How Important is Character Motivation?

A lot of articles and blog posts will tell you that one of the most important parts of a novel is the character motivation. In most books, the character's goals are what drives the storyline. These kinds of books are often called character-driven stories, where the main plot is a supporter of the character's development. So: how important is character motivation in a character-driven novel?

5 Stephen King Books You Should Read

Stephen King is regarded as one of the best (possibly the best) horror writers of the current time. He's written over 60 novels and 200 short stories, spanning over multiple genres—horror, mystery, fantasy, crime, science fiction, non-fiction, etc. If you're a horror or mystery writer, here are 5 Stephen King books/short stories that you should read.