Essentially, the point of this article is to show you the right formula to create your very own Protagonist, Antagonist, and Deuteragonist.

Hello dear readers! This is the second time we're writing from the 'Writing 101' team. And in this issue, we'll be discussing the Protagonist, the Antagonist, and the Deuteragonist— more specifically how to write them.

These three roles, I think we all can agree are the key to making your readers stay. Without story characters that you can laugh along and fight for throughout their journey, no one is going to stick around no matter how good your plot may be.

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THE PROTAGONIST

(written by PinkMarbella2050)

1. The Balance (Not too perfect, not too gritty).

We've all seen both: Mary Sues and gritty heroes. Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way is an iconic example for the former, and characters such as John McClane from the Die Hard franchise come to mind for the latter.

Now, that's not to say you can't give your protagonist a screwed-up background— that's perfectly fine. But grit, like doughnuts, is best in moderation.

You need to find balance in terms of your protagonist's good and bad qualities. They shouldn't be an incarnation of God himself, but they also shouldn't be so gritty, resembling sandpaper more than a relatable character. You'll have to tie a fine line, but once you get it right, it'll be very worth it.

2. Don't make 'em a lamp! (Make your protagonist a driving force to the plot).

The plot doesn't happen to your protagonist, your protagonist happens to the plot. They need to do things, shake things up, and grow over the course of the story. And they can't do that if they just react to the events of the story. They also need to take action on what happens to them.

Think of the events of your story like a train. Now, think of your characters as another train. When these two trains crash into each other, that's your plot. Your story is similar to the events of a trainwreck. At first, the survivors react, but then they take action in the form of helping others and themselves and finding help.

Your protagonist, alongside all of your other characters, needs to be like that. Sure, reacting to the events of the plot is important (especially if your characters suffer), but they should also take action and risks and fight the adversity they're going through. They can't just stand there and be a lamp.

In fact, here's a little test for you. Replace your MC with a lamp. If the plot can go on like nothing happened, then you're doing something wrong and you need to go back to the drawing board.

3. Protagonists are like onions! Your protagonist needs layers. Bottom line. Period. End of story.

Sure, all characters do, but your protagonist is especially important because we're seeing the story through them. They are the vessel to which we, as readers, experience the story.

Therefore, they need to be more than just a character or words on a page. They need to be three-dimensional. They need to be a living, breathing person.

It means they can't be one thing only. They can't just be an action hero or a jock who wants the girl or, I don't know, an alien. There needs to be more to them than just one goal or motivation or trait.

Flesh out your protagonist as much as you can. Explore their relationships with other characters, their growth, their fears, their passions, their desires or, hell, their kinks! I don't know, it's your book!

Long story short, your protagonist should be like an onion— any kind of onion (if you even like onions) but all in all, an onion. They need to have layers and depth or people aren't gonna be interested.

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THE ANTAGONIST

(written by Evelynfrost23)

The antagonist is commonly also known as the "villain" of the story, but this idea happens to be a tiny bit overrated. The idea of a villain being a villain just for the sake of a plotline seems to be what everyone has been using these days.

There is a quote that reads "A villain is only a villain as long as the hero tells the story" and I believe that this is very true.

Another common mistake people make while working on stories is to give all the villains redemption arcs. The important part to understand here is that everyone— in most stories —is human. Sometimes, your hero doesn't need to be so forgiving, other times, your antagonist doesn't need to want to be bad.

All of their actions are based on valid reasons. Villains do what they do because they see things differently and their approach is the opposite of a hero. When they decide to do something good, it has to have a very convincing reason.

Make them human. That's what makes stories stand out. Give your stories a meaningful hero, but an even more meaningful antagonist.

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THE DEUTERAGONIST

(written by devianmisfit)

1. What is the deuteragonist? (Definitely more than a sidekick)

A deuteragonist is admittedly a term that is rarely used, and not spoken of much outside of the world of fiction and drama, but you may already know what it is. Frequently pigeon-holed into the role of "sidekick". For every Batman, there is a Robin, and for every Sherlock Holmes, there is a Dr. John Watson.

You can view it as an umbrella term where there could be three types— the sidekick, the antagonist, and the love interest —that's what some authors do, but it's more complicated than that, and I'm here to tell you why you can't exactly fit them in any of the boxes!

So what is the main purpose of the deuteragonist then? They are actually the windows to your protagonist. They form the bridge between the readers and your protag, giving insights into the mysterious personality of your main lead.

2. It's personal and up close! (Trust is key)

Deuteragonists are the ones giving voice to that which the protagonist would typically keep secret. Because of this unique position, deuteragonists are generally a person (or persons) with very close ties to the protagonist: a partner, a mentor, a spouse, or significant other.

How the deuteragonist conveys information to the reader varies depending on their overall role in the structure of the story. Often, the narration of the story is spoken through the deuteragonist's perspective, providing a direct path to the readers' minds. One example is how the author is speaking through Dr. Watson and his views about Sherlock Holmes as the detective goes about solving crimes.

Through their exceedingly humorous banter— more like petty arguments sometimes —you get a glimpse of Sherlock's amazingly, brilliant, bizarre deduction skills as he analyses the crime scene, giving off tingly shockwaves (yes we all love him).

Was Sherlock Holmes a trustworthy man like how Dr. James Watson called him as? What about the times when all the madness and the dark nature of Sherlock's work caught up to him? Dr. Watson is thus there to help readers understand the entirety of Sherlock's actions and provide a more up close and personable connection. But that is to say not all the time accurate.

3. But that's not the end of the role of deuteragonists.

Deuteragonists are also the bridge between gaps. They are designed to be beyond reproach and are the ones readers trust the most throughout the story. Hence, they got to have a righteous purpose or someone with morals. Take Sam in LOTR as an example. Sam played the biggest part in helping Frodo succeed in his quest, and it was his undying loyalty to his best friend that led readers to believe that Sam does everything in the interests of Frodo.

The deuteragonist acts as the voice of conscience to the protagonist— very much needed —as the plot moves along in their journey to achieve their goals. They are there when the protagonist loses sight of their goals as they face various setbacks. They remind the protagonist at their lowest of their original purpose.

Hence, the use of a deuteragonist is especially useful for serialized fiction or a series of arcs accompanying the protagonist.

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That's the end of the article about the Protagonist, the Antagonist, and the Deuteragonist. My dear readers, I hope this gives a better picture of how you go about designing your story characters. What do you think? Are the points above relatable?

Which parts do you struggle with the most?

Don't forget to leave yer comments before you leave us ya~