Revenge/ Superhero story
by Trey
(Texas)
Question: My main character wants to get revenge on a certain individual, who has reached the apex of his arc and essentially taken control of every opposition he has faced previously (before the main character's story), for killing the family he worked for and treasured. The villain is someone who is connected to the main character's new boss as her boyfriend. I was wondering when it would be a good time for him to reveal himself as the villain. I was thinking of having the main character suspect him early on be on his tail until he is "killed" seemingly out of nowhere by his "proxy" about midway through the story. After this the main character gets confused as there is still chaos rampant and the suspected villain is dead and the proxy obviously isn't the person who killed the family he served. Regardless he goes after the proxy until the original villain reveals himself again. Is this a good idea or is it too convoluted? If this is too convoluted what could I do to streamline this idea.
Answer: In a thriller (assuming this is your genre), it is quite common for the real threat (in this case, the real villain) to only be exposed and dealt with at the climax of the story.
In effect, you create a "false close" in which the proxy is dealt with, the reader gets a momentary bit of relief, and then the final threat (real villain) reveals himself or is exposed by the hero, just as you outline above.
Of course, it helps if you begin the story with a shocking event that contains some tiny hint regarding who the real villain is. The proxy is then a red herring who keeps the heroes occupied for most of the story.
A few additional hints or bits of contradictory evidence scattered throughout the story can help too, so that when the real villain is revealed, the reader can have an "Oh, why didn't I see this coming" moment.
The other technique you should consider is having the actions of the real villain, though concealed for most of the story, be the driving force. So for most of the story, we see the heroes reacting to things that happen, but we don't understand why they happen until the end.
Best of luck.
- Home
- Plot Questions
- Revenge/ Superhero story
Search this site...
|
||
| site search by freefind |
100% Human Generated Content!
All
articles on this website were written by a human being -- one possessed of flaws and limitations, but also with a personal perspective and a desire to help fellow
writers. No article on this site was written by or with the aid of artificial intelligence (AI).
Popular Articles
Mini-Course
Never be stuck for a great story idea again! This online mini-course will show you how to create simple ideas for original characters and build a plot around each character that contains the essential elements needed for a compelling story.
Recent Postings
-
Writing thoughts and diary entries.
Question: This is my first time trying to write, I constantly imagine fictional scenarios, so I decided to write a novel with them, but in my idea, we -
Synopsis Format
Question: Hello! Thank you for answering my question about how many characters to add in a synopsis! I should have included this question with my last -
How many characters to include in a synopsis
Question: Hello! I'm new to your site, and I love it! I didn't see a question and answer page for synopsis writing, so I wasn't sure where to post this
"I've read more than fifty books on writing, writing novels, etc., but your website has the most useful and practical guidance. Now that I understand how a novel is structured, I will rewrite mine, confident that it will be a more interesting novel." - Lloyd Edwards
"Thanks to your "Create a Plot Outline in 8 Easy Steps," I was able to take a story that I simply just fooled around with and went willy nilly all over, into a clearly defined, intriguing battle where two characters fight to keep their relationship intact, and try to find a balance in control of themselves and their lives. Thanks to you, I'm not ashamed of the poor organization of my writing." - Nommanic Ragus
"I am so glad I found your site. It has helped me in so many ways, and has given me more confidence about myself and my work. Thank you for making this valuable resource, for me and my fellow writers. Perhaps you'll hear about me someday...I'll owe it to you." - Ruth, Milton, U.S.A.
"I never knew what to do with all the characters in my head, but since discovering Dramatica I am writing again in my spare time. Thank you for making this available. Yes, it is a bit complex, and it does take time, but I love it because it works." - Colin Shoeman
"I came across your website by chance. It is a plethora of
knowledge, written in a simplistic way to help aspiring writers. I
truly appreciate all of the information you have provided to help me
successfully (relative term) write my novel. Thank you very much!" - Leo T. Rollins
"I
can honestly say that this is the first website that is really helpful.
You manage to answer complex questions in relatively short articles and
with really intelligent answers. Thank you for taking the time to write
these articles and sharing them so generously." - Chrystelle Nash
"...had no idea that a simple click would give me such a wealth of valuable information. The site not only offered extremely clear and helpful instructions but was a very enjoyable read as well. The education from your wonderful site has made me a better writer and your words have inspired me to get back to work on my novel. I wish to give you a heartfelt thanks for How to Write a Book Now, sir." -- Mike Chiero