Yeah, it happens to the best of us. Life gets in the
way and your brain is taken in another direction and before you know it, it’s
been days or weeks since you last looked at that book you’re trying to
write. You’ve forgotten little details. What eye color did you give
your hero? What town was your heroine born in?
Communication is, perhaps, one of the most important parts
of a story. Not only between the good guys, but between the bad guy and good
guy as well. Does this show how alike they are? Or does this conversation make
it very clear how much the good guy needs to defeat evil? One thing to point
out is that exposition can be very boring for the reader, so find a clever way
to communicate what needs to be said in a way that doesn’t lose your audience.
Talk it Out
If your hero and the antagonist had an honest discussion,
what would they say to each other?
>List three locations or situation in which your hero and
your adversary could talk at length.
> Brainstorm three characters your hero could confide in.
> Imagine a conversation between your hero and his/her
younger self. What advice would he/she give.
> If your antagonist is a non-human (e.g.: a storm, an island,
the alien in Alien) imagine it as a person. How does it speak? How would it
describe what it wants?
Keep in mind that sometimes you don’t need to include these
conversations into the story, but as the author, it could help you understand
your protagonist and antagonist better. The best stories are when the two
clashing forces have equally believable and necessary missions. You root for
the hero but you also root for the antihero. Building dialogue can be a bridge
that lets your readers choose which path to go. That’s great drama right there.
Happy Writing!
***John August designed these cards to help writers fix plot
holes, spice up stock characters and rethink your themes. They, of
course, do not guarantee you’ll get published or that you’ll become the next
J.K. Rowling, and of course they are only a tool to help you think outside the
box. I make no monetary gain with them nor do I expect anything in
return. I do not own the contents in these cards. If you're interested in
them, here's the amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Writer-Emergency-Pack/dp/B00R6ZLIOY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1502046610&sr=8-2&keywords=john+august
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