What Are Some Tips For Writing From An Antagonist’s Point Of View?

When writing from the perspective of the antagonist it adds depth and complexity to your story. Here are some tips to effectively capture the viewpoint of your antagonist;

Develop a Humanized Antagonist; Remember that your antagonist is not a plot device but a character, with their motivations, desires and backstory. Make them relatable by revealing details that make them feel human.
Understand Their Motivations; A compelling antagonist genuinely believes in their cause or goals. Take the time to understand what drives them. How they justify their actions to themselves. Are they driven by revenge, power, validation or something else entirely?
Portray Their Perspective; Show the reader the antagonists point of view in a way that helps explain why they oppose the protagonist. What are their thoughts, about the protagonist? How do they. Perceive the world around them?
Nuanced Morality; Remember that an antagonist doesn't always see themselves as a villain; their moral compass may differ from others than being absent. This approach will create a dimensional character.
Avoid Stereotypes; Be cautious not to fall into clichés or rely on traits when portraying your antagonist.

These guidelines will assist you in crafting a portrayal of your storys antagonist while maintaining depth and avoiding pitfalls. Creating an believable antagonist involves incorporating unexpected character traits.

Evoke Sympathy; Craft moments that elicit the readers sympathy, for the antagonist. Show glimpses of vulnerability or instances where they display kindness or justification to present a rounded character.
Counterbalance with the Protagonist; Ensure that your antagonist is on par with your protagonist possessing strength but flawed in ways. This equilibrium sustains tension. Keeps the conflict engaging.
Establish a Unique Voice; Give your antagonist a narrative voice that reflects their personality and worldview making their chapters or sections stand out.
Conflict and Goals; Clearly establish conflicts and goals for the antagonist that directly oppose those of the protagonist. This drives the plot forward while emphasizing the motivations behind the antagonists actions.
Logical Progression; Ensure that the actions taken by the antagonist align, with the storys logic. Provide a progression or escalation of their plans and actions.
Grant Them Agency; The antagonist should actively pursue their goals making moves and decisions that impact the story than solely reacting to the protagonist.
Avoid Lengthy Explanations; While it may seem tempting to have your antagonist go on and, on about their plans or beliefs in monologues it's actually more effective to showcase these aspects through their actions and interactions with others.

Additional Resources;

If you want to explore character development in depth I recommend checking out Dwight V. Swains book "Creating Characters; How to Build Story People." You can find it here; URL link to book resource.

To gain insights into character perspectives "Characters and Viewpoint" by Orson Scott Card is a resource. You can access it here; URL link to book resource.

For guidance on antagonist perspectives consider reading Jessica Page Morrells book "Bullies, Bastards And Bitches; How To Write The Bad Guys Of Fiction." It offers advice on crafting villainous characters. You can find it here; URL link to book resource.

Remember that writing from an antagonists perspective serves not as a counterpoint to the protagonist but, as an opportunity to create a fully fleshed out character who adds depth and tension to your story.

1 Other Answers To: "What Are Some Tips For Writing From An Antagonist’s Point Of View?"

Creating an Captivating Antagonist

Creating an captivating antagonist can truly enrich your novel. If you're writing from the perspective of an antagonist here are some tips to develop their character and integrate them seamlessly into your story.

Understand Their Point of View; Dive into the world as seen through the eyes of your antagonist. Show readers how their beliefs and actions are shaped by their surroundings. Explore what they perceive right or wrong even if it differs from the majority.
Justify Their Choices; From the perspective of your antagonist their actions make sense. Have reasoning behind them. Present. Decisions, from their standpoint to illustrate why they firmly believe in what they're doing regardless of norms.
Unveil Their Background; Everyone has a past that molds them into who they're today. Give your antagonist a gripping backstory that sheds light on their motivations and behaviors. This can create empathy or, at least offer readers an understanding of their character.
Portray Inner Conflict; Not all antagonists have unwavering certainty in their cause. Showing moments of doubt guilt or internal struggle adds complexity to their character. Allows readers to relate to them on a level.
Let Them Evolve; Allow your antagonist to grow and develop throughout the story. As they face challenges, successes or failures their views and tactics may change, like a protagonists would.
Give Them Moments of Success; It's important for the antagonist to demonstrate competence and occasional victories, in their endeavors. This not raises the stakes. Also prevents them from becoming a one dimensional character who always fails.
Incorporate Personal Stakes; Ensure that the antagonist has something at risk whether its their reputation, loved ones or even their own life. These personal stakes drive their commitment to their cause. Make them more determined and relatable.
Introduce Supporters; Introducing characters who align with the antagonists cause can show that they are not alone in their beliefs. This can add depth to the antagonists mission. Highlight their leadership skills or influence.
Explore Relationships; Delve into relationships that're significant to the antagonist whether they be allies, foes or neutral parties. By exploring these relationships you can add complexity to the antagonists character. Provide insight into their motivations.
Showcase Their Competence; Emphasize the skills and abilities of your antagonist throughout the story while maintaining a balance, with moments of challenge or setback. It is crucial for the main adversary to excel in some aspect be it strategy, combat, manipulation or any other skill that makes them a formidable opponent.
Express their Vision; Even though their methods may be questionable an antagonist could have a vision, for a world or a different approach to things. Let readers see what they are striving for and why it holds significance to them.
Highlight Contrasts with the Protagonist; Use the language to highlight the differences between the antagonist and protagonist accentuating their traits, abilities and flaws without oversimplifying either character as good or evil.

Additional Resources for Further Reading;

To delve deeper into the role of antagonists in storytelling consider reading "The Functions of the Executive" by Chester I. Barnard. This book offers a metaphor by comparing antagonists to executives facing dilemmas. [URL link to book resource].

The lecture series "The Psychology of Performance; How to Be Your Best in Life" by Eddie O'Connor through The Great Courses provides insights, into the mindset of achievers that can be applied to crafting antagonistic characters.

I found a book called "Stealing from God; Why Atheists Need God to Make Their Case" by Frank Turek. It explores the idea that opposing viewpoints can find ground, which can be helpful, in understanding the perspective of an antagonist. By incorporating these methods you can create an antagonist who not sees themselves as the hero of their story but also adds depth and complexity to your fictional world by driving the narrative forward.