{"id":3937,"date":"2014-11-06T10:28:20","date_gmt":"2014-11-06T18:28:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.smoothdraft.com\/?p=2250"},"modified":"2014-11-06T10:44:51","modified_gmt":"2014-11-06T18:44:51","slug":"nanowrimo-assess-your-villain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.emlynley.com\/blog\/nanowrimo-assess-your-villain\/","title":{"rendered":"#NaNoWriMo at the 10k mark \u2014 Assess your villain"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"nanocrest\"<\/a>It\u2019s November 6. Just past the 20% mark for the month.<\/h2>\n

How are you<\/em> doing?<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re getting in your 1667 words per day, you should have hit 10,000 words yesterday.<\/p>\n

Maybe you haven\u2019t quite gotten there. I give you a huge congratulations if you have written anything!<\/p>\n

For some of you, this may be the first time you\u2019ve gotten a lot of words down in a concerted effort. For others this is old hat.<\/p>\n

\"tenk_earned\"<\/a>Let\u2019s take a step back and see what we\u2019ve written and what we\u2019re planning over the next few days.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

How Bad is Your Big Bad?<\/h1>\n

For a story to keep readers reading, it needs a constant level of tension, conflict or worry. What\u2019s going to happen? Will the hero avoid disaster? Will he achieve his goal? Will the right two people get together?<\/p>\n

If your story doesn\u2019t have you excited to write what\u2019s next, chances are the reader isn\u2019t going to be on the edge of his seat to turn the page (or screen) either.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at the villain or opponent.<\/p>\n

\nIf he\/she\/it isn\u2019t a big enough concern, then let\u2019s find a way to make it bigger and badder.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

4 Elements Every Opponent MUST Have<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n

\"scared\"It has to be bigger and badder than your hero.<\/h3>\n

The hero and the reader should constantly be afraid of this opponent. If not, then there\u2019s not much tension. Of course, readers are going to know your hero wins in the end, but you need to make that hero work for that win.\n<\/p>\n

The opponent must hurt the hero or someone\/something he loves<\/h3>\n

The opponent has to make his life hell in the meantime. Whether it\u2019s physical pain or emotional pain, the opponent must have the power to inflict it and you must show this in the story. The pain or damage must escalate up to the final battle\/conflict scene where it\u2019s do or die.<\/p>\n

The stakes must be high<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n

\nIf your hero\u2019s goal is wimpy, the reader isn\u2019t going to be engaged while he fights for it. Make sure the consequences of not getting the goal or high.<\/p>\n

Death should be a real and overwhelming possibility. Whether it\u2019s physical or emotional death, make it seem real to the characters and the reader.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The opponent must believe he is right or justified in his pursuit of the goal or hero<\/h3>\n

Unless you\u2019re writing a James Bond novel, the opponent has to have a goal that can be justified to the point where the reader might believe it too. Making your opponent some psycho with no reason for his behavior isn\u2019t something the reader can get behind and feel some inner conflict.<\/p>\n

Of course, you don\u2019t want the reader on the villain\u2019s side, but if the villain\u2019s goal is so outrageous, your reader is not going to necessarily believe the worst will actually happen. Give the opponent a goal and an appropriate motivation.<\/p>\n

Now take a look at what you\u2019ve written and what you\u2019ve got planned for future scenes. Take a look at your character sheets, including your opponent sheet. (If you don\u2019t have an opponent sheet, make one today!)<\/p>\n

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Don\u2019t forget, you can download my free story and character planning worksheets<\/a>, invaluable for creating rich, layered characters and conflicts.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

Ask yourself these questions:<\/h2>\n

\"sad-writer\"<\/a>What are the stakes here? What kind of death does that opponent threaten? Loss of a loved one, a job, his own death, a planet dies or explodes\u2026<\/h3>\n

You get the idea. If your hero isn\u2019t concerned about some type of death, find something to scare him with. Right now. Write it on a Post-it.<\/p>\n