An antagonist is a character in a story who opposes the protagonist. They often have traits that directly differ the protagonists and can be used to create tension and conflict in a story.
In tackling character development, the process is similar in all characters, positive or negative.
Antagonists can be human or non-human, such as animals, forces of nature, or even ideas. They are often portrayed as being selfish, power-hungry, or otherwise villainous. Writers need to create well-rounded antagonists with motivations and goals that readers can understand and relate to, as this helps make stories more interesting and engaging. The antagonist can start out seeming harmless, then revert to a truer nature, as can the protagonist. Take some risks, and mix it up. Readers like to be kept on their toes.
Some great questions for developing your protagonist/antagonist are:
Writing a book can be intimidating, but you succeed with the right approach and tools.
Once the general idea, the “what if,” has been decided, an outline can be one of the most important tools a writer can utilize to stay on track. It helps to control ideas and plot points and ensure that all the pieces fit together in a way that makes sense. In the horror genre, the following can be one type of basic outline:
1. Choose a fear factor:
Supernatural
Cryptid
Alien
Human
2. Follow the key elements of horror
Fear
Mystery
Suspense
Surprise
3. Set tone and predictive phrasing
4. Insert a plot twist
5. Twists and turns
Survive-let the protagonist suffer
Search- Truth? Identity?
Scare-kill your darlings
6. Save the secrets for the proper placement in story-to move it along, create a change, and conclude.
An outline also allows the writer to track how much they have written and how much work they still need to do to complete the book. With an overview, writers can easily stay on track with their writing goals.
Outlining helps writers make changes to the story as they go along and keep track of ideas and plot points, making it easier for the writer to stay organized. With this tool, a writer can create compelling stories that readers will enjoy while helping them stay on track and avoid getting overwhelmed by writing a larger piece of fiction.
Writing a personal essay can be a daunting task for many people. It requires you to express your thoughts and feelings creatively and meaningfully. But with the right approach, it can be a great experience, creating insight into your motivation to write in the first place.
Whether you’re writing for a client or yourself, it’s important to remember that you can make your essay as funny, creative, or personal as you want. Try not to limit your creativity out of fear of revealing too much about yourself to the reader. The very point of writing is communication, and exhibiting vulnerability can draw a reader in.
Photo by Kalpit Khatri
A good personal essay should capture readers’ attention and pull them into your story. It should also provide insight into who you are and what makes you unique. As a writer, you should want to stand out from the crowd.
Many sources of inspiration can help you develop ideas for your essay. Whether it’s pro tips from experienced writers, funny anecdotes from friends and family, or creative prompts from online sources, there is no shortage of source material to draw upon in writing. Anything, no matter how mundane, can be the starting point of a good story. With the right resources, you’ll be able to craft a piece that speaks directly to your account.
Knowing the correct word count for your essay is essential to effectively convey your thoughts and feelings. The length of a personal essay largely depends on its theme or purpose. For example, if you are writing a short story, the average length is between 1,000 to 10,000 words. A blog is usually effective at coming in at around 300 words. Similarly, if you are writing about a particular event or experience, you may need to adjust the word count accordingly.
In the end, the article or story should either wrap up nicely at the end or lead the reader into introspection, making them think about the piece long after they have read it.
When writing is your identity and life, finding the right balance between the professional and the personal can be challenging. Writing can be a demanding profession, and it’s easy to get lost in work and forget about other aspects of life.
