Every story needs a good villain, right? Well, to be more accurate, every good story needs an antagonist. Why? It's simple. Without some sort of conflict, your story isn't even a story. Conflict is integral to a plot, and to have conflict, one must have an opposing force-- hence the need for an antagonist. Or is it villain? The difference between the two might not seem that great in some novels, but in others, it makes a world of difference. Understanding what your novel needs is key to a successful plotline. So what makes the two different?

Villains vs Antagonists.
Villain-- a villain is a character whose evil motives and actions are integral to the plot. They are quite literally bad guys.

Antagonist-- these are the characters (or elements) that are in opposition to the protagonist (the character we're all rooting for). These adversary forces may not necessarily be evil, and they may not even be living.

That said, those two classifications can be broken down even further into various types of villains and antagonists. With so much emphasis placed on other parts of the story, it may seem like a non-priority to figure out what type of antagonist you have-- isn't it enough to develop their character? It is certainly important to develop your characters (including your antagonist), but here's why it's a great idea to consider what type your antagonist is and even consider writing different types of antagonists.

1. Allows for a more intricate story. We all love a tale with twists and turns, and one way to create a more intricate story is by crafting an antagonist that suits the book. Not every book needs a mega-villain. Sometimes to have the most powerful opposition for your character, you need to think about something subtler. It all depends on the story you're writing, and realizing that each story is going to be different (down to the antagonist!) is one of the first steps to a well-plotted book.
2. Villains are multi-dimensional too. You've gone down the rabbit hole getting to know your main character-- character sheets, personality, their childhood quirks. But if your antagonist is human (or at least alive) don't forget that they're also worth getting to know. People aren't born simply good or evil, so figure out the facets that make your antagonist unique and real.
3. Different antagonists arise for different problems. Going off of our last point-- different antagonists will appear for different problems the main character might face. Is your antagonist a true-to-life one for the situation? Do their reactions and actions make sense for the goals they have? Some stories will call for schoolyard bullies, some shady assassins, and still others may require a brazen wolf or a whole regiment in a war.
4. It gives the chance for multiple antagonists at once. When you start considering your novel's antagonists, you may realize that there is room for more than just one-- and the more opposition your main character has, the more you can flesh out the story. For instance, perhaps you are writing a book about a genius teen who has been recruited by the government to do some nighttime spying and hacking. The obvious antagonist might be the enemy agents, or the sketchy organization they're hacking into. But think of the possibilities that arise when you broaden your horizon for antagonistic characters/elements. What if there was an ill-tempered neighborhood watchdog type individual who gets suspicious when they see the main character sneaking around at night? What about their brother home from college who happens to be an antigovernmental conspiracy theorist and overly protective? What about the main character's own brash personality that continually gets them in scrapes? Once you begin, you'll find that there are layers upon layers to be found when you dig a little deeper into the antagonists of the story.
5. Draws the reader in to be invested in the villain's story too. The best stories have characters we are invested in. This doesn't mean your reader has to like them, per se, but they've got to be characters people will want to keep reading about. This doesn't just apply to main characters, or side characters, or romantic interests. Your villain/antagonist has to have a draw too, and understanding what type of antagonist they are will help you pin point their motives and write them with more relatability. Your readers should wonder what their backstory is, or even understand their motives or see their side of things. If it's an abstract antagonist, there should still be something to get invested in. Say your antagonist is the main character's disease. It's easy to just write it as something that is happening to the character and fall back on more tangible antagonists, but if you stop and think the disease itself can be one of the biggest antagonists of all. Perhaps the disease is keeping them from continuing as a pilot-- their biggest dream. Perhaps it's causing rifts between family and friends, or their medical bills are piling up. Perhaps they're coming to the end of their rope because it seems there is no cure. Suddenly the sickness is more than just something happening to the character that's unpleasant. It's causing real issues, real obstacles that the character must overcome on their path to defeat this abstract antagonist. This sort of understanding of your antagonist is what will draw the reader in.

​
So now you're ready to start thinking more about your antagonists, but where do you start? To help you out, we've compiled a master list of antagonists, complete with overviews on each type!

Human antagonists Now onto Human antagonists. Villains, you say. Yes, true villains do fall under this category. However, even within the realm of human antagonists there is lots of room for variation.

