WEBVTT 1 00:00:06.990 --> 00:00:14.630 Tom Wilde: Okay, and we are live. Welcome, everybody great to have you with us. 2 00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:21.169 Tom Wilde: My name is Tom Wild. I'm the head of the partnerships team at pro writing A, and today I'm standing in 3 00:00:21.460 --> 00:00:31.740 Tom Wilde: for one of our fancy writers week sessions. I'm going to be introducing our guests in a few moments. Thank you for joining us for the start of day. 2. Really exciting. 4 00:00:31.840 --> 00:00:33.170 Tom Wilde: We've got another 5 00:00:33.250 --> 00:01:02.909 Tom Wilde: awesome session for you right now. This one is about writing compelling fantasy antagonists. So we're gonna be looking at how to create multi dimensional villains. I say, we actually, it's gonna be Dana Pitman who's our guest for today, and I'll introduce you, Dana, in a few moments, and I can see many of you know the drill already, because you're already adding your names, and where you're joining from, which is exactly what I was. Gonna ask you to do next. It's always good. While the last few people are joining in. I can never keep up. 6 00:01:03.450 --> 00:01:26.599 Tom Wilde: But I've gotta say how lovely it is to see what everybody's joining from. And, Maria, you were first from a rainy Missouri, and it makes you feel somewhat more at home because it's also rainy where I am in the Uk. In Brighton, on the south coast today I can see Alec Alexandra even shares my surname. She's from the Uk. And she says my surname, that's very freaky 7 00:01:26.923 --> 00:01:39.530 Tom Wilde: and we've got people from Nashville, more from tennis. Yeah, and from Knoxville, Ohio, Perth, and welcome from Australia, and sort of figure out what time it must be. It's gotta be like 4 am. In Australia, right? 8 00:01:39.810 --> 00:01:41.909 Dana Pittman: Yeah, they're in our future always. 9 00:01:41.910 --> 00:01:43.090 Tom Wilde: Yeah, exactly. 10 00:01:43.700 --> 00:01:48.219 Tom Wilde: Hi, Mary, from West Yorkshire. We've got coffee cools in Tokyo. 11 00:01:48.240 --> 00:02:01.510 Tom Wilde: Awesome. What an amazing amazing array of destinations! I hope you're in some truly inspiring writing locations, too. I'm sure you are okay. 12 00:02:01.520 --> 00:02:14.840 Tom Wilde: I think we're we're probably need, though I can see people still trickling in so I'm gonna get started. And we're gonna go through a few housekeeping items first of all. And to do that, I'm just gonna share my screen. 13 00:02:14.900 --> 00:02:24.400 Tom Wilde: So you can see what I'm taking you through. And hopefully you can all see that. Let's just run through for those of you who are new to 14 00:02:24.580 --> 00:02:54.290 Tom Wilde: fancy writers Week or any of our writers. Weeks. This will be extremely useful, but it's also good reminder for others here as well. So we're going to be starting our session just in a few moments, but just to run through a few housekeeping notes first of all, so accessing replays, do you? Replays are going to be added to the Hub page once they've been processed by zoom. That does take a little bit of time, so don't worry. They will be there. Just be patient, please, and you will get access to those in due course. They'll be available 15 00:02:54.290 --> 00:03:12.700 Tom Wilde: on the community page for all members to view. By May the third at the latest. Okay, so they will be there, and I'm sure, assuming you're all members of the community. But if not, it's free to join, and you'll get all the links there on premium day. So that is Monday to Thursday of this week 16 00:03:13.242 --> 00:03:33.539 Tom Wilde: set. Sorry Monday to Thursday. Sessions are free for everybody, and then on premium day, which is Friday, is limited to premium and premium pro users. So free users, you can upgrade your account by Friday morning to gain access and premium and premium pro users. You will receive an email 17 00:03:33.700 --> 00:03:40.990 Tom Wilde: Friday morning with all of the instructions for attending that day's live sessions. And for viewing the replays. 18 00:03:41.190 --> 00:03:42.120 Tom Wilde: Okay. 19 00:03:43.030 --> 00:04:01.340 Tom Wilde: obviously, we want to encourage you all to subscribe to premium and premium pro. There are some great benefits to be had there, because you'll be unlocking some really powerful tools for authors. So you've got advanced suggestions. You've got specific author comparisons. You've got integrations for Scribner. 20 00:04:01.340 --> 00:04:18.360 Tom Wilde: the word, and hundreds more platforms and tools. You'll also be able to access some of our AI enriched features, such as rephrase sparks, and our latest, which is our critique report. It's an awesome one that critiques up to 4,000 words at a time. 21 00:04:18.750 --> 00:04:21.400 Tom Wilde: You can improve entire chapters, get in depth. 22 00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:28.280 Tom Wilde: Genre specific reports, unlimited word counts and curate your editing experience with things like snippets 23 00:04:28.715 --> 00:04:34.760 Tom Wilde: creating custom, star guide rules, dictionaries, and so on. Now the offer ends on May the tenth. 24 00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:39.970 Tom Wilde: Okay, so find out more details about that on Fantasy week, Hub. 25 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:58.470 Tom Wilde: And if you want to keep talking, fancy again, join our community free to join, and you can use your pro writing aid login. You can keep talking with other fancy fans. You can start conversations. You can keep up to date with more of our writing events as well, and you'll see a link there. I will be posting all of these links 26 00:04:58.640 --> 00:05:02.309 Tom Wilde: in chat towards the end of the session. 2. 27 00:05:02.710 --> 00:05:09.050 Tom Wilde: Okay? And then the reminders. So this is really useful housekeeping. Few reminders for today's session. 28 00:05:09.440 --> 00:05:35.230 Tom Wilde: Please use the QA. Box, so we will have like. So Dana will have a QA. Session at the end of her talk, and we would love you to post your questions in QA. Rather than in chat, because we tend to lose them if they're in chat. So chat as the name suggests is for chat with other viewers, and we love to see all the back channel conversations going out, guys helping each other with questions and answers as it goes along. 29 00:05:35.230 --> 00:05:55.380 Tom Wilde: So chats for chat. QA. For questions and answers links to other offers from our speakers will be available on the fancy writers. Week hub and in our participants guide as well. But I think we're gonna be posting a couple of relevant links as well. Just about the time get started and we'll follow those up at the end, too. 30 00:05:55.530 --> 00:06:00.480 Tom Wilde: And that's it. Okay, I'm going to close this stop sharing my screen. 31 00:06:00.520 --> 00:06:03.440 Tom Wilde: I'm going to do a quick intro to Dana. 32 00:06:03.550 --> 00:06:09.319 Tom Wilde: and we will begin. And I can see, yeah, it looks like pretty much everybody's here now. So 33 00:06:09.460 --> 00:06:27.699 Tom Wilde: today I'm delighted to be joined by Dana Pitman. Dana is a U.S.A. Today and Amazon best selling romance and paranormal romance author. She's a develop certified developmental editor and the chief storyteller with Dana Ta danger tales nearly got that wrong. 