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Antagonist, Author, Character Development, Villain, Writing, Writing class

The Villain- Part 2

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Aspects- The writer should make the hero with character vulnerability and we should feel empathy/sympathy for them.  We need to connect on an emotional level so when the villain shows up we feel for the hero.  This draws interest to the protagonist.

By giving the protagonist danger and situations it helps us relate to them. Give them barriers, detours, step backs- just don’t make it easy for them.  The story does not have to have a happy resolution but it needs to be solved.

Do the following exercise for the villain you have in your story.

Writing Exercises for Part Two: Building Villains

1-Create a character who is an Antagonist, and explain why he or she fulfills that function.

2-Create a character who is an Influence Character, and explain why he or she fulfills that function.

3-Create a character and describe how you would make him or her the Second Most Central Character.

4-Create a character who is a Bad Guy and describe why.

5-Create a classic Villain type, and describe ow he or she is possesses of all four essential qualities of a Villain.

6-Turn this Villain character you have created into a non-villainous person, while maintaining his dramatic function as a Villain.

How to Create a Credible Villain in Fiction

Make your villain three-dimensional. Give the villain a back story or tell a part of the storm from his POV. You want the readers to get a clear picture of the villain and his evil nature.
Consider his motive. Fiction readers are not going to believe a villain who has no clear motive for his actions.  His motive can be something from his past or a conflict that arose between him and the hero.
Write the villain around his possible psychological profile. For example, if you want to make him a sociopath, give him characteristics that fit in with this depiction.

By doing this, your villain should be able to help your hero move the story along.

Author, Lissette. E. Manning, Review, Short Story, Writing

“Broken” by Lissette E. Manning

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“Broken” by Lissette E. Manning

“Broken” is a short story based on a woman who is going through turmoil. Readers dive into this story learning about her troubles early on. The words this author uses makes us envision what is going on, an excellent example of show and not tell. It being a short story one has to compact a beginning, middle and ending quickly and effectively. This author succeeded. We learn of the main character that is broken in so many ways with a miscarriage, failed marriage and so on. But we also learn she is a strong woman who can recover and can make it. A short but powerful read.

Available for purchase soon via the following retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords

Author, Book, Electronic, Electronic submission, Publishers, Writer

Submitting my book electronically

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Time: 3:30pm

Date: 2.16.2012

Task: Press send

This was the day I submitted my first electronic submission. I had everything lined up. The synopsis, cover letter, query letter and edited MS for two of my books were ready to go. I lined up the publishing houses that seemed compatible. It had taken me months to get this all straighten out. The hard part was done. I thought wrong.

I opened up my email and got the right address in place. The subject line that was required was listed. In the body of the letter I placed the necessary information that this particular publishing editor wanted.

There I was done, all I had to do was press send. That is when I stopped cold. I just stared at that button, wondering why I could not press it. Time was ticking away as I mulled in my mind what the problem was. A simple process to do right? I had done all the leg work. This was supposed to be the easy part.

So after ten minutes why was the email still sitting in front of me? I knew once I sent that email I could not reach in and grab it back. It would be official and there was nothing I could do about it. I froze. The easiest part of this whole process and I just froze.

Getting up from my desk I walked around my office trying to knock some sense into me as I contemplated my goals. This was what I had been working on for the last two years. Yet here I was scared as hell to send my first electronic submission.

Finally I sat back down, closed my eyes and pressed send. While I felt a chill run down my spine at this I still felt nervous as heck. The second submission by email would be easier I thought. Again I was wrong. Setting up the second email and placing what was required I stared at the button again. It did not take me as long this time around but it was not easy either.

My body was in a cold sweat and I had goosebumps on my arms. You would have thought I had climbed the highest mountain instead of sending two emails.

The day ending with a grand total of four submissions being processed. I am hoping it gets easier and feel it will. For now my written word is out there for people to look at and decide yes or nay. There is no turning back.

I am proud of myself for getting to this point and step, even if it meant drinking two Cokes in a row for it to occur.