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Writers F.A.Q (Last Updated: 2024 Sep 18 7:08 am)



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Subject: Meeting the antagonist....


evilded777 ( ) posted Thu, 11 December 2014 at 9:49 AM · edited Thu, 18 July 2024 at 11:28 PM

Ok, so I'm wading through my outlining/synopsis/warmup phase and getting close to the point where I will layout my scenes.  I've done some good work on my characters, ideas for scenes are bubbling up and the final plot pieces are struggling to click into place.

I've got a story where there are deliberate paralells between one of the protagonists and the antagonist; they are there to keep the other protagonist guessing and off-balance and to develop an interpersonal conflict between the two protagonists (suspicion and distrust between two characters who are romantically linked). The READER will know who the antagonist is before the protagonists, and I'm feeling like I need to get some POV scenes from the antagonist  before the moment when his identity is revealed to the protagonists (and the secondary character the antagonist/stalker has gotten involved with  while working to get close to one of the  protagonists).

So here's the question: do you feel a POV scene from a character who is not identified other than generically as the antagonist is doable or is it just clunky mechanically? I don't want to give a way his identity to the reader, initially, though I will reveal through a scene with a secondary character that  this guy is indeed the antagonist and hiding his true identity.

This is not really a mystery, but there does need to be some suspense and tension built. Have to admit that I don't think I have qood techniques for that; something I really need to work on.


TheBryster ( ) posted Fri, 12 December 2014 at 10:36 AM
Forum Moderator

The short answer is, 'Yes'.

If I read your post correctly it could work very well. A scene describing the actions or observations of an unidentified antagonist in my view could be very interesting, and indeed frustrating - in a good way - for the reader, as we try to work out that character's identity.

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Wolfenshire ( ) posted Sun, 14 December 2014 at 10:41 PM
Site Admin Online Now!

I don't see why not. Maybe write a few paragraphs and post it to see how well it works.


Wolfenshire, Moderator/Community Leader



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