34 00:06:27.700 --> 00:06:49.020 Tom Wilde: Dana again, a boutique romance, development tool editing company in Houston, Texas, Dana specializes in romance, paranormal romance, fantasy, suspense, and thrillers and plotting and should love to chat with you about your novel. You can learn more at Danger Talescom, which I'm posting right now 35 00:06:49.390 --> 00:06:56.380 Tom Wilde: in the chat, and I'm also going to post once we get started. In fact, I'll do it now. A link 36 00:06:56.640 --> 00:06:58.110 Tom Wilde: to 37 00:06:59.633 --> 00:07:04.230 Tom Wilde: special page that Dana set up for today. Okay, there we go, Dana. 38 00:07:04.390 --> 00:07:08.169 Tom Wilde: Great to have you with us. Thank you for joining us over to you. 39 00:07:11.330 --> 00:07:33.610 Dana Pittman: Awesome. So I'm gonna post those links again for you guys. So make sure it's in everyone. So first of all, before we get started. I'd love to know where you are in the process. If you are thinking about your story. If you are writing your story, if you are editing your story. If you are publishing your story, let us know in the chat. 40 00:07:34.005 --> 00:07:59.829 Dana Pittman: As always, this is always a wonderful time. To join you guys here at pro writing Aids. So we're gonna get started because we have a bull presentation. I left plenty of time for questions. Okay, we are drafting first fantasy novel. I'd love to know if there's any sub niches that you are in, like romance or epic. Anything like that that'd be also 41 00:07:59.830 --> 00:08:04.899 Dana Pittman: really cool to know. And what I'm gonna do is I'm going to 42 00:08:05.520 --> 00:08:07.060 Dana Pittman: start 43 00:08:07.780 --> 00:08:12.260 Dana Pittman: my presentation, I believe, and we're gonna get started 44 00:08:12.780 --> 00:08:19.629 Dana Pittman: awesome. And I love seeing that we have such a great mix. So let me go ahead and share 45 00:08:19.690 --> 00:08:28.650 Dana Pittman: my screen. And then I'm gonna start and we are going to get started awesome. You, you all should be able to see that. 46 00:08:29.610 --> 00:08:54.450 Dana Pittman: So as we get into this, I'll give you the official introduction. But today is all about writing, compelling antagonist, and I'll let you guys know that as I go through this I will be using villains and antagonists interchangeably. I'm gonna let you know right now, and if y'all see, villain, Miss Bail, y'all get that one for free. But we're going to dive in, and I think this is so dope to be able to talk about antagonists 47 00:08:54.450 --> 00:09:12.659 Dana Pittman: this year last year, if you watched the presentation that I gave, or if you go back and look at the replay, because I think it's available for pro members. You will see that I talked about compelling main characters as well as world building. And so now we're going to talk about antagonists. So let's go ahead and dive in 48 00:09:12.660 --> 00:09:20.559 Dana Pittman: our goal, for this session is to really think about creating unforgettable villains, unforgettable villains. 49 00:09:20.560 --> 00:09:28.560 Dana Pittman: I saw this quote, and I thought it was perfectly set for what we're talking about. Every billing is a hero in their own mind. 50 00:09:28.560 --> 00:09:43.780 Dana Pittman: and I think one of the things that I have found with clients is that heroes are kind of like a second rate, you know, citizen, in all of this. But when you get through this presentation. I hope you see how instrumental they are to not just 51 00:09:43.780 --> 00:09:59.777 Dana Pittman: building a character, but to the story, to the world building, and for the evolving and growth of your protagonist. And so during our time together, we want villains that are more than just email. Every time I see evil. I think about 52 00:10:00.200 --> 00:10:25.240 Dana Pittman: Austin Powers. I think I might be showing my age. We also want villains that will make us torn about rooting for them. If you have that sort of bill in. You know what I'm talking about. We also want villains that are fun to write. We listen. Anything that's gonna make writing easier is always a plus in my book. And ultimately we want villains that your readers can 53 00:10:25.240 --> 00:10:51.490 Dana Pittman: cannot forget. And but how do we do that? And that's what this presentation is all about. This is going to be very practical. I hope you have your paper, your PIN, and you're ready to get it in. So let's go ahead, and I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Dana Pitman. I am a U.S.A. Today, best-selling author. I'm a developmental editor, and I am the chief storyteller at danger tales. You will see here that I'm also a quilter. 54 00:10:51.810 --> 00:11:13.209 Dana Pittman: I'm a course creator. We have the addictive novel mentorship program over at Dana tells, as well as an inner circle and many workshops to help writers. No matter how it is that you decide to create your stories, our goal is ultimately that you create addictive novels because every story and voice matters, and that is very important to me. 55 00:11:13.210 --> 00:11:37.440 Dana Pittman: I have authored more than 60 books and multiple PIN names. After we finish the session, I'll be writing today. So I'm just like you. And this quest of having very memorable villains is really important to me as I do paranormal romance. I love a good whirlwift, shifter, but also in creating romance. And so this is applicable to any genre that you're writing. 56 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:40.230 Dana Pittman: But today we're going to just talk about some fantasy, too. 57 00:11:41.420 --> 00:11:42.230 Dana Pittman: Sup. 58 00:11:42.420 --> 00:11:44.850 Dana Pittman: All of this started because I had a pesky problem. 59 00:11:45.550 --> 00:12:08.619 Dana Pittman: I was watching this movie. It was called Law Abiding Citizen. Is it fantasy? No, however, this started my deep dive personally into villains. Even as a developmental editor. I see all types of villains, whether it's in fantasy or romance or romantic suspense. But this particular story really just rubbed me a different way, because 60 00:12:08.850 --> 00:12:21.169 Dana Pittman: at first I didn't know why. I just knew I was torn, and I love to study both books and movies. It just makes me a better writer and makes me a better editor, and when it hit me, why 61 00:12:21.370 --> 00:12:32.139 Dana Pittman: threw me off? I was really baffled and curious to learn more about villains and creating stories. Where in this story. 62 00:12:32.560 --> 00:12:34.370 Dana Pittman: I didn't know who to root for. 63 00:12:34.770 --> 00:12:38.199 Dana Pittman: and at first I thought that was really really bad. 64 00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:42.700 Dana Pittman: and then, as a writer, I thought, that is really really good. 65 00:12:43.510 --> 00:12:53.670 Dana Pittman: For a second I almost didn't know who was the protagonist who was the hero, because both of them had characteristics and traits that were both 66 00:12:53.730 --> 00:13:07.117 Dana Pittman: positive and negative pros and cons. They both did their dirty stuff. They both did their you know the the good things that they needed to do, and ultimately I'll share a little bit more about this later. 67 00:13:07.470 --> 00:13:30.650 Dana Pittman: Gerald Butler's character is trying to avenge the death of his daughter, and I think that's what made that rub for me of like, okay, it's okay to protect your family and to protect your children. But what links do you go to? And so, as I studied this story, it helped me to really think about villains in a different way. 68 00:13:30.650 --> 00:13:50.010 Dana Pittman: and I hope that you see the evidence of that here, and that you can find a way to to shift your perspective in your lens. Enough so that you give your villain and your antagonist equal treatment, and if not equal, a little bit more than what you did before, so that you make your story that much richer. 69 00:13:51.920 --> 00:14:14.319 Dana Pittman: So villains are not evil. They're just misunderstood heroes of their own stories, driven by motives obscured to us. And I love this because at some point my recommendation is always that you sit in the seat of your villain the moment you sit in the seat of your villain. Even if your story does not come 70 00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:22.500 Dana Pittman: from that character's point of view, you will have a richer experience as a writer and for your readers. 71 00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:27.310 Dana Pittman: So here's where we're going to go with this discussion today. 