1. All-out Villains These are your true villains, but we can break this down even farther.
   1. Mastermind Your mastermind villain is you evil genius, the powerful brains behind all the villainy going on. They have a plan that they are going to go to all costs to execute, and if your protagonist is in the way of that plan, well... things don't look too good for them.
   2. Corrupted The corrupted villain is your antagonist who has gone wrong, usually because of outside sources. They often think that they are doing the right thing, because their sense of right and wrong has been distorted. Corrupt politicians are an obvious example of this trope.
   3. Disturbed A disturbed villain is an antagonist who is evil primarily because of a psychological condition. This could be the repercussions of trauma or a mental condition with which they were born. It is important to note when writing disturbed villains that just because your character has a certain psychological condition it does not necessarily make them good or bad. However, psychological conditions can potentially be the root of their actions. In order to write a disturbed villain, proper research must be done so you can write correctly, but it is worth it if you want to portray your antagonist realistically.
      
   4. True Evil True evil villains are characters that are simply wicked, without any redeeming qualities. They live to be bad and they just do not care. While this type of villain can be convenient to write, though, you must take extra precaution with true evil villains not to fall into cliches and worn out tropes. A villain can be a true evil without looking like every other villain out there, and perhaps the most important thing to remember of all-- even true evil villains must have a motive beyond "I just want to oppose the protagonist and be a horrible villain".
2. The mirror/equal The mirror villain (also known as the equal villain), is an interesting one to consider. You will often find mirror villains in superhero stories but they can definitely apply to other types of books as well. Simply put, a mirror villain is a villain who is of equal level with the protagonist, and in many ways their exact opposite. For instance, perhaps your protagonist is a young government official in a newly formed democratic. The mirror villain antagonist could be another official in the same sphere of government who still stands for the old dictatorship and wants to bring it back with themselves as the head. The antagonist and protagonist are equal in rank, position, and opportunity. But their goals are very different. Often times, their strengths and weaknesses will also be mirroring each other. (Continuing with the previous example: the protagonist struggles to make speeches or connect with the people while the antagonist is a social butterfly, but the protagonist also has a drive to seek out the truth and the antagonist is prone to sweeping things under the carpet).
3. Authority On to antagonists that may not even technically be villains: First up, we have the authority. While this will be different in every book (it could be a governor, the law enforcement, a teacher, a parent, or even a board of directors), another thing that will be different based on the story itself is whether they are actually a "bad guy". It is highly possible that your story may involve a corrupted authority, or even authority who just isn't looking out for the protagonist's best interests, but remember, just because they are opposing the protagonist does not necessarily mean they are in the wrong.
4. Anyone who happens to be against the protagonist's' goal (whatever the reason). The above point brings me to this next one-- an antagonist can be anyone who just happens to be against the protagonist's goal, for whatever reason. This could be another contestant in a competition, or a mom who doesn't want her kid keeping the stray dog they found, or the next door restaurant owner who wants to do better business than the pizza place next to them.
5. Ally turned antagonist An ally turned antagonist is a situation riddled with opportunity, and it can also be one of the most heartbreaking tropes if done correctly. The story could start with the ally already as an antagonist (but with a lot of history prior the book), or the story could document the change that takes place as the antagonist steps into that role. Either way, be sure your reasons for this type of antagonist are solid, because this one hits very close to home for your character and can't be based on nothing.
6. Everyday "bad guy" This everyday "bad guy" is the same type of character you might meet in your own neighborhood or supermarket. He's probably not actually a bad guy (he definitely is not a villain), but he's just really annoying, or always up against your protagonist in some way. Doesn't that guy have a life beyond making your main character miserable? Well before you write a flat everyday bad guy, just remember that yes, they do have a life beyond making your main character miserable. While you may find the rare occasion where an antagonist of this type finds joy in making others unhappy, most of the time they actually just have an agenda of their own. Fleshing that out can add depth to your story so you can write you antagonist with the understanding they deserve.
7. Anti-Villain The anti-villain is a huge subtopic that really could use an entire post to itself, but for simplicity's sake here, an anti-villain is a character whose goals seem to be heroic and their personality may have many virtues but in the end, they still use evil to get the results they want. This is one of the most complex antagonists out there not only to write but to read, as they draw sympathy, regret, and more from the reader.
8. Bullies Bullies are so commonplace that they often don't get antagonist status, but most of the time that's exactly what they are. Bullies also are not just confined to youth, either. You can find bullies in the office, at sporting events, and even at church. They may not be evil, but they certainly are mean, and they can make life for the protagonist (and the ability to reach their goals) that much more difficult.
9. Criminals If you write who-dunnits or cop stories, you already know criminals as the antagonist. But they can be very plausible antagonists in other genres as well. It's pretty self explanatory why a criminal would be an antagonist, but you can of course step out of the box with this as well-- perhaps the criminal is the antagonist because it's your main character's guardian and they don't want to live a life of crime. Or perhaps one criminal is the antagonist in the story and another is the protagonist. As with any type of character, looking at things from various angles can provide some unique ideas.
10. Henchmen/underling villains Finally we have henchmen, aka underling villains. These are the characters who are out and about doing the bidding of the "boss" antagonist, but occasionally, your protagonist may not ever have a personal run-up against the boss, so the true antagonist would be the henchman. Again, this could certainly be a mastermind villain and minions type scenario, or it could be something as subtle as the secretary of a crooked tech conglomerate.

​

So there you have it-- a master list of all things antagonist. Not only can you use this as a reference, but perhaps it will help as a springboard for new ideas. Have we missed any of your favorites? Let us know in the comments what kind of antagonist your book has and let's discuss all things character.

Stay Fearless! 

When you're right in the middle of a project, it's easy for it to become a long stretch of struggles. Whether it's just feeling those mid-way blues, fighting that burnt-out writer's block, (Check out our post on that!) or just having a hard time staying motivated to keep going, the middle can be a difficult place to get through. Here at Fearless Type, though, we believe in you, and that's why we're here with our top ten ways to stay motivated when writing!

1. Set smaller, stepping stone goals. It's easy to feel really overwhelmed when looking at the big picture. If you've committed to writing a novel in a month, or a word-count goal of 25k in two weeks, you know how quickly that goal and deadline can start to loom over you. Sometimes, the daily word count isn't even much better-- if you're looking at a number like 5k or even 2k for the day, it can suck the enthusiasm right out of you before you even start. Don't let the numbers change your outlook, though! Break up your goal into smaller, bite sized, stepping stone goals. Writing 5k in a day might seem like a lot, but writing 250 words is easy. If you can commit to writing 250-- then commit again, and again, you'll find you reach your goal before you know it. We talk about this some in our post on how to get through a 10k Day-- be sure to check it out! 
2. Use writing tactics you enjoy. There are so many different tricks and tools out there for writing. It's important to find the ones you enjoy and then actually utilize them. If you aren't a fan of word wars or using apps like Write or Die stresses you out, then don't feel pressured to use them just because they work great for some people. Instead, think about what actually helps you get in the flow and what tools you've found helps you smash the wordcount. Do you enjoy the imagination of word crawls? Do you find that you just need to use apps like Forest to turn off your phone and help promote a deep focus? Do you need to include friends on social media in your process by asking them for prompts or word count goals? Whatever it is you know works for you, do that, and don't worry if it's not what everyone else is doing.
3. Share your goals on social media or with a friend. If you want to get others involved and cheering you on your way, you can share your goals on social media or with a friend. By going public with your commitments, it can help you stay motivated to show up and achieve your goals, and you also have that accountability if you're putting your work off.
4. Plan a reward for each small goal, and then a bigger one for the ultimate goal. Planning positive rewards for each goal you reach is a good way to keep your brain happy and eager to keep going. You can have a daily goal reward and then a larger one for the entire project, or you can even break it up to reward smaller wordcounts throughout the day. Maybe you get a piece of chocolate every 1k words, or maybe you get to watch an episode of your favorite show or make a single-serving cupcake at the end of a successful day. These are just little perks to incentivize your work, and can lead up to the final reward-- perhaps something like a new coffee mug, a few books, or some writer merch you've been eyeing.
5. Go over some mantras. Creating mantras are an easy way to instantly give yourself a boost of encouragement and help your brain start working in a positive way. You can even write these and place them around your writing space to keep you motivated as you go.
6. Self-encouragement. Take a look at what you are telling yourself. If it's harsh or negative, it's got to go! Be kind to yourself and make sure the words you are speaking about yourself whether that's aloud or just in your head, are positive and encouraging. You lack of motivation will just increase if you are beating yourself up about things, but if you flip the script and begin encouraging yourself, you'll probably find that you're that much more likely to feel motivated to write! Consider how you would talk to a writer friend, and then give yourself the same courtesy.
7. Create habit chains. This is something that has to be built on, but if you make a commitment to a daily habit, it gets harder to break it the longer you go. Get a calendar and hang it up, or have a piece of paper where you log your streak of wins. Then keep it visible and in your writing space. The more success you see, the more motivated you will be to keep that going and not break the chain. Whether this is a daily word count, simply writing something everyday, a chapter written, or a certain amount of time you spend every day on your book, habit chains are a great way to get you motivated and in good patterns.
8. Have a distraction notebook nearby. If you find that one reason your motivation wanes is because you get distracted easily, consider having a distraction notebook on hand. Every time a thought pops into your head that feels like it's pulling you from your project, write it down in the notebook. At the end of your work time or during a break, you will have the chance to review what you've written and see if any of those things still interest you enough to pursue. Doing this not only helps you stay focused when you need to, but it also helps your motivation stay strong by giving yourself permission to look at those distracting things later. Just saying "ignore it" can easily be a motivation killer because it feels restricting, so by promising yourself that you can chase those distractions-- just later-- can help you stay on track.
9. Stay organized. A messy writing space is not only distracting but it can also negatively impact both your brain and your writing. The clutter will begin to extend into mental clutter, and before long, you'll find yourself distracted, tired, and unmotivated. Staying organized doesn't have to be an ordeal, either. Simply tidying up for a few minutes before and after each writing session is usually all you need, and having a place for everything to belong (like pens, notebooks, snacks, and more) will help keep things in order. 
10. Just start. At the end of the day, sometimes the best way to beat that feeling of no motivation is to just sit down and start moving those fingers on that keyboard. While it might feel like a grind at first, the more you go, the easier it gets. Isaac Newton was right-- a thing in motion stays in motion. It's a lot easier to keep going if you actually begin.

