Interview with Creative Short Story Writer

Sometimes the most useful information can be found by asking someone directly. I have had the privilege to interview David, a unique creative writer, on his thoughts on antagonists and how to create them.

The Interview
Who is your favorite villain and why?
Javert in Les Miserables; The Grand Inquisitor in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Brother’s Karamazov; The Older Brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. There is an ache of recognition. I see myself in my favorite villains. They remind me of my own stubbornness. These villains have logical, valid desires and pursuits and yet have been poisoned by justifying themselves at the expense of the Greater Good (love, mercy, paradox).

What do you think makes a memorable character? Or more specifically, a villain?
Tension in their character…when they bring you to a point of longing for redemption—even if they have no part in it. If you long for what could have been in them, that makes them memorable. Darth Vader was two-dimensional, but when he took his helmet off, you see him as human.

What tips would you give a writer on how to create a good antagonist?
Don’t write a character who is pure evil. Give them something likeable. A good antagonist is not very far off from being a protagonist. They have desire and passion and work ethic, but it is just skewed enough to be misguided. There is a thin line between good and bad/love and hate. A good antagonist draws your attention to why they are misguided, and compels you—even as you hate them—to feel troubled with them and for them.

Do you think an antagonist has to be a person specifically, or can it be an inner struggle, event, or something else? Do you have any examples?
Anything can be an antagonist BUT it is the human qualities which make an antagonist convey WHY it is an antagonist and push the themes of the story along.

How do you think an antagonist should relate to the main character?
Troubled relationship. Back and forth. Push and pull. Leading up to a final battle.

Note: David has written multiple short stories that have been published in various collections. His most notable short story, he says, is Things We Knew When the House Caught Fire. It was published in Best American Nonrequired Reading and again in Best Christian short Stories. It was also performed on National Public Radio (NPR) by actor Keith Szarabajka. One of David's other short stories, Foster, won a Mississippi filmmaker’s grant and was turned into a short film.