72 00:14:27.450 --> 00:14:51.279 Dana Pittman: it all starts with first defining, defining your the core motivations. And you're gonna find that this presentation for me is very, very practical. Because I want you to be able to write down these questions, write down these thoughts and go straight to your story, or let it be a part of your brainstorming process, and so. Yes, define your core. The core motivations for your billing. 73 00:14:51.370 --> 00:14:55.849 Dana Pittman: You're the second thing is to craft a detailed backstory. 74 00:14:55.970 --> 00:14:59.639 Dana Pittman: Third, we are going to talk about assigning amoral qualities. 75 00:14:59.870 --> 00:15:26.310 Dana Pittman: Fourth, we'll talk about establishing a connection to the protagonist, and the fifth thing is to integrate the antagonist and world building, and I will talk a little bit more about this later. You do not have to have all of these, but the more you have the better, and I find that the best antagonist or the best villains. That sort of latch onto your mind, and don't let you go. Have all of these qualities. Have all of these characteristics. 76 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:52.009 Dana Pittman: Now, before I get into Step one, I wanna do a reminder. If you have questions, don't forget to put them in the QA. If you are here at the live because that's where the questions will come from, and then we will do them all at the end. But for now we're going to jump in so step. One of creating memorable, unforgettable villains is to define their core motivations. 77 00:15:52.100 --> 00:16:09.310 Dana Pittman: And here you want to identify. But by the fundamental motivations driving your antagonist. The question that I like to ask myself here is, what personal experiences or fears could realistically drive someone to become an antagonist. 78 00:16:10.060 --> 00:16:16.150 Dana Pittman: What is a experience or fears that they had that caused them to be an antagonist. 79 00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:17.630 Dana Pittman: and for me 80 00:16:17.680 --> 00:16:37.550 Dana Pittman: I always think about it this way. No one wakes up and say, Dag on it. I'm going to be bad today. Now. Somebody probably is out here in the world, but we're just going to assume most of us, you know we're just doing our thing right. And so, if that was not the case, what caused him or her or them to be that way 81 00:16:37.620 --> 00:16:51.579 Dana Pittman: what led, and that? What were the series of events that caused them to end up at the place where now they're on the antagonistic side, or the antagonistic energy of your story. 82 00:16:51.780 --> 00:16:53.960 Dana Pittman: and the purpose of this 83 00:16:54.020 --> 00:17:10.449 Dana Pittman: is to ensure that the antagonist is believable and relatable. You know, one of the things that I find is this fine line, especially when you're doing fantasy is defining what level of that suspension of belief that you want your readers to have. 84 00:17:10.700 --> 00:17:20.899 Dana Pittman: But the more it is understandable to our minds, the more we can identify and relate. Even if 85 00:17:21.130 --> 00:17:23.630 Dana Pittman: that's not something we personally do. 86 00:17:24.490 --> 00:17:34.229 Dana Pittman: So. If they, we can relate to their reasoning and their their actions. Then that makes that character a little bit more. 3D. 87 00:17:34.250 --> 00:17:41.100 Dana Pittman: It makes them a little bit more understandable, and we can relate to them. So how do we do that? 88 00:17:41.350 --> 00:17:43.262 Dana Pittman: You can think about 89 00:17:44.370 --> 00:17:53.899 Dana Pittman: any of the basic human motivations, you know, fear, desire, ambition. How maybe, have they distorted them? 90 00:17:54.611 --> 00:18:11.899 Dana Pittman: You can identify some specific triggers. One of the things that I love to do as a writer is. I love to think about 2 to 3 times in their past that either affirmed or kind of drove in that fear 91 00:18:11.980 --> 00:18:21.900 Dana Pittman: that made them decide that this is the person that I am, whether it is a truth or a lie that they have adopted as a truth. 92 00:18:23.070 --> 00:18:29.830 Dana Pittman: and one of the practical things that you can do with this is to write that motivation out. 93 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:43.430 Dana Pittman: create a profile for them, and list those different motivations, the reasoning behind them, and how they affect the actions that the antagonist or that villain takes in your story. 94 00:18:43.690 --> 00:19:07.040 Dana Pittman: And I want to say this before we even get to the other steps that this applies whether you're a plotter or whether you are a pancer or a discovery writer, you can do these same things, even if it's just to have it in the front of your mind as you go into a particular scene of how that antagonistic energy shows up on the page, and in your story, and in that particular chapter. 95 00:19:07.820 --> 00:19:11.010 Dana Pittman: So the step one define those core motivations. 96 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:27.980 Dana Pittman: Every villain is a hero in their own mind, and this is from Tom. I don't want to butcher his last name, who plays Loki, but I think every time I see this particular quote, it helps me to remember that the villain is just a person 97 00:19:28.160 --> 00:19:57.270 Dana Pittman: who decided to maybe do something really bad that day, right? But he is just a person, and we all have our reasonings, justifications, whether valid or not, that we hold on to that causes us to think, speak, and behave a particular way, and as a writer, the closer you are to those, the more that you can stay true to that character's voice, and that you can also provide a real, a workout 98 00:19:57.560 --> 00:19:59.349 Dana Pittman: for your protagonists. 99 00:20:00.930 --> 00:20:02.100 Dana Pittman: Step 2 100 00:20:02.430 --> 00:20:05.190 Dana Pittman: craft a detailed backstory. 101 00:20:05.300 --> 00:20:35.120 Dana Pittman: Now for this, you want to develop a rich backstory that explains how your antagonist arrive at their current mindset. Now, whenever people see this especially clients, they think. Oh, my goodness, I have to write all these things out or in the case of your antagonist or your villain, it may be. Well, I'll have never have any use for this, especially if the none of your story is from that character's point of view. But this is one of those 102 00:20:35.640 --> 00:20:52.700 Dana Pittman: opportunities to really sit in the seat of that character, and the more you sit in the seat of that character it will help you to identify and be very specific about the conflict and the stakes that are happening in this story, and why 103 00:20:52.710 --> 00:21:11.889 Dana Pittman: it will also help you to get back to that number one of being relatable, believable in that. Those are things that we can identify with. And I have some examples if we have time at the end. But I always go. But I'm gonna go back to that law-abiding citizen, because in that story, when he's doing all of this mayhem 104 00:21:12.060 --> 00:21:22.399 Dana Pittman: he goes a little bit left in the story, we are reminded in his mind. He is avenging the death of his daughter and everyone that had something to do with it. 105 00:21:22.540 --> 00:21:28.149 Dana Pittman: He has decided they must die. It makes me think of John Wick. They must die right. 106 00:21:28.440 --> 00:21:48.810 Dana Pittman: and so I'm going to kill them all, as John Wick says. And listen, we're not condoning it, but that's his perspective, and the more you know that the better you can write it. And so here. My question is always, how have the events of their past shape, their current desires and their methods? 