Bullies, Bastards and Bitches: How to Write the Bad Guys of Fiction

Get to Know Your Character's Sinister Side

A truly memorable antagonist is not a one-dimensional super villain bent on world domination for no particular reason. Realistic, credible bad guys create essential story complications, personalize conflict, add immediacy to a story line, and force the protagonist to evolve.

From mischief-makers to villains to arch nemeses, Bullies, Bastards & Bitches shows you how to create nuanced bad guys who are indispensable to the stories in which they appear. Through detailed instruction and examples from contemporary bestsellers and classic page-turners, author Jessica Page Morrell also shows you how to:

• Understand the subtle but key differences between unlikeable protagonists, anti-heroes, dark heroes, and bad boys
• Supply even your darkest sociopath with a sympathetic attribute that will engage readers
• Set the stage for an unforgettable standoff between your hero and your villain
• Choose the right type of female villain--femme fatale, mommy dearest, avenger, etc.--for your story

Bullies, Bastards & Bitches is your all-encompassing bad-guy compendium to tapping into any character's dark side.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Writer's Digest Books
Published: 08/01/2008
ISBN: 9781582974842
Pages: 296
Weight: 1.08lbs
Size: 8.96h x 6.16w x 0.78d

Review Citations: Reference and Research Bk News 02/01/2009 pg. 285