So there you have it! Our top ten ways to stay motivated and stay writing! Do you have any tips or tricks that keep you motivated? Why don't you share them in the comments below!

Stay Fearless!

Ten. Thousand. Words.


One. Day.

It sounds crazy, maybe even impossible to a lot of people. The truth is, while it does take a lot of dedication and resolve, it can be an extremely rewarding experience, and many writers love their 10k writing days.


Should YOU do a 10k Writing Day?

That said, it can sound intimidating, and you might question whether it's a right fit for you. We have 5 good reasons why it might actually be a great idea for you to try.

1. It helps you get a LOT of writing done. Whether you're on a deadline or you just want to finish your project, committing to a 10k writing day can help you crush the word count goals. While you may end up throwing some of those words out eventually during the editing process, that's bound to happen anyway no matter how quickly you write, so why not go for 10k and reach some insane word count goals?
2. It's extremely motivational. While it is definitely tiring to write so much in one day, it's also exhilarating to see the story moving along beneath your very eyes. When you complete the goal, you'll find yourself farther along in your story and proud of your accomplishments. This rush of positive feelings often fuels the motivation to keep going even on the days after your 10k writing day.
3. Writing fast will help you banish your inner critic. Why? Because you absolutely have to. If you don't abolish your inner critic from the beginning, you just won't get far. Since you have that commitment to 10k, there's no choice but to put the inner critic away so you can really get down to writing, and when you banish your inner critic, your writing will flow much easier. We have a whole post on how to banish your inner critic, LINK in case you want all the tips and tricks, and we also talk about why it's so important and so beneficial to your first draft writing.
4. It creates a "have to" focus day. When you have a large word count goal (like 50k), it's crucial to break it up into smaller pieces if you want to actually get any progress. Not only are large word count goals overwhelming, but it can be hard to focus on the day to day without any structure. If you create a day where you decide you WILL reach your goal, you're forced to focus on that smaller goal and more likely to actually accomplish a lot.
5. It gives you the chance to make a large goal exciting. Especially if you're behind and looking at thousands of words you need to make up to reach a larger goal, setting aside a day to do something that almost feels insane can be extremely exciting, which in turn is motivational. By saying you will take the time to make an overwhelming goal a fun challenge creates a positive environment that feels like an exciting goal rather than trying to catch up from "failure". 

​
So maybe now you're excited to do a 10k, but you have no idea how to do it in order to win? We have all the tips and tricks for you! ​