107 00:21:50.430 --> 00:22:00.869 Dana Pittman: This is important. One of the things that I find interesting is when you're writing villains or you're writing characters that are on the page. But you do not write from their point of view. 108 00:22:01.445 --> 00:22:04.370 Dana Pittman: Especially as someone that writes first person a lot. 109 00:22:04.873 --> 00:22:12.420 Dana Pittman: I find that it's important to understand what those methods are, so I can understand what resistance 110 00:22:12.570 --> 00:22:18.599 Dana Pittman: my protagonist is under. How does that look? How does that feel? What forms does it take? 111 00:22:19.840 --> 00:22:33.919 Dana Pittman: And the purpose of this is because it makes it well rounded, and it gives it depth to, not just your story, but also to the antagonist, and it helps your audience to understand and possibly 112 00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:39.109 Dana Pittman: sympathize with their choices. Again, even if we may not do it. 113 00:22:39.310 --> 00:22:44.429 Dana Pittman: we can understand like, listen, I can understand why he might go a little bit less 114 00:22:44.510 --> 00:22:47.479 Dana Pittman: based on what they did to his daughter as an example. 115 00:22:48.960 --> 00:23:01.580 Dana Pittman: How do we do this? You can research influential factors like culture, upbringing historical events that may have shaped your character's Psyche and their motivations. 116 00:23:01.580 --> 00:23:26.099 Dana Pittman: You can outline key life events, events. You can create a chart or put it in a spreadsheet or put it on a sheet of paper, of when those different things happen. I love to look at different times in their past that have reinforced this lie, that they are embracing about themselves, or this truth that they have adopted as their identity? What were the moments in their lives that reinforce. 117 00:23:26.100 --> 00:23:33.699 Dana Pittman: forced that this is who they are, that this is all that they deserve, and that this is the only way that they can get justice, etc. 118 00:23:34.890 --> 00:23:48.720 Dana Pittman: And the action here again is that create an an emotional timeline. It can be an emotional timeline. It can also be a chronological timeline, but the emotional timeline will help you to start connecting the 119 00:23:48.910 --> 00:23:53.860 Dana Pittman: actions to the motivations, to the emotions. Okay? 120 00:23:54.500 --> 00:24:13.850 Dana Pittman: And again, when I say this, it doesn't have to be fancy Schmancy. However, if you're someone that writes a series or trilogies, or you write books all in the same world, taking a little time to do this in the moment is going to save you a lot of headaches later for you and your editor. 121 00:24:15.640 --> 00:24:26.130 Dana Pittman: Every great story needs a dragon to be slain, and every dragon deserves to be understood. This is an unknown, but I thought this was perfect. Right. 122 00:24:26.600 --> 00:24:33.389 Dana Pittman: Listen, your antagonist of your villain. Maybe they may, but didn't wake up and say, I'm going to be bad today. 123 00:24:33.590 --> 00:24:37.770 Dana Pittman: and so there's things and needs and 124 00:24:38.510 --> 00:24:40.989 Dana Pittman: desires that they are 125 00:24:41.050 --> 00:24:45.170 Dana Pittman: willing to go to great links to express. 126 00:24:45.280 --> 00:24:54.879 Dana Pittman: and your knowing that will help you to be that much better of a writer, and be that much closer to your readers. 127 00:24:56.470 --> 00:24:57.730 Dana Pittman: Step 3. 128 00:24:57.740 --> 00:25:22.079 Dana Pittman: Assign admirable qualities. You want to give your antagonists traits, and skills that can be admired or feared. And I think we used to kinda sit in the fear like they're gonna be ebail. And that's how everybody wants to do their antagonists. But the one thing again about that story to me was that well, he was doing some evil things, but the way he was doing it was extremely crafty 129 00:25:22.270 --> 00:25:23.639 Dana Pittman: and clever. 130 00:25:24.084 --> 00:25:39.049 Dana Pittman: The twist was truly hidden, and the fact that he had an amorable reason as to why he was doing it. And so the moment you add those qualities, stacking them babies up like you were doing a layered cake. 131 00:25:39.100 --> 00:25:53.849 Dana Pittman: you make it so. It is also hard, and you make it totally delicious and yummy for us to dive into that book, and to give that antagonist or your villain a little bit more thought. 132 00:25:53.890 --> 00:25:58.009 Dana Pittman: and even get to a point where we're cheering for them. 133 00:25:58.420 --> 00:25:59.240 Dana Pittman: Right? 134 00:25:59.620 --> 00:26:10.769 Dana Pittman: And so the question that I like to ask here is, what strengths do they possess that could make the protagonists and readers respect or fear them. 135 00:26:11.260 --> 00:26:13.830 Dana Pittman: Now, here's one of the pro tips. 136 00:26:14.750 --> 00:26:20.879 Dana Pittman: You really want your antagonist to be stronger than your protagonist. 137 00:26:21.160 --> 00:26:27.709 Dana Pittman: You want it to look like. It is almost insurmountable for your protagonists. 138 00:26:28.100 --> 00:26:42.360 Dana Pittman: This is where we truly see them evolve, and we truly see them grow in both their character and their strength and their magical abilities, and them taking up their space in that world that you've created. 139 00:26:42.520 --> 00:26:46.479 Dana Pittman: But that can only happen if you have a formidable 140 00:26:46.900 --> 00:27:04.799 Dana Pittman: antagonist, that's the only way. If it looks like he can beat him the whole time. Then why are we here? It's like West Way. So the purpose of this and having those admirable qualities is to make that antagonist more formidable, interesting. 141 00:27:04.860 --> 00:27:33.709 Dana Pittman: and to enhance the challenge that they pro oppose to your protagonists. You want that. So how can we do that? Along with doing that backstory you can list their strengths, lists, their weak weaknesses, their intelligence, their charisma, their education. I love writing and antagonists that like you just are like, okay, you know. Yeah, alright romance. But you know that make you stop and almost like, Okay, you're not supposed to be cheering for him, Dana. 142 00:27:34.350 --> 00:27:42.770 Dana Pittman: but that makes it so. It's that much more of a tug of war, and that that much of a moment where you glue your readers to the page. 143 00:27:43.730 --> 00:27:52.430 Dana Pittman: How else can we do this by developing scenes that showcase these traits. You want it to go from being in your notes to being on the page. 144 00:27:52.640 --> 00:28:03.580 Dana Pittman: You want it to be so crystal clear that you do not have to tell us that your your character is a genius, or has these strong magical abilities. 145 00:28:03.580 --> 00:28:27.649 Dana Pittman: You want it to be very apparent and clear to everyone who is reading the story, and that goes also into your showing versus telling. You want to bring that to the page. So you want to plan scenes and scenarios where those traits can really come to the forefront, and that it can demonstrate that effectively. And that is a healthy balance here, because you don't want it so much so that our attention is 146 00:28:27.650 --> 00:28:35.820 Dana Pittman: pull from the protagonist. But you also want to make sure that the protagonist has to bring their a game. We want them to show up 147 00:28:35.850 --> 00:28:36.890 Dana Pittman: fully 148 00:28:36.900 --> 00:28:43.750 Dana Pittman: when it's time for them to get to those big moments and scenes, and for us to understand what they're truly up against. 149 00:28:45.140 --> 00:28:53.640 Dana Pittman: So how do we do this? Again? You want to analyze the impact. You want to reflect on how these traits influence your antagonists. 150 00:28:54.275 --> 00:29:02.869 Dana Pittman: And their interaction with other characters, especially your protagonists, and how it progresses along in your plot. 151 00:29:03.120 --> 00:29:05.589 Dana Pittman: So assigning those admirable qualities. 