them, you’re fuckled, sideways…With a giant piranha covered pogo stick.” quote by Sacha Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eea/sacha-black-87945_quote_motives-are-story-mechanics-pillars-of-s_1755248.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eea/sacha-black-87945_quote_motives-are-story-mechanics-pillars-of-s_1755248.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eea/sacha-black-87945_quote_motives-are-story-mechanics-pillars-of-s_1755248.jpg) > ““Motives are story mechanics, pillars of structural necessity. Without them, you’re fuckled, sideways…With a giant piranha covered pogo stick.”” Sacha Black ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Story mechanics are essential structural elements that give direction and coherence; without them narratives become chaotic and nonsensical. **In simple terms:** Story elements give structure. Key Takeaway Focus on clear motivations. Themes narrative structure creativity Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - writing workshops - game design - film scripting - creative brainstorming Key Concepts plot character motivation worldbuilding Questions to Reflect On - How do you identify core motivations in a story? - What happens when motivations are unclear? A Different Perspective Complex metaphors may obscure meaning for some readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Motives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motives/) ## Related quotes > [“It is usual to explain the motivation of those who enjoy dangerous activities as some sort of pathological need: they are trying to exorcise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/it-is-usual-to-explain-the-motivation-of-those-who-enjoy-dangerous/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Getting down to the nitty-gritty, most people are motivated by unconscious motives most of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/getting-down-to-the-nitty-gritty-most-people-are-motivated-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can drive yourself crazy trying to peer into a person's soul--or you can do the sensible thing: ask not what inner motives drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-begala/you-can-drive-yourself-crazy-trying-to-peer-into-a-person-s-soul-or/) [Paul Begala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-begala/) > [Get to know two things about a man. How he earns his money and how he spends it. You will then have the clue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mccracken/get-to-know-two-things-about-a-man-how-he-earns-his-money-and-how-he/) [Robert McCracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mccracken/) > [“Art needs motives that are more profound than profit if it is to maintain its difference from—and position above—other cultural forms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-thornton/art-needs-motives-that-are-more-profound-than-profit-if-it-is-to/) [Sarah Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-thornton/) > [“This was what growing up was about: hide the corpse, don't bare your heart, do make assumptions about the motives of others. They're certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/this-was-what-growing-up-was-about-hide-the-corpse-don-t-bare-your/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [“Maybe sometimes the motive behind people’s terrorizing acts isn’t just because of their beliefs or past or some complex and twisted logic. Sometimes their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-torres/maybe-sometimes-the-motive-behind-people-s-terrorizing-acts-isn-t/) [David Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-torres/) > [“how could I have been so naive before, thinking perhaps everyone had good motives, that everyone has a good side to them, even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lotus-rose/how-could-i-have-been-so-naive-before-thinking-perhaps-everyone-had/) Lotus Rose > [Relationships, for me, have been elusive. And I would say mostly it's been my fault. I was always more concentrated on my career. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-lane/relationships-for-me-have-been-elusive-and-i-would-say-mostly-it-s/) [Nathan Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-lane/) > [I never desire to know anything of the detail of political measures, lest even those which I think best should lose anything of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-kemble/i-never-desire-to-know-anything-of-the-detail-of-political-measures/) [Fanny Kemble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-kemble/) > [“motives are like little flies flying around in my room. I believe I've killed most of them”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitry-dyatlov/motives-are-like-little-flies-flying-around-in-my-room-i-believe-i-ve/) [Dmitry Dyatlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitry-dyatlov/) > [“People have motives, what they are, is what you need to notice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-d-walker/people-have-motives-what-they-are-is-what-you-need-to-notice/) S.D. Walker > [It is hard to work for years with pure motives, and all the time be looked upon by most of those to whom our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-livingstone/it-is-hard-to-work-for-years-with-pure-motives-and-all-the-time-be/) [David Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-livingstone/) > [Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/behind-many-acts-that-are-thought-ridiculous-there-lie-wise-and/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [I have always examined closely the motives of any group for which I am asked to raise money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-smith/i-have-always-examined-closely-the-motives-of-any-group-for-which-i/) [Kate Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-smith/) ## More by Sacha Black > [“It will teach you to craft villains so brilliantly twisted they’ll make your readers throw themselves like sacrificial lambs between the pages of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-black/it-will-teach-you-to-craft-villains-so-brilliantly-twisted-they-ll/) Sacha Black > [“What separates a villain from a hero are the decisions and choices he makes. Being ‘good’ and ‘moral’ is hard work, often painful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-black/what-separates-a-villain-from-a-hero-are-the-decisions-and-choices-he/) Sacha Black Explore all 3 Sacha Black quotes ## More Motivation quotes > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [Every human creates his own problems. Problems are ones private property and we shouldnt meddle into them self-initiatively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-papian/every-human-creates-his-own-problems-problems-are-ones-private/) [Ruben Papian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-papian/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [“Now you," Grandma barks at him. "Yes, you, the invisible truck driver," she added, giving me a wicked grin. "Go stand next to Rose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/now-you-grandma-barks-at-him-yes-you-the-invisible-truck-driver-she/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-not-willing-to-learn-no-one-can-help-you-if-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Have a Blast; Life wont last! Make the best of the journey before it is over!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/have-a-blast-life-wont-last-make-the-best-of-the-journey-before-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is like riding on a bus. God is the driver and I am the passenger. Have faith God knows which route to take.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefroy-hanson/life-is-like-riding-on-a-bus-god-is-the-driver-and-i-am-the-passenger/) [Jefroy Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefroy-hanson/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) [Browse all 14,479 Motivation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Motives are story mechanics, pillars of structural necessity. 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