Oooh, I think your comments about your motivation are really interesting. I think my motivations are different. What really drives me to write is finding a some way to slide something under the canon radar; what piece of backstory can I write that puts present canon in new light; what happened when the scene faded; what are these peripheral characters doing while everybody else is getting screen time. These aren't my only motivations for writing, but the pieces I truly care about that I've written mostly fall into that category.

Your writing motivation is so romantic! Mine sounds so cold and analytical LOL It sounds like you are coming first and foremost from the characters emotions which makes a lot of sense as a writing motivation.