152 00:29:06.930 --> 00:29:14.730 Dana Pittman: a truly memorable villain is the one who can make your you secretly root for them just a little bit. 153 00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:20.480 Dana Pittman: And that's what I love. I love when I just got to be like, Okay are, am I supposed to be chair for this person? 154 00:29:20.834 --> 00:29:38.779 Dana Pittman: And the answer is, you know, if you, if the author did a really great job, I think you want it to be a little bit muddy. You want it to be a little bit murky, so that we have to find our way, and as we are finding our way, we are on the journey with that protagonist. 155 00:29:40.990 --> 00:29:42.370 Dana Pittman: Step 4. 156 00:29:42.870 --> 00:29:53.100 Dana Pittman: Establish a connection to the protagonist. Now, what I mean by this connection is to have a personal link between the antagonist and the protagonist. 157 00:29:53.120 --> 00:30:14.740 Dana Pittman: Now, this is the one that I will probably say is, it seems like the one that may be more of an optional thing. But I I really find that if you make this particular element true for your story, it really does double down on the impact and upping the stakes in your story. 158 00:30:15.030 --> 00:30:34.219 Dana Pittman: having a connection between them. One of the examples. She's her step mom, right? Or in the case of law-abiding citizen. The original person that he's going after was the lawyer that was supposed to been defending the case for his daughter 159 00:30:34.750 --> 00:30:54.440 Dana Pittman: and his wife, and so his family essentially so. You want there to be some sort of shared history and and direct connection, and sometimes what you will find in stories is that in the beginning that may not be true. But at some point, and at a very pivotal moment there's an intersection. 160 00:30:54.620 --> 00:30:56.649 Dana Pittman: And you really want to know what that is? 161 00:30:56.917 --> 00:31:00.519 Dana Pittman: If there's some sort of personal connection, I think it makes it even better. 162 00:31:00.660 --> 00:31:04.610 Dana Pittman: So what is the question? Do I like to that? I like to ask for this step? 163 00:31:05.299 --> 00:31:18.730 Dana Pittman: The question is, what is the nature of their relationship, and how does it? Complicate both characters journeys. If that person was a friend, or was a part of their crew. 164 00:31:18.940 --> 00:31:21.126 Dana Pittman: or was 165 00:31:22.790 --> 00:31:36.409 Dana Pittman: pick pick, because I'm think, sorry to think Romans, their boss, or whatever. If there's some sort of personal connection there, understanding what that connection is, and how it complicates 166 00:31:36.420 --> 00:31:38.540 Dana Pittman: both of their journeys. 167 00:31:38.610 --> 00:31:41.869 Dana Pittman: both the protagonist and the antagonist. 168 00:31:42.480 --> 00:31:48.910 Dana Pittman: The reason why this is important again, is because that personal connection increases the States 169 00:31:49.070 --> 00:31:58.189 Dana Pittman: and the emotional impact of that conflict. It makes it. So it just go. It goes from being just sort of at a distance to being personal. 170 00:31:59.320 --> 00:32:02.169 Dana Pittman: and it makes the story more compelling. 171 00:32:02.540 --> 00:32:26.000 Dana Pittman: One of the things is like you're sitting on the edge of your seat when you know that there is a personal connection there. Whether it's that there there is a discovery of that connection, or what the moment it will be when the 2 of them come face to face, knowing that they have this tumultuous history, knowing that they have this personal connection, and knowing that they have so much at stake. 172 00:32:26.720 --> 00:32:39.690 Dana Pittman: So how do we do this again, mapping out that history or that timeline. And here you really want to think about what is their shared histories? What are the where are those places where there's overlap 173 00:32:40.001 --> 00:33:03.380 Dana Pittman: whether they're interactions relationships between them and how they impacted the current dynamics. So we don't sit in the history. One of the things that I think that this does, too, is, I think this helps where it's not a lot of ping ponging in your story. I don't like. When people do a whole lot of flashbacks. I don't mind flashbacks, but when you do it, just to bring details forward 174 00:33:03.380 --> 00:33:19.299 Dana Pittman: to show how we can see it in the moment I think what it can do is slow your story down. So, knowing how they interact with each other, what that relationship is and how it affects their current dynamic will really strengthen this particular element. 175 00:33:20.380 --> 00:33:48.920 Dana Pittman: determine the emotional stakes. Consider how this relationship affects their emotional responses, whether it causes them to act slow causes them to act fast causes them to have a delay in response. And how it influences their decisions. You know a lot of stories. You'll see where a store. A character won't react because they don't want to, because of that connection, and it comes back to bite them. And we love a good comeback 176 00:33:49.300 --> 00:33:58.710 Dana Pittman: right? A good bite and a tush that causes them to really pay attention, and to see how formidable that antagonist is, or your protagonist is. 177 00:33:59.490 --> 00:34:13.159 Dana Pittman: So again, how do we do this? We incorporate all of this into the plot, integrate those connections into the storyline, ensuring that it is a clear influence for both the character development. 178 00:34:13.260 --> 00:34:17.190 Dana Pittman: the plot, and also showing those motivations. 179 00:34:20.110 --> 00:34:25.539 Dana Pittman: A good antagonist is someone who is equally as interesting and complex 180 00:34:25.580 --> 00:34:33.940 Dana Pittman: as the protagonist, and that goes to the layers. And I hope, as we go into the fifth element, you see that we're layering this baby. 181 00:34:34.230 --> 00:34:44.310 Dana Pittman: the more that you know the earlier responses, the better these later responses will get for you, and the more in depth that you will be as you build your characters. 182 00:34:47.100 --> 00:35:09.769 Dana Pittman: so step 5. Integrate the antagonist and world building. You want to ensure that your antagonist embodies and reflects the broader themes and conflicts within your fantasy world. This is where you take it, and also have another layer of not just being one dimensional, not just being ebail. Right? 183 00:35:09.930 --> 00:35:14.360 Dana Pittman: I'm gonna stop saying it that way. Okay, I might have to say it that way one more time, but 184 00:35:14.390 --> 00:35:33.040 Dana Pittman: give it more depth that we have an opportunity to see the powers, the the politics, the world at play through your characters, and it's a another opportunity to drive those themes home right? 185 00:35:33.040 --> 00:35:48.889 Dana Pittman: So the question that I ask myself for this step is, How does the antagonist represent or challenge the society, the societal norms of the morals, the physical laws of your fantasy world? 186 00:35:49.840 --> 00:35:54.040 Dana Pittman: How do they challenge them? How do they represent them. 187 00:35:55.090 --> 00:36:04.680 Dana Pittman: I always think about. I'll get to the examples in a minute, because I always think about the scene in Missouri when they're there, and all of a sudden 188 00:36:05.290 --> 00:36:06.450 Dana Pittman: is almost like 189 00:36:06.500 --> 00:36:12.480 Dana Pittman: all chaos, breaks loose because everything they thought it was 10 times worse. 190 00:36:12.720 --> 00:36:13.730 Dana Pittman: And 191 00:36:13.760 --> 00:36:24.909 Dana Pittman: I love a good moment in a story when, as the reader, I'm thinking, no, no, no, no, my heart is dropping, but I can't stop reading. 192 00:36:25.280 --> 00:36:29.329 Dana Pittman: and that's when you really pull off these elements war whale. 