Asked by: Jessica Davis

Does a story need to have a villain?

Randy sez: The short answer is no. You don’t have to have a villain to make a novel work. It’s perfectly OK to have society be the cause of all your lead character’s ills. It’s perfectly OK to have the environment be the “villain.” It’s OK to have your protagonist be his own worst enemy.

Why does a story need a villain?

Every story needs a great villain because without him, the hero can’t shine. He’s the force of antagonism that keeps the action moving and the reader engaged. He pokes and prods at the protagonist, forcing her to stretch, grow and change. Stories, after all, are about change.

Why does a hero need a villain?

In almost any story, the villain plays just as vital a role as the hero. The antagonist is often the primary reason why the hero’s story is even worth telling. Without the villain, good has nothing to triumph over, nothing challenges the protagonist, and everyone just goes about their average lives.

Why does a story need a hero and villain?

Villainous or Heroic Motivations for Creating Heroes and Villains in Novels. “All good heroes and villains have a strong motivation for what they do. Their motivation either makes sense or is mysterious to the reader. You can start with the villain’s logical motivation and add a mystery about why they want it so bad.

Does every story need a conflict?

Conflict is necessary for all stories. It doesn’t matter what kind of story it is — novel, short story, mystery, romance, thriller, children’s, adult — it will always need conflict. In order to keep the plot interesting and exciting, some type of conflict must be there.

What does a villain do in a story?

A villain is the antagonist of your story whose motivations and actions oppose the protagonist and drive the plot of your story. A villain is the opposite of a hero.

What a villain every good story needs a villain?

But the best villains are the ones you secretly like.”

Can a story have no antagonist?

While your fiction doesn’t have to include an antagonist, it must have a series of compelling and persuasive obstacles that the main character must negotiate. What’s the difference? An antagonist is a specific presence that returns again and again throughout the fiction.

Does a story need a hero?

Every story needs a hero. As humans, we have an intrinsic need to root for someone in the story. But there’s no single definition of a hero. Depending on your storytelling, your hero may be an average guy who’s thrown into the midst of a harrowing circumstances.

Can a story have no protagonist?

Is it possible to have a story without a protagonist? Absolutely. It’s done all the time, just do some quick googles to find examples of this. Normally, it’s a smaller setting with less action, a larger scope with more characters, or everyone is bad and good, etc.

Can you be your own antagonist?

Sometimes we are our own worst enemies, our very own antagonists. Mental struggles, laziness, shyness, physical barriers or an inability to communicate can serve as a means to prevent us from achieving our goals and objectives.

Can a villain be a protagonist?

Can the protagonist be the bad guy? Yes! Though not as common as traditional, heroic protagonists, or even anti-heroes with complex motivations, there are some fully malevolent villains that serve as the protagonists of their own stories.