Comments on: Is Your Novel Required to Have a Villain? http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/04/26/is-your-novel-required-to-have-a-villain/ America's Mad Professor of Fiction Writing Mon, 21 May 2012 04:23:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Kathy Berklund http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/04/26/is-your-novel-required-to-have-a-villain/#comment-18098 Kathy Berklund Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:22:32 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/04/26/is-your-novel-required-to-have-a-villain/#comment-18098 I would add to that Stephen King's comment (Memoires of the Craft) that it's far more scary when the villain is someone you say, "Oh my goodness -- that's my neighbor!" So, in Harry Potter, for example, you have the big evil characters like Voldemort, but you also have him represented in the school by Malfoy. In King's stuff, you often have a big-hairy-crazy Evil, but also Evil's henchmen who appear normal in some respects, but are on Evil's side. I would add to that Stephen King’s comment (Memoires of the Craft) that it’s far more scary when the villain is someone you say, “Oh my goodness — that’s my neighbor!” So, in Harry Potter, for example, you have the big evil characters like Voldemort, but you also have him represented in the school by Malfoy. In King’s stuff, you often have a big-hairy-crazy Evil, but also Evil’s henchmen who appear normal in some respects, but are on Evil’s side.

]]> By: Andrew Pike http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/04/26/is-your-novel-required-to-have-a-villain/#comment-18099 Andrew Pike Wed, 27 Apr 2011 12:12:57 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/04/26/is-your-novel-required-to-have-a-villain/#comment-18099 I agree with Kathy. Evil that is close to home and makes us question the validity of our morality is effective. Nicole, I can relate to your question because I was a little worried about the same thing. I remember reading on Randy's site the importance of having an antagonist, or having a strong conflicting force, and I wondered if a somewhat oppressive "society" counted. In the project I'm working on, society is the initial oppositional force in the protagonist's eyes, but much later he finds that evil to be manifested in another character who is much like him. As a result, he finds himself up against an evil that--while being obviously damaging and oppressive--is also present to some extent in his friends, his society, and himself. But yes, evil has the strongest impact when it is attached to another relatable character. What is more scary than someone (or something) that knows you? Fight Club changed from a potentially cheesy action film to a psychological suspense thriller when Edward Norton's character began to realize that Brad Pitt's character was always a step ahead of his attempts to sabatoge their plans for terrorism. I agree with Randy when he says that your novel would benefit from containing an antagonist. While you can and should experiment with different forms of evil, nothing beats a living breathing conflicting single entity. I agree with Kathy. Evil that is close to home and makes us question the validity of our morality is effective.

Nicole, I can relate to your question because I was a little worried about the same thing. I remember reading on Randy’s site the importance of having an antagonist, or having a strong conflicting force, and I wondered if a somewhat oppressive “society” counted.

In the project I’m working on, society is the initial oppositional force in the protagonist’s eyes, but much later he finds that evil to be manifested in another character who is much like him. As a result, he finds himself up against an evil that–while being obviously damaging and oppressive–is also present to some extent in his friends, his society, and himself.

But yes, evil has the strongest impact when it is attached to another relatable character. What is more scary than someone (or something) that knows you? Fight Club changed from a potentially cheesy action film to a psychological suspense thriller when Edward Norton’s character began to realize that Brad Pitt’s character was always a step ahead of his attempts to sabatoge their plans for terrorism.

I agree with Randy when he says that your novel would benefit from containing an antagonist. While you can and should experiment with different forms of evil, nothing beats a living breathing conflicting single entity.

]]> By: Felicia Fredlund http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/04/26/is-your-novel-required-to-have-a-villain/#comment-18100 Felicia Fredlund Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:12:38 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/04/26/is-your-novel-required-to-have-a-villain/#comment-18100 Most forces have human faces. If society is your enemy, who is that creates trouble? Is it the laws? Then you have the law enforcers. Is it culture? Then you have the people who press that. If it's a storm you have looters, panicky people (they might not be evil, but they certainly can make things worse), the idiots who stay even though they had warning. All depending on your story. To have a human/humanoid face on your antagonist helps create conflict too. Because then you have similarities and differences between your protagonist and antagonist. And one person against society makes it pretty hard to win for the protagonist. The novel I'm working on I first had my antagonist as a rebellion that needed to be stopped. I had one protagonist. OK, so one person against a big group of people all over the country. For some reason I couldn't come up with ideas or conflict until someone pointed out that it'd be easier if I had one rebel against my protagonist and not all. That flipped the switch and coming up with ideas and conflicts are much easier. Most forces have human faces. If society is your enemy, who is that creates trouble? Is it the laws? Then you have the law enforcers. Is it culture? Then you have the people who press that.

If it’s a storm you have looters, panicky people (they might not be evil, but they certainly can make things worse), the idiots who stay even though they had warning. All depending on your story.

To have a human/humanoid face on your antagonist helps create conflict too. Because then you have similarities and differences between your protagonist and antagonist. And one person against society makes it pretty hard to win for the protagonist.

The novel I’m working on I first had my antagonist as a rebellion that needed to be stopped. I had one protagonist. OK, so one person against a big group of people all over the country. For some reason I couldn’t come up with ideas or conflict until someone pointed out that it’d be easier if I had one rebel against my protagonist and not all. That flipped the switch and coming up with ideas and conflicts are much easier.

