: Re: How do I write a compelling villain-all-along twist? I have in mind a character who is the protagonist's trusted ally throughout the story, but it is revealed at the end that he was the primary

Have you decided whether the sidekick has the villain mentality from the outset, or do they have a negative change arc? Even if they become the villain early on there's room to develop that arc.

You could explore the events and ideas that drive them to become the villain and ultimately forsake their friendship with the hero. Note that this might justify treating them rather like a protagonist, as others have discussed. Give the readers the opportunity to sympathize and identify with the sidekick, to understand why they're making bad decisions, and to root for them to turn it around and be good. Give them plenty of opportunities to be good-- both minor incidents that show them as kind, loyal, or idealistic (which they can take) and also opportunities to abandon the path of villainy (which they mostly don't take). If you're in the sidekick's head in any way, let them be an unreliable narrator justifying their actions. The audience will buy into this as long as you can make any connection between the sidekick and the evil events seem circumstantial.

Then you've got plenty of foreshadowing, consistent behavior on the part of the sidekick that isn't necessarily sociopathic, and good character development that helps the audience to care about the sidekick and the relationship between the hero and villain before the reveal.

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: Re: How do I write a compelling villain-all-along twist? I have in mind a character who is the protagonist's trusted ally throughout the story, but it is revealed at the end that he was the primary

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: I would say 3 but do the guide for pronunciation in a way that works in the story. For example, in Harry Potter, Rowling became aware that fans were having a difficult time pronouncing

: You dress the women however you like, and have them take whatever role they wish in their life. You pay them the same (or more) than their male counterparts for equal work, and most importantly,

: Where to find primary sources for getting into historical character? (voicing) What sites, libraries, or other organizations have strong, easy-to-browse collections of letters, diaries, and other

: How to organize ideas to start writing a novel? Beginner here. So, I have tons of ideas for a novel, and in fact I want to write one (even a series), but I'm struggling a lot in actually

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