Writers Tricks of the Trade Issue 6, Volume 6 | Page 14

6 Types of
Antagonists

P = Protagonist
in the following
descriptions
The Hater
Thinks P is
useless and tries
everything to shut
P down including
lying or framing P
The Crazy
Friend
Tries to be helpful
but can be
harmful because
of stupidity or
rash decisions
The Idealist
There for P if they
think P is right –
Will do everything
to stop P if they
think P is wrong

5 THINGS YOUR ANTAGONIST SHOULD NOT DO (CONT’D)

3. Finally, when all the smoke clears and last piece of buckshot has been
plucked from the hero’s rear end, somewhere near page 289, we find the
antagonist having the upper hand over the hero. Maybe he has the protagonist
tied up, or something.
Then he slithers away, leaving the hero bound and gagged inside a burning
building. How cliche’ is that? They don’t confess like this in real life. Normally, bad
guys lie like tired dogs until the very end, when they feel they’ve exhausted all
means of hiding the truth. But not while they’re winning the battle.
4. Number four is actually part of number three, but it’s such a wiener that I’ve
given it a separate spot in the countdown. The bad guy has the hero in a position
where he could easily finish him off, however, the thug chooses to talk for a while,
or his heart softens and he decides he just can’t pull the trigger. Puhleeeze… The
bad guy has hated the hero for 147 years. Why would he suddenly have a change
of heart? There has to be a better way for these scenarios to play out. Where’s the
creativity? Why write the same old, same old?
5. Your antagonist is a pretty clever guy. He’s devised a plan to end the world,
found a way to stockpile plutonium, uranium, missiles, grenade launchers, and a
couple of fighter jets, and is able to sneak in and out of the Pentagon and White
House any old time he chooses, yet he picks an accomplice who’s as dumb as a box
of rocks. I ask you, how believable is that?
Please, give your antagonist a healthy dose of smarts. They’ll appreciate it, and
so will your readers.
I’ll say it again…it’s a writer’s duty to create believable make-believe.
***

The Tempter
Thinks P has
potential and
wants him on their
side. Will oppose
P but try to kill
him. Can be fun
character.

Lee Lofland is a veteran police investigator who began his law-enforcement
career working as an officer in Virginia’s prison system. He later became a sheriff’s
deputy, a patrol officer, and finally, he achieved the highly-prized gold shield of
detective. Along the way, he gained a breadth of experience that’s unusual to find
in the career of a single officer. Visit The Graveyard Shift for more about Lee
Lofland.

The Turncoat
Appear to be
against P but turn
out to be an ally
in disguise or a
potential ally.
The Sociopath
Like N
the
Crazy-DECEMBER 2016
OVEMBER
Friend in some
ways. They can

PAGE 6

WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE