: Re: Why would my "Hero" start his Quest to save the world? In my first big novel-kind-of-thing I'm currently working on, I have a run-of-the-mill, super-non-special "Hero" - the Antagonist. A Jon

Have a look at your favourite stories and think about why the protagonist was the hero.

Examples:

Why did Harry Potter fight Voldemort? He was fulfilling a prophecy.

Why did Katniss Everdeen fight in the Hunger Games? To protect the ones she loved.

Why did Peter Quill fight Ronan? Because Ronan wanted to destroy the universe and Peter was one of the idiots living in it.

If your character is not qualified for the role of â€œheroâ€ or compelled to fight evil simply for the sake of good, then you need to give them no other choice. Maybe it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Maybe your baddie threatens their family and they are overcome with the need for self-sacrifice (or vengeance if the baddie follows through with the threat). Maybe they are simply scared for their own skin and happen to be at the right place at the right time. Their fate will become linked to the antagonist whether they like it or not. You just have to consider what puts them there. Why do they care?

The answer depends entirely on your "hero". Who are they? What makes them special, despite being so ordinary? Think about their personality and alignment, their worst fears, and what would put them in such a desperate situation that they have to don that heroic persona. And if they are so normal that they have no reason to become wrapped up in this conflict, then why are they the "hero"?

Load Full (0)

: How do I break away from imitating published works? I don't know if other people wanting to be writers experience this, but I get driven by my obsession. It used to be Hunger Games, then

@Chiappetta298

Load Full 6 Comments

: How do I avoid making scenes feel rushed? I've written several scenes and reread them silently. Most times they sound rushed, unnatural and uncomfortable. This especially happens with action or

@Chiappetta298

Load Full 1 Comments

: How to focus on external conflict rather than inner/interpersonal conflict? I love creating characters and my plots generally focus greatly on their inner conflicts and their relationships with

@Chiappetta298

Load Full 2 Comments

: Think about how often the topic of sex comes up in real life. Aspects of it are kept private, between individuals. Other aspects are flaunted on TV, film and advertising. Certain people don't

: Re: Why would my "Hero" start his Quest to save the world? In my first big novel-kind-of-thing I'm currently working on, I have a run-of-the-mill, super-non-special "Hero" - the Antagonist. A Jon

More posts by @Chiappetta298

: How do I break away from imitating published works? I don't know if other people wanting to be writers experience this, but I get driven by my obsession. It used to be Hunger Games, then

: How do I avoid making scenes feel rushed? I've written several scenes and reread them silently. Most times they sound rushed, unnatural and uncomfortable. This especially happens with action or

: How to focus on external conflict rather than inner/interpersonal conflict? I love creating characters and my plots generally focus greatly on their inner conflicts and their relationships with

: Think about how often the topic of sex comes up in real life. Aspects of it are kept private, between individuals. Other aspects are flaunted on TV, film and advertising. Certain people don't

Login to post a comment!

0 Comments

Back to top