Good morning fellow writers! Today I have a creative writing tip for you on a subject we don’t look at very often: antagonists.
For those of you who aren’t quite sure what an antagonist is, here’s the dictionary definition:
An antagonist is a person who actively opposes, or is hostile to someone or something; an adversary.
We might also call them the villain, baddie or opponent. They can be a vital part of our stories, as they try to stop our protagonist (main character) reaching their goal. Or they can cause the problem in the first place, of course.
If we can create an excellent a baddie (and by that I mean a terrible baddie, of course!), we can have some great conflicts. The more fiendish the fight, the more potential for a gripping story.
Can you think of any great baddies from books you have read, or films you have watched, that you love to hate? Quickly jot down the names of the first three you think of, then answer the following questions:
1. What is it you like/loathe about them?
2. Why do you remember them?
3. What can you learn from them (from a writing point of view!)?
I hope this exercise will help you create dastardly antagonists!
Who are your favourite villains? Write them down in the comments below, or come over to our facebook page and join in the discussion! (I have to admit, I’m a big fan of Cruella de Vil. :-))
Have a great week,
Janet
P.S. We took a much more in-depth look at antagonists this month in our Monthly Membership Programme. If you don’t want to miss out on future instalments, take a look here and see if it might be for you. 🙂