Let’s take a look at five ways to build your own admirable antagonist when writing your novel or short story.

1. Create a Dynamic Antagonist. Nobody loves to hate The Boogyman. …
2. Justifiable, Relatable Villainy. …
3. Build a Connection Between Your Antagonist and Protagonist. …
4. They Aren’t Born Into Evil. …
5. The Antagonist is All-In.

How do you make an antagonist?

How to write a good antagonist:

1. Give an antagonist unsavoury goals like Sauron or Lord Voldemort.
2. Make your antagonist’s backstory believable.
3. Make your antagonist’s misdeeds require decisive action.
4. Show how your antagonist outwits opponents.
5. Reveal the power your antagonist has over other characters.

What makes up an antagonist?

An antagonist is usually a character who opposes the protagonist (or main character) of a story, but the antagonist can also be a group of characters, institution, or force against which the protagonist must contend.

What makes a good antagonist in a story?

A strong antagonist is highly motivated to act.



Strong and understandable motivations will make your antagonist feel like a real person and make the story that much better. The more plausible you make these motivation, the richer your villain, and the easier it will be to plot later.

What does being a antagonist mean?

opponent

Definition of antagonist



1 : one that contends with or opposes another : adversary, opponent political antagonists. 2 : an agent of physiological antagonism: such as. a : a muscle that contracts with and limits the action of an agonist with which it is paired. — called also antagonistic muscle.

What are the types of antagonists?

There are different types of villains within the category: the mastermind, the anti-villain, the evil villain, the minion or henchman, and the supervillain, to name a few.

Can an antagonist be a hero?

A Hero Antagonist is a character who is an antagonist (that is, they oppose The Protagonist), yet is still technically a hero.

What is antagonistic behavior?

The definition of antagonistic are actions that are purposefully malicious and unkind, or a person acting in such a way. An example of someone acting in an antagonistic way is someone who gives a co-worker dirty looks on a regular basis. adjective.

Is antagonist good or bad?

The traditional definition of antagonist is a villain—a “bad guy” in the story, often working for evil purposes to destroy a heroic protagonist.

What is another term for antagonist?

Antagonist: How to Create a Villain

What makes a good villain in film?

A great villain should be a strong and worthy adversary to your hero. They shouldn’t be weak and easily beaten, nor should they be so powerful that they can only be defeated by random chance.

How do you become a likeable antagonist?

12 Tips on How to Write a Likable Character

1. Introduce your character early on in the story. …
2. Make your character a flawed person. …
3. Give them a backstory to help readers connect with them. …
4. Make sure they have goals and motivations that are relatable. …
5. Show their vulnerability, but don’t let it become too much of an issue.

How do you make a tragic antagonist?

Here are five tips for writing a great sympathetic villain for your story.

1. Make them believe they’re the hero. …
2. Craft a tragic backstory. …
3. Give them an internal conflict. …
4. Employ supporting characters. …
5. Show them doing a good deed.

How do you make a character everyone hates?

Tips How to write a villain Readers Truly Hate:

1. Write them abusing the weak and the helpless. Your reader will hate them instantly.
2. Make their motivation power, greed, and wealth.
3. Your villain should be irrational. People around them should try to tell them how wrong they are.