Thread by @KateBrauning

It’s #subtips time! Here’s an editor plot tip challenge that may significantly tighten your plot, stakes, & pacing.

Make your main character the antagonist of your antagonist.

So many genre novels I work on tend to have MCs with strong internal goals but soggy, abstract external goal. Discovering something, figuring something out, dealing with a family dynamic, making it through something. #subtips

But the antagonist’s goal the author really nailed—it’s specific, measurable, concrete, unique. Get revenge by doing X. Build power by siphoning magic from Y. Present a deadly puzzle to trap Z. #subtips

But then the main character is pretty much stuck being reactive to the antagonist’s goal—figure out the puzzle, escape, struggle through hoping to achieve something. #subtips

Sometimes this can work. There’s always exceptions. But this sets the author up for a story driven by the antagonist. The MC is kept fairly reactive or passive because the one with the real goal is the opponent. But what if your MC truly drove the story in response?
#subtips

If the MC is largely reactive in their goal & actions, if they are not as specific, measurable, unique, personal, concrete as the antagonist’s—that sets you up for soggy stakes and pacing because there’s not enough push-pull in the plot. The MC isn’t pushing back enough. #subtips

But try flipping the story around. We already know to imagine the story from the antagonist’s POV to make sure they’re active and complex. Now take that a step further:

Plot your MS as if your MC was the antagonist of your antagonist. What’s their goal NOW? #subtips

What if instead of “escape the killer” their goal became “kill the killer”? What if “struggle through my family life” it becomes “lead my family through accepting Dad is emotionally abusive and take collective action” #subtips

In both of these, the MC goes from largely reactive in their goal to truly opposing the opponent. Even if the opponent is a situation or problem and not a person. #subtips

To do this, instead of having a MC with a goal and coming up with something to oppose them, try taking your antagonist’s concrete, measurable goal and ask yourself “what would throw a huge wrench in that?” Let your MC be the wrench, not the antagonist. So: #subtips

Mc has a goal: Cop in a crumbling marriage has to rescue his hostage wife & others from terrorists.

Vs:

MC as antagonist: German bank robbers pose as terrorists and take an entire office hostage. Jon McClane sets out save everyone by terrorizing the terrorists. #subtips

It’s so much more compelling—even in a story where there was already deep stakes and a concrete external goal for the MC. Imagine the difference in your plot and pacing if that’s already weak #subtips

Suddenly you have a much more dynamic plot, equal push-pull, more opportunity for twists & shocks because there’s more power at play, a MC set up for real cleverness, pushing themselves more & being way more proactive. And bonus: Tons of extra character development! #subtips

Want more #subtips? A golden rule for the first page:

https://twitter.com/katebrauning/status/1518607977376325638

Another plot rescue tool: move the climax to the middle. See what happens next. See if what follows gives you 4x the story and if that’s what you really wanted to say: #subtips

https://twitter.com/katebrauning/status/1481363442917388291

Some behind-the-scenes discussion of why you might not be getting feedback responses on your queries: #subtips

https://twitter.com/KateBrauning/status/952988307985698816

And a bit of #subtips on character realization vs character transformation:

https://twitter.com/KateBrauning/status/1143689931321204737