Villains Done Right: Writing Effective Antagonists

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Today, we're exploring the art of writing effective antagonists so you can keep your readers on the edge of their seats. Let's make your story exciting with villains done right!
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Пікірлер: 18

@MiningforMac 7 ай бұрын

This was a great idea! I love it whenever you tackle the non-protagonist stuff like villains and antagonists. Thanks for the great vids as always Nour!

@andrewmcdowellauthor 8 ай бұрын

Another great video.

@neighbourhoodfriendlyman 8 ай бұрын

Your videos are amazing and very helpful for a fantasy writer like me 🥹

@paidlake1862 8 ай бұрын

Thanks for the great videos! Could you do a video on giving your pov characters different voices?? I am terrified that they will all end up sounding the same and blend together

@PositiveWriterr 7 ай бұрын

My antagonist is complex because she still sees herself as a victim trying to get a leg up in the world

@sharonefee1426 8 ай бұрын

About the last point: sometimes the writer prefer to potray the antagonist as the one with upper hand, so do we still want them to feel equal?

@NourZikra 7 ай бұрын

I don't mean equal in the physical sense. Rather, I'm talking about treating both protagonist and antagonist as the main character of their own story. They both want to win, and they should both have a plan to win. Also, they should both have their own motivations, strengths, and weaknesses. In this aspect, they are equal (they are equally well-rounded). However, that doesn't mean they are equal in their physical strengths.

@scourge_creations 7 ай бұрын

@@NourZikraCan a reason the antagonist does what he does have to do with revenge? Or does that doesn't justify it enough? And what makes my antagonist complex is that he loss a competition long ago and studied the arts of some kind of dark magic and used that to corrupt the person who beat him

@shadowpuppet8192 8 ай бұрын

What if they don't seek it, but instead are drawn to that power by having it suddenly thrust upon them?

@purpleghost106 8 ай бұрын

Antagonists can be anything, their actions put them in conflict with the protagnoist (they're not always evil) --- so if they had power thrust on them, what they did with that power put them in conflict with the protag (because that's literally the only requirement) It also depends on your genre and your setting. The writer makes the rules. Maybe take a look at youtuber Schnee's analysis video on Miguel from into the spiderverse. He didn't seek out power, he had the mantle of Spidey thrust onto him and he obviously became an antagnoist for Miles later on because of how that power put him in conflict with him. What an antagnoist does with their power is based on who they are.

@NourZikra 7 ай бұрын

That could definitely be a part of their character arc! Many antagonists don't start off evil. If power is thrust upon them and they become obsessed with it, you could show that off in their backstory.

@shadowpuppet8192 7 ай бұрын

@@NourZikra That's the route I plan to take with the main antagonist in this series that is starting to pick up a bit of steam!

@absolutelycitron1580 6 ай бұрын

I get why people like thanos but his goal is kinda silly once you think about it lol. I guess what makes my antagonist complex is he really believes in collectivism and seeks equality but also has a god complex

@melancholyman369 8 ай бұрын

While Im not a writer, yet, I do read a lot of different forms of fiction and non-fiction. I don't agree with all these statements. Depending on the type of story you'll want the antagonist stronger or you can have them grow along with your protag even using parallels that instinctively draws comparison. Honestly some times its best to treat your antagonists like the main character as in they need allies that care for them or fleshed out interpersonal relationships, plans need to go right, or they should make sensible descisions that are in line with their character and situation and not descisions that are exclusive for the author's convenience.

@sharonefee1426 8 ай бұрын

I also agrere sometimes the antagonist is stronger. Though I think she tries to empathize that sometimes the protagonist looks stronger\better than the antagonist, and it's kinda loses the point of conflict. And it's not the full guide for writing an antagonist, but some imporant guidelines. Sometimes such short vidoes aren't enough to cover much.

@stgr6669 6 ай бұрын

Unlike your examples, what makes my antagonist in the first half of the book complex aren't noble, but selfish intentions. He isn't loyal to those who hired him. He wants to get his career back on track and make a good profit for himself. In the middle of the story, he ends up with a bullet in his head, killed by his boss without even realizing that he was just an expendable henchman. The antagonist who takes over is fully aware that she is an expendable henchwoman. Her motivation is to stay alive, stay out of prison and (unbeknowst to the reader) to reunite with her kids. She has no idea what the big bosses plan. This gives her an advantage over the protagonists, who have the wrong idea about what's going on.

@Tamlinearthly 8 ай бұрын

"From their point of view, they're doing the right thing." I do not think this is true for many memorable villains. Hannibal Lecter does not believe he's "doing the right thing"--indeed, he would think we're naive simpletons for even viewing the world in those terms; Dracula does not believe he's doing the right thing, his motivations are almost entirely alien to the concept of ethics; Saruman does not believe he's doing the right thing--only that he's doing the thing that will expedite his interests the most efficiently, etc.