Thursday, January 10, 2013

Research: Adding Depth to Antagonist




A way to add depth to my antagonist came into focus while I was doing a bit of research for RED BANDANA. 

I was talking to a taxidermist about modern-day and historic techniques used to remove flesh from bone. He answered my questions, but I also noticed the taxidermist’s excited voice and body language.  This was a topic he knew inside out and loved to discuss. 

The whole conversation got me thinking about my antagonist in a slightly new way. The idea of an antagonist being the hero of their own story isn’t new, but what about deepening his character by showing his passions in a more realistic instead of nasty fashion—like the taxidermist happily talking about native flesh eating beetles and soaking road kill in vats of water to rot the flesh off?

It isn’t like I’ve never shown my antagonists’ chattering about their passions in other stories, but usually my mind is focused on how disturbing it is to the main character. Point of view takes priority. Still, I think focusing less on how disturbing it is and making the antagonist's excitement as realistic as possible will add even more depth to the creepiness factor. 


7 comments:

  1. Raven's mom was an amateur taxidermist. She would pick up fresh road kill and make them into tableaus - for example little squirrels with airplane size bottles of Jack Daniels, with clothing for the critters! The girls had smocked dresses and dust ruffle caps. I love this bit of trivia!

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  2. I can see Raven's childhood livingroom now :)

    Actually, my mom used to put dead birds she found in our freezer. She gave them to someone at Williams College's science dept. I never dreamed he might have stuffed them, then dressed them in coats with leather patches on the elbows.

    One of the particularly interesting things I learned from this taxidermist was the difference between techniques used in the 1980's and now. It doesn't really effect this story, but it's vital if I ever write a prequel or anything involving the back story.

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  3. Antagonists can be the most interesting, don't you think? But I remind myself to be careful not to lose the right POV as they don't see themselves the way others do, and most stories aren't told from their point of view.

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    1. They are facinating and fun to develop. I think the trick with developing the hobby or job is for the POV to find it interesting as well and see the antagonist's excitement as normal...then have that feeling change as the book goes along.

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  4. Hi Pat. Interesting article. I've never let my mind wander down that path before as to the particulars of taxidermy. :) And great website, also. I love the b&w pictures you chose. Good luck with your manuscript submissions which I'm sure are coming soon!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Debbie.

      This research is for a YA suspense I just finished a first draft of. I'm up to my elbows revising it right now, but I suspect I'll get my revision notes soon, swap horses... And then submissions. I'm so looking forward to finally reaching that stage!

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  5. Good luck with it for sure. It sounds very interesting. Can't wait to read it once it is in print! Thanks also for the retweet!

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