Every where I go I read the following: Create a strong, well-defined protagonist. Well, what about the antagonist? Do you need to worry about making he/she well-defined, strong, likable? I say YES! In my last novel the mountains, weather, and the animals were my antagonist. So I didn't think much about whether the antag was well done or not. I knew it was, just because it was the out of doors. I mean they're lost in the Blue Ridge mountains.
But with my new WIP, I have discovered a secret. Not really a secret, most of you have probably thought about this. The antag needs to be just as well-defined as the protag. Sometimes even more. I am making the antagonist in my new story a man that NO ONE would ever suspect of committing the deed. And I think it's making a GREAT read. I'm excited to tear into it every day. I'm writing a mystery. The mystery isn't MG either. It's YA and centers around a murder.
So how are you dealing with your ULTIMATE bad guy or girl? Weigh in, I want to read your thoughts on this.
Okay, fine, now I know who did it??? Gee, take all the fun out of me reading the novel and trying to figure out who done it! : )
ReplyDeleteI agree! The antag, when the antag is not the protag (internal vs. external, and all that jazz), must be just as defined. I think every character, even the peripheral ones need great definition, but not so much as the protag/antag.
Even if I'm going to hate a character, I want that character defined, vibrant, leaping off the page at me. I want characters I can relate to on some level, even if that level is hate.
Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter. OMG! I don't think I have ever despised a fictional character more than I despised her. J.K. Rowling wrote that character so well, made her deeds so evil and mean, that I couldn't help but hate that character. She also made her fall from grace quite wonderful as well.
So, yes, the antag needs to shine as brightly as the protag.
S
I agree and I love antagonists that you love to hate. :) My current WIP has a group of antagonists, but the one closest to the protag is her mentor. *evil eyebrow wiggle*
ReplyDeleteGreat post, good reminder!!!
Scott, well it's obvious that nature is the culprit in Seventy Two Hours. But in my YA mystery there are a couple of guys you would never suspect. Which one? You'll have to buy the book to find out. :)
ReplyDeleteI love characters that we love to hate. They're what makes it so much fun. :)
Kristi, hmm, I can't wait to read it. Is that the one I read a little of? It sounds exciting. Aren't the bad guys FUN to write? :)
ReplyDeleteThis is one area I struggle w/ as a writer. I know that my protag needs to be evil but how do you do that w/out sounding cliche at times? well, some do it well, but I'm still working on it....
ReplyDeleteOne thing that really developed my antagonist was to do an author to character interview. Ask the antagonist questions about his childhood, etc. and let him answer first-person. This is a great exercise and leads to lots of usable stuff that you learn when you let them talk to you in thier own voice. Happy writing!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting story. I always worry I'm going to make my antagonist too interesting and readers will cheer for her/him instead of the protagonist. But that hasn't happened yet, so I guess I should stop worrying!
ReplyDeleteWith the antagonist I try to have him want what the protagonist wants, or at least want something similar. He may have a twisted way of trying to get what he wants, he may be dysfunctional or angry or just scared. I try to make him complex.
ReplyDeleteYep, the antag is just as important. Funny, though, our WIP's sound a little alike. :)
ReplyDeleteWoo hoo! A YA story with an unsuspected antagonist. I'm excited!
ReplyDeleteOften my antagonist is either the protagonist himself, or outside circumstances. It makes for a challenge sometimes but it's also simpler in a way. If the antagonist is conflict and you already have conflict in your story, then you just have to boost it up some and really give your characters a hard time and some major internal struggles and you've made progress.
We work so hard on the protagonist that sometimes we forget that the antagonist needs to have a character arc as well.
ReplyDeleteI love a good villain. In fact, I often think of Much Ado about Nothing where I was really rooting for the villain, Don John, just because he was doing it for no reason other than being a villain and he was pissy. Quote: "Though I cannot be said to be a flattering, honest man, it must not be denied but I am a plain-dealing villain." I LOVE IT! I love me a good villain. I think it's really important for you to know why the villain is behaving as he/she/it is--just as much as the protagonist.
ReplyDeleteI heard somewhere the protagonist derives his strength from that of the antagonist to match it. I try to keep this in mind!
ReplyDeletehave fun!
I'm dealing with an old geezer that is determined to have his own way. My story is just opening up to start hearing his side of things.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
I love messing with my antagonist's life. I want the reader to feel sorry for them. Then it's always harder to hate them. ;) Great post.
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