Ang kontrabida ay hindi laging isang karakter (isang goon na may hawak laging baril o isang socialite na makapal ang make-up at abot sa anit ang taas ng kilay).
Also, as far as I know, they're not always as highlighted in romance novels as in other fictional genre so I'm not sure if I should talk about them. But in my opinion, antagonists add spice and tension to the romantic story, especially in the kind of romance I dig nowadays. They make great page-turners, more so when these villains remain mysterious from the beginning, revealing themselves only in the end.
You just gotta love 'em.
So why not try adding some to your story?
ANTAGONIST
: one that contends with or opposes another (m-w.com)
TYPES OF ANTAGONISTS
- PERSON. As in the goon or social climber or friends or family member or some monster.
- INSTITUTION. Or group of people (with no particular person standing out) that gives the protagonist a problem.
- Example: NBI. The protagonist hides from them `cause she's accidentally caught in something illegal.
- IDEA. Like an "internal antagonist", blocking an "internal goal" (see Part 1 - CHARACTERS).
- SITUATION. Natural calamity, war, event, etc. Something the protagonist can't really avoid or destroy, but can overcome.
- THE HERO HIMSELF. I heard this is typical in romance and has been used until now.
- Example: The hero didn't like the heroine in the first place because he's a bitter, brooding bachelor who had a bad experience with some woman. So, he bullied her, all the while denying the fact that he wanted her in his bed (and heart) as much as he hated her.
I divided them into two types:
- CONSCIOUS. This antagonist knows what he's/she's doing; a real enemy. The protagonist may or may not know who is this villain, like in a mystery novel where the antagonist reveals itself in the end, but sooner or later, they will confront each other.
- UNCONSCIOUS. Usually applies to family members, or any person acquainted with the protagonist, who initially opposes the protagonist because they care about our heroine/hero. They don't really mean our bida harm and they'll eventually reconcile with the protagonist later.
HOW TO CHOOSE AN ANTAGONIST
I mean, how do I choose my antagonist?
My third published novel had real people as antagonists. Yes, plural. Again, there are no rules. It's up to you. Whatever works best to give your protagonist a hard time.
Remember: Hardships make the protagonist grow.
In romance, the antagonist should make the protagonist a better person. It should make her accept love or realize it with the hero. Dapat happy ending, `di ba? There should be closure with all her baggages, her problems and worries.
So make an antagonist that challenges the heroine enough that she'll do whatever it takes to get to her goal. Something that would make her face her greatest fears. (We refer to the heroine `cause she's the protagonist of PHR romance novels)
Going back, medyo action ang tema ng How Deep Is Your Love kaya naisipan kong lagyan ng taong kontrabida. (It's easier to talk about it now, but I had a hard time writing this novel. It went through a lot of drafts, changes in the plot, etc. And—wait for it—I had to start all over again!)
All I know is that it should have a villain in it. That there would be dead people and stuff. So I felt that a flesh-and-blood villain suits the story.
DEVELOPING THE ANTAGONIST
In 24,000 words or less, it's hard—wait, I don't think everyone got that—, HARD to develop every character in the story. Everyone is vying for attention and with an antagonist, there is risk of losing chunks of romantic scenes reserved for the hero and heroine.
So how do we make sure that our antagonist is effective even with the limited words and pages we can spare it?
Well, friends....
It all depends on us.
...
...
Yes.
We, the writers, would make sure that our antagonist—though a character of few words or scenes—is effective. That they're beneficial to our story (else, we fire them).
...
...
Sorry, but really, it all boils down to the writer's knowledge, experience, and skill.
I know. It's frustrating, right? Especially for beginners.
Isn't there some kind of detailed formula or procedure to create an effective antagonist? An antagonist that would make my novel worth the readers' time? And before that, worth my own time?
NADA.
WE need to make an effort to learn THAT.
We have to work hard. Research and read more.
And then we can create the antagonist that's our very own.
But there must be something we can do, right?
Well, for starters, we can OBSERVE.
...
Someone always told me that in the beginning of our writing career, we'll always try to imitate other writers. Those we idolize and respect. Those novels we love.
NO. I'm not saying we mean to plagiarize them. But their influence would be great at first that what we write will most likely be similar to theirs. Our ideas will almost be the same as theirs. Typical. Common.
But that's normal. In fact, every idea is the result of what we collect from other people's ideas.
There are no new ideas. Only new ways to present them.
Like the same pork dish, only with a different sauce.
“There Is Nothing New Under The Sun”. Ecclesiastes 1:4-11HOWEVER, creativity makes it possible for us to make something... original. Something that came from us, no matter how similar the idea is in general.
It's like the mixing of all the things we learned and understood from all those books, movies, and personal experiences.
It differs in the details and when it comes to the point that the readers compare and point out similarities, it all comes down to conscience.
But to be safe, let's write from deep down. It's just down there, I assure you.
And don't worry about running out of ideas because they are everywhere.
For example, we could always emulate the traits of the antagonists in our real lives.
That neighbor that our mom has been complaining about? Observe their behavior. Know their reasons for doing what they do.
That relative that rolls her eyes at us every reunion because we rarely show up? It doesn't mean that she hates us. Maybe she just doesn't know what we're up to.
That guy inside the jeepney, who stared at me hard because I'm staring at his hand working its way inside another passenger's bag? As a heroine, what if I meet him again and he wants to shut me for good so I won't speak of his crime? It's a good time for the hero to come in, right?
Potential villains are among us.
Observe a lot. Take in a lot fuel.
Then create your own version.
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ANTAGONIST (Person)
Antagonists have reasons for being evil. They are not born evil. So, the first ingredient you should have to create an antagonist is...
MOTIVATION.
Yep. Like the protagonist, the villain should have a reason for being a headache/heartache to our main character's life. And those reasons, those goals, should clash with the protagonist's.
He/she could also use some... SWAG.
Sometimes, we create a villain that turns out cooler than the protagonist. Sometimes, we like this villain more than our main characters (be careful about that).
But if we turn this villain into the hero/heroine, we might not achieve the same effects this character have as an antagonist.
That's why we hear readers ask for this villain's story, especially if it turned out be a hot guy, but not all writers are able to accommodate the requests. It's because these characters might not be effective in other roles.
It's disappointing, but requests for that character's story can also mean that you've created a memorable antagonist—not just a plain wall that the protagonist had to climb.
Create a wall that's intimidating. A wall that shrinks the heroine's hope as she looks higher for its top.
And then create a heroine that has the guts to scale it.
Or break through it.
:)
***
Whew. I hope you got something from all that babbling.
Next is...
Just wait and see.
Nakakatuyo ng utak `to. LOL. I'll have to read and review and pull my thoughts together so I can give you guys something substantial.
But there's more to come. Promise. :)
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