The One Hour Guide to Better Antagonists: How to Write Stronger Stories Using the Power of Opposition

The One Hour Guide to Better Antagonists: How to Write Stronger Stories Using the Power of Opposition

by Mary L. Mercer

109 pages· 2016
About
YOU REMEMBER JONAH BECAUSE OF THE WHALE...

A strong antagonist is the writer’s best helper to create a strong story. Embodying the central conflict, he holds in his hands the keys to pacing, theme, and the protagonist’s emotional arc. Simply put, the antagonist not only makes the story more interesting, he makes everything that happens matter.

From love interests in romances to “friendly” foes to evil villains, this book shows you how to successfully avoid mustache-twirling cliches and create multidimensional antagonists who are the bedrock of the stories they live and breathe in. Utilizing examples from bestselling novels, blockbuster movies, and international hit television series, The One Hour Guide to Better Antagonists shows you how to—

• Mobilize the Three Musketeers of Conflict to back your protagonist into a corner, from which he can’t escape unchanged.
• Unlock the secret formula for internal conflict—the antagonist within—that sets the stage for thematically-enriched twists and turns in the plot.
• Use five keys to transform any story’s setting into a dynamic antagonistic force to be reckoned with.
• Set emotional sparks flying when the protagonist falls in love with the antagonist in romances, while preserving readers’ faith in a happy ending.
• Create a community of supporting characters with contrasting perspectives on the central battle raging between the protagonist and antagonist.
• Make readers invest emotionally in the antagonist and believe in his motivation for opposing the protagonist.
• Choose from twenty-seven popular villain archetypes guaranteed to make readers love to hate your bad guy.
• BONUS: 10 proven templates for organizing opposition.

The One Hour Guide to Better Antagonists is your quick and essential resource to supercharge any story with the amazing power of opposition.

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