193 00:36:30.230 --> 00:36:38.349 Dana Pittman: The purpose of doing this is to show that there are ties between the antagonist, his or her, or their 194 00:36:38.360 --> 00:37:03.290 Dana Pittman: actions, and their motivations to the world around them. They're not just this alone, island out there, and it enhances that thematic depth to your story, and it anchors your antagonists to the world as well as your protagonist, how they're all essentially in this nice big melting pot, where you can't separate one from the other. 195 00:37:03.290 --> 00:37:13.070 Dana Pittman: and it also causes all of them to in effect, go through this journey. They have to show up, they have to do the work. 196 00:37:13.570 --> 00:37:26.739 Dana Pittman: So how do we do this again, you want to analyze your world building elements. Examine how the setting the cultural norms, and your societal conflicts of your world can influence 197 00:37:26.810 --> 00:37:31.459 Dana Pittman: or mirror your antagonist's traits and motivations. 198 00:37:31.650 --> 00:37:42.049 Dana Pittman: One of the things for this particular one that I love to see is, it's almost as if the antagonist is the physical manifestation to the aches 199 00:37:42.130 --> 00:37:44.620 Dana Pittman: and the angst of the world 200 00:37:45.730 --> 00:37:58.070 Dana Pittman: that they have taken something always think about. I don't know why I'm thinking about y'all movies and stories like float in my head at all times, but always think about X men 201 00:37:58.450 --> 00:38:22.479 Dana Pittman: and how you know the they they just want it to belong, and they want it to be equal. But it was this thing of tired of hiding, but it was again like you find both your protagonist and your antagonist being the opposite sides of the same coin, even when their plight is the exact same. 202 00:38:23.510 --> 00:38:27.789 Dana Pittman: It's just how they choose to go about remedying it 203 00:38:28.770 --> 00:38:42.380 Dana Pittman: another. How is to connect your themes to your characters? Ensure that your antagonist, their goals, their actions, embody or challenge those larger themes of your story. 204 00:38:42.850 --> 00:38:49.589 Dana Pittman: One of the things that I love about Step 5 is that you get out of just being this one to one 205 00:38:49.690 --> 00:38:54.350 Dana Pittman: right of this connection between the protagonists and the antagonist only. 206 00:38:54.690 --> 00:39:07.579 Dana Pittman: and it blows that picture out even more. And I think with this step it shows you how important it is as a writer and a storyteller to get this right 207 00:39:08.210 --> 00:39:11.579 Dana Pittman: right right, because there's no right way but get it right. 208 00:39:13.280 --> 00:39:28.128 Dana Pittman: You want to implement symbolic representations. Your antagonist as a symbol or product of the world's system issues or virtues, providing a deeper commentary on the narratives, the narrator's 209 00:39:29.050 --> 00:39:50.119 Dana Pittman: environment. And with this particular one I love looking at this from a sense of as someone who will write things like paranormal romance set in a contemporary setting or urban fantasy in the fact that your antagonist may be just one of those people who just was on the side of 210 00:39:50.830 --> 00:39:52.920 Dana Pittman: all the things that are wrong 211 00:39:53.080 --> 00:40:20.225 Dana Pittman: with the current situation. And this is the only way or the way that they sought is their only remedy to the the the negativity or the hardships that they have endured, and again taking us back to the top. This is where we identify, where we identify with being, you know, the black sheep where we identify with being the 212 00:40:21.670 --> 00:40:33.140 Dana Pittman: the person who has not had all of the odds in their favor, and it it becomes this growth opportunity for both the protagonists and for us as readers, right? 213 00:40:33.660 --> 00:40:37.269 Dana Pittman: So integrate your antagonist and role building 214 00:40:38.030 --> 00:40:54.970 Dana Pittman: a a truly memorable villain is the one who can make you secretly root for them. I oh, I did this quote again, y'all, cause I loved it in just a little bit, and I hope when you look at step one through 5, you see how we could root 215 00:40:55.020 --> 00:41:03.760 Dana Pittman: for the antagonist, and if you cannot see that for your antagonist, then I would implore up on you to dig a little deeper 216 00:41:04.150 --> 00:41:12.990 Dana Pittman: because you want it to be gray. You want it to be hazy. You want them to hate, to love the villain 217 00:41:14.150 --> 00:41:31.279 Dana Pittman: I will never forget, and then we'll go to some examples, and we'll be on the heels of be getting into Q. And a. Which is going to be great. I remember one of the stories that I wrote that for a novel. One of my first novels that I never planned. I never plan to write a sequel. 218 00:41:31.562 --> 00:41:34.340 Dana Pittman: Always thought it was just going to be a standalone book. 219 00:41:34.650 --> 00:41:56.159 Dana Pittman: But readers and my fans wanted that the antagonist story so bad that they were emailing me, emailing me, emailing me so that the sequel for me was my antagonist from book one was the protagonist in Book 2. 220 00:41:56.740 --> 00:42:06.580 Dana Pittman: And and so I say this to say that you want the to give us the opportunity to question 221 00:42:06.700 --> 00:42:15.860 Dana Pittman: and to test what we deem is right and wrong, or why we love this character or not. 222 00:42:17.360 --> 00:42:28.320 Dana Pittman: So for the examples I am going to use. Movies. Y'all, I'm a keeper. 100 yum. Say y'all, cause I'm from Texas. I'm a keeper 100. I could have picked all of these books. 223 00:42:28.550 --> 00:42:42.670 Dana Pittman: and I really wanted stories that I just knew back and forth that are absolute favorites. But I would say to you, even as I'm talking about these, think about some of your favorite villains, and go through those steps 224 00:42:42.760 --> 00:43:05.029 Dana Pittman: so that you have practical examples of how these steps lay out in the story, and then go to those books and look at how your favorite authors worked that thing out on the page. And that's how you make this extremely practical and a way for it to be not just a presentation, but an exercise to help you make your stories. Better 225 00:43:05.820 --> 00:43:12.460 Dana Pittman: so for my examples. I'm going to use directly until which is one of my all time favorite movies of all time. 226 00:43:12.640 --> 00:43:23.690 Dana Pittman: even though I always forget the characters, names boring. I'll talk about that snow White and the Huntsman, and Robin Hood. I love this version of Robin Hood. 227 00:43:24.630 --> 00:43:25.550 Dana Pittman: So 228 00:43:26.700 --> 00:43:38.020 Dana Pittman: Ravenna and snow White and the huntsman. If you decide to get the slide deck you'll see all of this. I'm not going to talk about everything, but I'm going to talk about some key things that made me really want to look at her. 229 00:43:38.200 --> 00:44:07.750 Dana Pittman: I thought it was so interesting. The way that the movie depicted her, and I couldn't remember any other time. This is probably one of the only times that I found that I really loved the snow white story. I didn't really care for the actual fairy tale of it, but I did like this telling of it, because the contrast were made both in the characters, disposition, and also in the vision of the the vision of the movie itself. 230 00:44:07.750 --> 00:44:35.109 Dana Pittman: How they use those stark contrast of whites and blacks and golds! And we don't have that as writers, but we have something even better, which are all the steps that we just talked about of getting that backstory, getting, that understanding and seeing in those moments, especially when she was being extremely vulnerable with her brother. Yeah, I can't remember her brother. I always just remember he had a Chili bow haircut. 