: Re: Compelling story with the world as a villain My main character is up against the world, or, rather, the world and reality are up against her. A good story is in some ways defined by its

@Annie587

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Not sure what your context is, so I'll help you out with some theory:

When we think about the 'villain' or 'opposition' in a story, we should ask ourselves, is the force of opposition personified, present and active?. It doesn't always have to be giant robot or a serial killer, but readers need something to root against. This means that vague threats, generalised evil or unspecified possible disaster events don't really cut it. The danger needs to be specific, and wired to a ticking clock.

That's the way you engage a reader. Make them invested in the protagonist's struggle by making the obstacle clear .

I think, in most cases where the writer thinks the 'world' is the villain, it's not actually - and if it is, the story won't be particularly enagaging. I would wager that specific elements of your the 'world', influenced as they are by its corrupt state, are your protagonist's true opposition. Find out how this is personified and turn it into an actual, tangible barrier.

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