Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips

#149. 5 Questions To Write Better Antagonists

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Jul 2, 2024

Antagonists are essential to storytelling, serving as more than just villains. Discover five key questions to develop compelling, motivational, and genre-appropriate antagonists. Learn how their goals and stakes shape the narrative, preventing that dreaded sagging middle. Uncover the thematic significance of your antagonist, which enhances the overall impact of your story. This insightful discussion equips writers with the tools to create memorable conflicts and enrich character dynamics.

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INSIGHT

Antagonist Is Simply An Obstacle

Your story's antagonist is the obstacle between your protagonist and their goal.
The antagonist doesn't have to be evil, just someone causing conflict or opposition to the protagonist.

ADVICE

Develop Antagonist And Protagonist Together

Develop your antagonist alongside your protagonist for better insight and richer conflict.
This tandem development helps avoid weak antagonists and improves overall story cohesion.

ADVICE

Choose Antagonist By Role And Theme

Identify which character creates the main plot problem and fits your genre's antagonist type.
Make sure your antagonist aligns with the story's theme to maximize their significance.

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Antagonists can make or break a story—both for the writer and the reader.

Writers who don’t spend time developing their antagonists tend to write drafts that fall apart in the middle. Anyone who reads a story with a weak or unconvincing protagonist is unlikely to finish it.

So, how do we go about making our antagonists just as compelling as our protagonists? How do we write an antagonist with impact?

In this episode, I’m sharing five questions that will help you create a compelling, genre-appropriate antagonist who will provide the central conflict in your novel.

In the episode, you’ll learn things like:

[02:25] What does it mean to write “an antagonist?” Plus, my thoughts on the common misconception that antagonists are always “bad guys”
[04:11] Tips for fleshing out your antagonist’s goal, motivation, and plans—aka THE KEY to writing a solid antagonist (and avoiding a middle that sags)
[13:47] An easy way to determine what’s at stake for your antagonist should they succeed or fail in accomplishing their goal (hint: it’s related to your genre!)
[19:26] How to determine the thematic significance of your antagonist (and how identifying this will help you write a more cohesive and impactful story)
[23:09] Episode recap and final thoughts

If you’ve ever had trouble fleshing out your story’s antagonist, or if you’ve ever written a draft that falls apart in the middle, this is the episode for you!

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