Writing Excuses 7.29: The Villain Problem

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Writing Excuses 7.29: The Villain Problem

From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2012/07/15/writing-excuses-7-29-the-villain-problem/

Key points: the villain problem, a.k.a. the hero problem, happens when heroes are just reacting, and villains steal the show. Make sure your hero has a clear goal! Make your hero passionate about something. Let your hero have internal conflicts, and struggle. A bit of darkness, a fatal flaw? Heroes need their own goals and motivation, their own plan. Make them proactive, too. Look for the call to action, and let your hero step up to it. Don't forget the character arc, traits that the hero can develop. Make the hero competent in something. Let your hero make smart decisions, and fail because of things they could not have planned for or overcome. A sense of humor can help. Make sure your hero has a life outside the conflict. Ask yourself, "What does the hero want?" Make sure the answer is more than just beating the bad guy.
( Mwahahahaha! )

[Brandon] All right. Did we have a writing prompt buried in there somewhere?
[Mary] That sounded like it was a writing prompt. I can refine that into a writing prompt.
[Brandon] Okay.
[Howard] Mary, please.
[Mary] So, for your writing prompt, what I want you to do is, take a hero and give him a hobby, and give him a something that he loves, that is a living thing.
[Brandon] Okay. And then put those in jeopardy unexpectedly. This has been Writing Excuses. You're out of excuses, now go write.