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My beta reader told me my villain was too nice, so I rewrote 30k words
I had this antagonist who was just misunderstood, not really evil, and my beta reader said flat out, 'He reads like your mom, not a villain.' I switched him to someone who genuinely enjoys causing pain and my plot finally had stakes. Anyone else had a reader call out a blind spot you didn't see?
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gavin_hill2710d ago
Ever think the problem wasn't the villain being too nice but the protagonist being too passive? A reader calling out a weak antagonist is usually a sign your hero isn't pushing back hard enough. I had a similar issue where my villain felt flat, but rewriting the main character's choices to actively oppose him fixed both at once.
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