]]> By: Camille http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/04/26/is-your-novel-required-to-have-a-villain/#comment-18103 Camille Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:11:20 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/04/26/is-your-novel-required-to-have-a-villain/#comment-18103 Don't forget that some kinds of stories can have an antagonist who isn't necessarily an evil villain, like in romance. Unless the ex-mother-in-law is involved. In Romance, the Hero or Heroine often serve as each others' antagonists. In a story that isn't based on a showdown between good and evil, or in which good guys defeat the bad guys and explode perfectly good helicopters, the antagonist may be simply the person who stands in the way of the main character's goal. What sez you, Randy? Don’t forget that some kinds of stories can have an antagonist who isn’t necessarily an evil villain, like in romance. Unless the ex-mother-in-law is involved. In Romance, the Hero or Heroine often serve as each others’ antagonists. In a story that isn’t based on a showdown between good and evil, or in which good guys defeat the bad guys and explode perfectly good helicopters, the antagonist may be simply the person who stands in the way of the main character’s goal. What sez you, Randy?

]]> By: James Thayer http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/04/26/is-your-novel-required-to-have-a-villain/#comment-18105 James Thayer Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:18:19 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/04/26/is-your-novel-required-to-have-a-villain/#comment-18105 Not all novels have a villain, of course. These stories have conflict and tension but not a villain. Novels where a natural disaster is the key ingredient are an example. Or it can be a character’s wrong decision: she’s not a bad person, she’s just mistaken about the big issue. Or it may be a singular personality flaw in an otherwise normal character. A famous example is Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. Count Vronsky and Anna, the sympathetic lovers, aren’t villains. Neither is Anna’s husband, Alexei Alexandrovich Karenin, who is spiritless and stuffy but not evil. The story’s conflict arises from Vronsky and Anna’s own choices and their society’s pressures. Another example: Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind. There’s no villain. The Bluecoat who comes to Tara and tries to force himself on Scarlett is a bad guy—and gets gut shot for his trouble--but he’s a bit player, come and gone. Same with the carpetbagger who raises taxes on Tara. The conflict comes from Scarlett’s willfulness. But most stories feature a villain The reason: villains often provide the conflict that is essential to a novel. The protagonist struggles against the villain. Not all novels have a villain, of course. These stories have conflict and tension but not a villain. Novels where a natural disaster is the key ingredient are an example. Or it can be a character’s wrong decision: she’s not a bad person, she’s just mistaken about the big issue. Or it may be a singular personality flaw in an otherwise normal character.

A famous example is Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. Count Vronsky and Anna, the sympathetic lovers, aren’t villains. Neither is Anna’s husband, Alexei Alexandrovich Karenin, who is spiritless and stuffy but not evil. The story’s conflict arises from Vronsky and Anna’s own choices and their society’s pressures.

Another example: Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind. There’s no villain. The Bluecoat who comes to Tara and tries to force himself on Scarlett is a bad guy—and gets gut shot for his trouble–but he’s a bit player, come and gone. Same with the carpetbagger who raises taxes on Tara. The conflict comes from Scarlett’s willfulness.

But most stories feature a villain The reason: villains often provide the conflict that is essential to a novel. The protagonist struggles against the villain.

]]> By: Pam Halter http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/04/26/is-your-novel-required-to-have-a-villain/#comment-18144 Pam Halter Thu, 05 May 2011 13:08:48 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/04/26/is-your-novel-required-to-have-a-villain/#comment-18144 In my fantasy novel, the heroine, Akeela, never meets her enemy, Tzmet. Akeela is aware of Tzmet, but they never meet face to face. I know that sounds strange, but curiously enough, it works. There's also Tzmet's father, the dark lord, and Akeela faces him only at the end. I suppose it's similar to TLOTR in that Frodo never faces Sauron, but instead has to deal with other antagonists (like Gollum) and even himself. It comes down to this: what does the story require? Only you can determine that. In my fantasy novel, the heroine, Akeela, never meets her enemy, Tzmet. Akeela is aware of Tzmet, but they never meet face to face. I know that sounds strange, but curiously enough, it works. There’s also Tzmet’s father, the dark lord, and Akeela faces him only at the end. I suppose it’s similar to TLOTR in that Frodo never faces Sauron, but instead has to deal with other antagonists (like Gollum) and even himself.

It comes down to this: what does the story require? Only you can determine that.

]]> By: Jarvis http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/04/26/is-your-novel-required-to-have-a-villain/#comment-18182 Jarvis Wed, 11 May 2011 20:48:39 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/04/26/is-your-novel-required-to-have-a-villain/#comment-18182 Of course you don't need a physical villain, but at least a conceptual conflict that embodies the role of the villain. Of course you don’t need a physical villain, but at least a conceptual conflict that embodies the role of the villain.

]]> By: Drunter & Drüber | Am Strand mit Kafka http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/04/26/is-your-novel-required-to-have-a-villain/#comment-18735 Drunter & Drüber | Am Strand mit Kafka Sat, 27 Aug 2011 10:26:12 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/04/26/is-your-novel-required-to-have-a-villain/#comment-18735 [...] Beiträge, die ich seit Donnerstag gelesen habe – ohne allzu lange Kommentare von mir dazu Is Your Novel Required to Have a Villain? - wieder aus Randy Ingermansons Blog. Die Kurzantwort lautet: Nein – aber ein Oberbösewicht [...] […] Beiträge, die ich seit Donnerstag gelesen habe – ohne allzu lange Kommentare von mir dazu Is Your Novel Required to Have a Villain? - wieder aus Randy Ingermansons Blog. Die Kurzantwort lautet: Nein – aber ein Oberbösewicht […]

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