Anti-heroes extend back in literature about as far as you can go. Why are they so appealing? Because they are the most like the rest of us. We make mistakes. We have flaws. We do things because we think they will benefit us. It's part of the human experience. Reading about or watching anti-heroes is one thing, but writing about them can be a hassle. It's difficult to abstain from polarizing these characters, but their motives cannot be simple. Their personalities also are not streamlined into a "type". An anti-hero can be anybody. They can be male or female, old or young, human or non-human, social butterfly or loner, wealthy or poor, book-smart or street-smart. With that being said, here are my tips for adding some flair to your anti-hero. 1. Make Motives Complex Anti-heroes are motivated to act when they can somehow benefit from fighting for a cause. They might even flip-flop between self-serving and others-serving motives if the ends justifies the means. 2. Moral Compasses Anti-heroes have moral guidelines, though they might be rather fluid. Which morals guide your anti-hero, and which might change over time? 3. Sex Appeal Isn't Required Anti-heroes don't have to be sexy. They aren't all dark and brooding, either. They can be totally average-looking! 4. Secondary Characters Some anti-heroes aren't main characters, and that's okay! Your MC might be a straight-up hero or villain, and your anti-hero can be a secondary character. 5. Balance Their Qualities Anti-heroes are both "good" and "bad". They toe the line and occasionally step over it onto either side. Balance their qualities to keep them realistic. 6. Don't Justify Bad Behaviors Your readers won't always agree with the behaviors and choices your anti-hero makes, so refrain from justifying their actions and ideas. 7. Change Their Outlooks Anti-heroes are interesting because of how they change. What perspectives and morals of theirs will shift by the end of the story? Famous Anti-heroes
So, what are you waiting for? Let's see what kind of traits and morals you come up with for your anti-hero and how you can make them change over time!
0 Comments
|
JenYour friendly editor and founder of Treasured Tomes Editing Services. ArchivesCategories |