I wrote a book that was published in 2008 by Writer’s Digest Books called Bullies, Bastards & Bitches, How to Write the Bad Guys in Fiction. In it I’m urging writers to take risks when they write characters; to know their character’s moral stance; and to consider who is the best woman or man for the job in your stories. I talked about the growing popularity of anti-heroes in fiction and discussed the difference between anti-heroes and heroes.
A quick tip:
Both heroes and anti-heroes come into the story with some kind of wound, some troubling or difficult circumstances in their past. These always result in an emotional need that must be fulfilled. Without these wounds, emotional needs, troubles, they cannot fulfill their role and arc.
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