231 00:44:36.026 --> 00:44:53.770 Dana Pittman: but I wish it was being vulnerable with her brother, and we saw their upbringing and their past, and what caused them to be the way that they were, and how that was no fault of snow white. 232 00:44:53.770 --> 00:45:15.459 Dana Pittman: And so one of the things that I love to do is when I have those moments in stories. I love to sit down in that in that story and think about why, again, if you watch the presentation that I gave last year, I talked about the 5 w's that you can a ask in a story of asking that? Why, at least 5 times to get to the root 233 00:45:16.130 --> 00:45:25.410 Dana Pittman: of the question that you're asking in here whether it's the motivation and the backstory, the qualities. And I think it would be easy 234 00:45:25.960 --> 00:45:55.130 Dana Pittman: to just chalk that up to being Eval right, but that there were layers to it. And even as you saw her fighting to maintain both life and life as she knew it, and we saw those layers being peeled back and at the same time seeing the snow, White's character being strengthened because they are both are on this journey together. 235 00:45:55.470 --> 00:45:58.319 Dana Pittman: I really love this rendition of the story. 236 00:45:58.990 --> 00:46:03.583 Dana Pittman: The next example that I have. 237 00:46:05.700 --> 00:46:06.740 Dana Pittman: here we go 238 00:46:07.300 --> 00:46:08.420 Dana Pittman: is 239 00:46:08.810 --> 00:46:35.037 Dana Pittman: Sheriff of Nottingham, from Robin Hood. And I think there's multiple versions of Robin Hood. Ya, the funny thing is, I don't really watch a lot of TV or movies. So the ones that I like like. I really really love. What I loved here is that all the years that I remember Robin Hood, like we always remember, like. Still from the Ridge, give from the give to the poor, and that Sheriff Nottingham was like his all time, you know, antagonist. 240 00:46:35.660 --> 00:46:46.120 Dana Pittman: the thing about this movie that really stood out to me when I think about it, from the sense in the perspective of the villain was how charismatic he was. 241 00:46:47.110 --> 00:47:12.539 Dana Pittman: the way they they, the the lens in which the director depicted the story. We really got to see a lot of the sheriff Nottingham's thinking when he had those moments of oh, now I can't think of his head. I'm just gonna call him Robin. They called him the Hood in the the movie. When they had those moments of talking together, and we saw his childhood, and how he was abused. 242 00:47:12.540 --> 00:47:33.559 Dana Pittman: and how he wanted to distance himself, and how he used all of those external elements, his clothing, his hair, his posture, his projection of his voice, his projection of his power to mask those things, and to send out his evil in his his plans into the world. 243 00:47:34.630 --> 00:47:43.670 Dana Pittman: and and again, it could be one of those moments of a person relating, maybe not to his actions. 244 00:47:43.740 --> 00:47:58.319 Dana Pittman: but to a person being an orphan, being abused, being in unlikely circumstances, being in a position where no one fended for them nor protected them. And now he has decided I will never be in that position again. 245 00:47:59.750 --> 00:48:06.022 Dana Pittman: And I think, having again those layers, make them relatable. 246 00:48:06.680 --> 00:48:21.602 Dana Pittman: Even to the point where it it poured over to Robin because of the the laws and the text and all, and the fear, but also poured over to 247 00:48:25.500 --> 00:48:31.150 Dana Pittman: I'm gonna don't want to mess up his name I wanted. I think it was Joseph, but Jamie Fox's character 248 00:48:31.320 --> 00:48:46.459 Dana Pittman: because he lost his son in the war again, that was perpetuated by the evil that was placed into works by the sheriff from Nottingham. And so again, this is another great one. Yeah, really, really good. 249 00:48:47.690 --> 00:48:56.459 Dana Pittman: The next one is I don't want to miss up the name. Me May Mead in Dracula untold 250 00:48:56.560 --> 00:49:03.000 Dana Pittman: what I loved about the antagonist here one is that there wasn't just one antagonist. 251 00:49:03.150 --> 00:49:29.606 Dana Pittman: and I love when that energy is layered. I also love, because in this story you have that your hero is morally gray, and when you have a hero that's morally great, it is so interesting to look at the dynamics between that hero and the rest of the world, or that protagonist and the rest of the world. And here, 252 00:49:30.210 --> 00:49:31.910 Dana Pittman: my main. 253 00:49:32.190 --> 00:49:45.409 Dana Pittman: I'm gonna call him may need. Okay, I'm just gonna say it. I apologize in advance, but what we see here was that him and Bald had history. 254 00:49:45.780 --> 00:49:48.239 Dana Pittman: They were essentially brothers. 255 00:49:48.400 --> 00:50:06.510 Dana Pittman: and at 1 point, when Val was trying to implore up on him. Don't do this. He he wanted to lean in to their history. We are brothers, you know me, you know. I'm good for it. And he'd said, I don't care. I want what I want. 256 00:50:07.210 --> 00:50:08.450 Dana Pittman: And 257 00:50:08.930 --> 00:50:15.960 Dana Pittman: just seeing that, and feeling that, and to have this king bleeding. 258 00:50:17.560 --> 00:50:19.640 Dana Pittman: lowering himself 259 00:50:20.700 --> 00:50:24.810 Dana Pittman: to save his people and the children of his kingdom. 260 00:50:24.900 --> 00:50:35.200 Dana Pittman: and for the villain to be like I don't care. Yes, we were, I mean, because we were. You know I'm not playing with you. Listen, that's Dana's version. 261 00:50:35.380 --> 00:51:03.150 Dana Pittman: But in this story you see that. And so at at all times Bald is experiencing both the antagonistic and energy from Mead in his kingdom. But he's also oh, goodness, yeah, I'm awful with names. But though also from the vampire who gives him his powers, and also, in my estimation, the the curse that he accepts. 262 00:51:03.390 --> 00:51:06.959 Dana Pittman: and all of those things are playing at once. 263 00:51:07.200 --> 00:51:21.209 Dana Pittman: causing this pressure, this pressure of time, this pressure of circumstances, this pressure of his family, this pressure of his kingdom, and also this pressure of losing himself. 264 00:51:22.970 --> 00:51:27.570 Dana Pittman: is so good. I hope I'd make you want to go watch that movie. Okay. 265 00:51:27.600 --> 00:51:31.239 Dana Pittman: how are we doing on time? We're doing great. Oh, right on top one last one 266 00:51:32.950 --> 00:51:40.430 Dana Pittman: again, law-abiding citizen, not a fantasy, the other ones yes, this one not so much. But 267 00:51:40.500 --> 00:51:41.575 Dana Pittman: here 268 00:51:42.920 --> 00:51:45.390 Dana Pittman: in the beginning you don't know 269 00:51:45.470 --> 00:51:49.909 Dana Pittman: who you can't tell who's the antagonist? And who's the protagonist 270 00:51:50.730 --> 00:52:03.419 Dana Pittman: Claude is trying to? He's trying to do right by the memory of his wife and his daughter, who were killed by burglars, and because the justice system airquote failed him. 271 00:52:03.710 --> 00:52:08.329 Dana Pittman: he took it upon himself to get justice. 272 00:52:10.260 --> 00:52:13.300 Dana Pittman: And you see the links. 273 00:52:13.520 --> 00:52:21.670 Dana Pittman: and even at 1 point, which is always a great scene to have. Nick, who's Jamie Fox's character here. 274 00:52:22.030 --> 00:52:27.570 Dana Pittman: asks him, would your wife and daughter want you to do this in their name. 275 00:52:28.390 --> 00:52:30.020 Dana Pittman: And he says 276 00:52:30.200 --> 00:52:33.570 Dana Pittman: they they don't have an opinion. They're dead, basically. 277 00:52:34.990 --> 00:52:35.750 Dana Pittman: And so 278 00:52:35.830 --> 00:52:46.519 Dana Pittman: having that mirror moment, that moment where when you have taken and decided that this is the means in which you want to exercise 279 00:52:46.750 --> 00:52:49.529 Dana Pittman: your rights or the lack thereof. 