One of the big things that jar a story for me is when characters start acting out in a way that doesn’t make sense. It almost feels as if the writer is making them act out just to keep the story moving along. I find I’m not alone in this as this has been a complaint I regularly see in reviews, not just for books but also movies, TV shows and other forms of storytelling. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice comes to mind – just about everyone I’ve spoken to who’s seen the film agree that the visuals were stunning, but the plot a little thin and there was never a truly satisfactory motivation driving Batman’s vendetta with Superman (you’d think that, of all people, Bruce Wayne would have identified with Superman as a misunderstood outsider. Sure, Wayne Towers fell, but don’t tell me no collateral damage ever occurred while Batman was fighting baddies.) Character motivation drives plot and is a big part of what makes a good story so, writers, make sure you give your characters motivations that make sense and ring true to who they are!