280 00:52:49.580 --> 00:52:54.659 Dana Pittman: and then, having to look in the face of your reasoning, whether 281 00:52:55.010 --> 00:53:01.809 Dana Pittman: it right? Is it just? Is it moral? And there's so many of those questions, and and then 282 00:53:02.260 --> 00:53:04.220 Dana Pittman: how they made it so that 283 00:53:04.980 --> 00:53:21.539 Dana Pittman: Nick wasn't doing right, either, and he's I. I still think it's fuzzy between who's the protagonist and who's the antagonist because they're both morally gray. But I think it is a wonderful study in antagonistic energy, and how it presents itself. 284 00:53:21.540 --> 00:53:37.129 Dana Pittman: and how the antagonist can look like it. He! She! They are so formidable that you do not know how you are going to get over overcome, how you are going to win like you're having a true rocky moment. 285 00:53:38.410 --> 00:53:45.260 Dana Pittman: Ultimately all of this to me is about having a moment where your 286 00:53:45.430 --> 00:53:46.850 Dana Pittman: protagonist 287 00:53:48.390 --> 00:53:50.329 Dana Pittman: has to decide 288 00:53:50.470 --> 00:54:02.990 Dana Pittman: who they are and how they're going to step up, and the more you build your antagonist. The more that moment for your protagonist is going to jump off of the page. 289 00:54:03.590 --> 00:54:15.630 Dana Pittman: If you have a wimpy antagonist, you're going to have a wimpy, you know, decision moment. And for that ultimate climax of when they make that decision, that climactic moment, it's going to be weak. 290 00:54:15.950 --> 00:54:36.330 Dana Pittman: Nobody's gonna remember it. If you don't build those, making sure that they are equal at a minimum, and and what would be preferred is that it is almost insurmountable in our minds how your protagonist is going to do it, and knowing how this really is about them 291 00:54:36.550 --> 00:54:44.980 Dana Pittman: becoming the fullest version of themselves, and they cannot do that, they will not do that without a formidable 292 00:54:45.480 --> 00:54:46.820 Dana Pittman: antagonists. 293 00:54:48.940 --> 00:55:07.370 Dana Pittman: In the heart of every antagonist lies the seed of a tale untold. And all of this all of this that I'm telling you is that this antagonist is a true, viable character that is contributing to the heartbeat and pulse of your story. 294 00:55:08.790 --> 00:55:31.600 Dana Pittman: and that you want to give it. It's just do, because in doing that you build a better story, and you tell a better story, and you give us a story that we are invested in because we don't know how this thing is gonna play out. But we wanna be there when it does. Okay? And so what I just encourage you to do is use it. 295 00:55:31.780 --> 00:55:41.510 Dana Pittman: Use all of this information, bring it to the page, give it to your readers, allow it to stretch and grow you as a writer, too. 296 00:55:42.130 --> 00:55:43.580 Dana Pittman: And how do we do that? 297 00:55:43.750 --> 00:55:49.450 Dana Pittman: Yeah, I've got to tell. Y'all, I love a good emoji. How do we do that 298 00:55:49.620 --> 00:55:54.440 Dana Pittman: is, by transforming them into characters that readers love to hate. 299 00:55:56.540 --> 00:55:58.460 Dana Pittman: that they love to hate. 300 00:55:58.990 --> 00:56:05.689 Dana Pittman: The reason why I can talk about those stories, even though I can't remember their names is because they are memorable. 301 00:56:05.950 --> 00:56:09.199 Dana Pittman: If I think of an antagonist, I think of them. 302 00:56:10.230 --> 00:56:14.379 Dana Pittman: and you want that, because that's going to bring your readers back. 303 00:56:14.400 --> 00:56:22.900 Dana Pittman: going to make them think of you when when they think about. Even if it's when they think about a villain, they're going to think of you and your stories. Okay? 304 00:56:23.970 --> 00:56:25.370 Dana Pittman: So to recap 305 00:56:25.400 --> 00:56:30.169 Dana Pittman: number one, you want to define core motivations for your antagonists. 306 00:56:30.540 --> 00:56:34.479 Dana Pittman: You want to craft a detailed backstory. 307 00:56:34.720 --> 00:56:40.699 Dana Pittman: You want to assign admirable qualities and skills to your antagonists. 308 00:56:40.910 --> 00:56:51.710 Dana Pittman: You want to establish a connection to the protagonists, and you want to integrate the antagonists in the world building. And as a reminder, you do not have to have all of them. 309 00:56:51.790 --> 00:56:55.590 Dana Pittman: But, as you can see, even in my yeah, my brief 310 00:56:55.650 --> 00:56:59.129 Dana Pittman: telling of those examples you could 311 00:56:59.180 --> 00:57:02.499 Dana Pittman: clearly see that it is layered. 312 00:57:02.780 --> 00:57:08.830 Dana Pittman: Having those layers makes for a memorable moment in characters. 313 00:57:12.870 --> 00:57:33.810 Dana Pittman: Again, we put the link to be able to get this slide deck as well as an free email course that's going to be starting on may first called Master the art of creating addictive villains where it will have these details, plus more and practical exercises, and that will be free. And now we are going to get to the Q. And A. 314 00:57:35.020 --> 00:57:40.360 Tom Wilde: Dana, just wanna jump in and say, that was awesome. There are so many 315 00:57:40.620 --> 00:57:50.389 Tom Wilde: wonderful comments about the value that people have got from this session. So thank you very much. We're so tight for time. We've literally got a couple of minutes to QAI don't know if you've had a 316 00:57:51.280 --> 00:57:52.593 Tom Wilde: there are 317 00:57:53.660 --> 00:58:00.063 Tom Wilde: there, there are a lot there to answer. So maybe we're gonna have to try and deal with these at a later point, but 318 00:58:00.330 --> 00:58:07.480 Tom Wilde: One of them was one of those I picked out is Diana is asking, When do you recommend introducing the reader to the antagonist? 319 00:58:08.960 --> 00:58:35.979 Dana Pittman: You want it to be as soon as possible, even if it's not the physical antagonist right of that antagonistic energy. That's an overflow of the antagonist's presence, and I wanna apologize. Y'all, my time was a little bit off, but what I will do is if you will give me these? The QA. Like. If you download the QA. For me, I will include an audio recording, answering all of them with the reply, with the slide deck. 320 00:58:36.790 --> 00:58:44.609 Tom Wilde: That, Dana, that would be amazing. Yeah, we can supply that. Sorry, everybody. And and there. But there's been so much content there to cover thinking. 321 00:58:44.910 --> 00:58:46.179 Dana Pittman: 3. So 322 00:58:46.580 --> 00:58:47.180 Dana Pittman: sorry. 323 00:58:47.180 --> 00:58:57.029 Tom Wilde: But we can. We can make sure that we get through to those around to those and and and get back to you. But yeah, let me just post those links in 324 00:58:57.260 --> 00:58:59.999 Tom Wilde: the chat, so everyone's got them once again. 325 00:59:00.870 --> 00:59:15.139 Dana Pittman: Yeah, and I'll I apologize. I'm so sorry I usually try to leave time, so I will. I'll answer every one of the questions I will put in the QA. Box. I'll record a video and and we'll send it over with the slide deck so you'll have both. 326 00:59:16.110 --> 00:59:37.449 Tom Wilde: Okay, so I'm sure everyone likes to join me, Dan, and thanking you for your general general, since being your time with us once again. You're such a great star at our writers. Weeks. A a such a popular speaker! Everybody, as you know, you can find a replay of stage sessions in the fancy writers. Week hub on the community. They will be posted there as soon as they are ready. 327 00:59:37.450 --> 00:59:47.160 Tom Wilde: We are delighted. We join you joined us for the first session of this second day of fancy rights week. Please stick with us more the rest of the week, and join us for premium day on Friday. 328 00:59:47.240 --> 00:59:53.749 Tom Wilde: Enjoy the next talk, and we'll see you all soon. Have a great day. Everybody. Thanks for joining us once again. 329 00:59:53.980 --> 00:59:55.060 Dana Pittman: Thank you.